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Packers players ride kids bikes to training camp practice

Annual training camp tradition continues
Posted at 1:32 PM, Jul 27, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-27 14:37:16-04

Green Bay Packers training camp kicked off Thursday at Lambeau Field with a storied training camp tradition -- Packers players riding children's bikes to and from practice.

On Thursday morning, kids lined up with their bikes outside of Lambeau Field hoping a player would select their bike for the brief ride across the street to training camp.

"We really think it enhances the fan experience -- especially for the kids," said Packers President & CEO Mark Murphy.

The ride to practice is also known as the Dream Drive.

Packers kicker Mason Crosby rode a special adaptive bike next to 12-year-old Ava Gehrung, of Hartford.

Gehrung rides an adaptive bike also. Her physical mobility is limited because of a stroke she suffered when she was born.

Children from across Wisconsin - and even the Midwest - showed up for the chance to meet Packers players. 

Gage Tricker and his family were in town from Ohio.

After enthusiastically yelling "here, here" with the kids around him, Gage got to hold long snapper Derek Hart's helmet as Hart rode the boy's bike across Oneida Street to camp.

Eleven-year old Jack Vandeyacht, of Green Bay, had never been to an opening day of training camp before.

On Thursday, wide receiver Max McCaffrey chose Vandeyacht's bike to ride to practice.

"Just being so close to the players, it's really cool," Vandeyacht said.