Talk about giving back to the community.

James Sanders, a 2001 Monache High School graduate and current New England Patriots cornerback, was in town Saturday leading a football camp for three teenagers.

“I wanted to come out and support my high school buddy,” Sanders said, “and I also wanted to give back a little bit.”

Sanders, along with Adam Lake, a personal trainer stationed in San Diego, provided two hours of instruction to Greyson Henderson, Chris Knutson and James Reneau.

Sanders and Lake were classmates at Monache and graduated the same year.

“We’ve known each other since second grade,” Lake said. “We went from racing in the playground to making fourth-quarter tackles.”

The athletes executed drills for over an hour aimed to improve their speed, agility and reaction.

Whenever one became fatigued, Sanders was close by to offer encouragement.

“Get up. Let’s go,” he would say. “Sprint to the cone as fast as you can.”

And all three players were definitely feeling it.

“I’m not really as conditioned as I should be right now,” Knutson said, “and these will help me get in condition.”

After working up a sweat outside, Henderson, Knutson and Reneau moved indoors to the weight room.

They performed Bulldog pushups, inverted rows, a stretching exercise and sit-ups to strengthen their cores.

“They know a lot,” Reneau said. “You just want to be like them.”

To see how much drive they really had, Sanders and Lake wrapped up the morning by leading the players through a near-non-stop shuffling assignment.

“If you want to be successful in football,” Sanders said, “if you do these drills, it’s going to help you a lot.”

Sanders, who is currently living in Fresno, said he leaves next month to report for training camp.

Drafted in Round 4 (133rd overall) of the 2005 NFL draft, Sanders has earned his stay with New England.

After just three seasons under head coach Belichick, the 24-year-old has racked up 131 tackles, four interceptions and one touchdown.

“It’s been great,” Sanders said. “It’s everything I dreamed it would be, and I’m glad I’m living the dream right now.”

Asked if he saw any NFL potential in Saturday’s three participants, Sanders replied:

“They’re young,” he said. “If they continue to work hard, anything’s possible.”

-- Contact Alex K.W. Schultz at 784-5000, Ext. 1049 or aschultz@portervillerecorder.com.