Last fall, Oak Park and River Forest High School alum Dallis Flowers, who graduated in 2015, received the best honor a high school student-athlete can get as his #21 football jersey was retired by the school.
Now Flowers is giving back to by conducting a free youth football camp for boys and girls, age 8 to 13, on Saturday, July 20. In a sign of his popularity, all 100 available spots filled up quickly when registration was announced last month on social media.
OPRF head football coach John Hoerster, who coached Flowers from 2012 through 2014, is excited about the upcoming camp.
“Dallis really values where he’s from and wants to give back to the kids,” Hoerster said. “He’s really been fortunate, with a lot of hard work, and when you get a good situation and things work out, he wants to give back. It’s pretty awesome.”
Hoerster said Flowers reached out to OPRF a few months ago and pitched the camp idea.
“We were able to make it work,” he said. “It all came together quickly. It should be great, and I’m just so happy for him. I’m excited for him to see his number retired on the stadium [press box], for him to know we appreciate him as well and how grateful we are to him for giving back.”
Perhaps the best part is that there will be several girls participating. Hoerster says that’s significant, given the increasing popularity of girls’ flag football in the state.
“We just started our girls flag football program a couple of years ago, and they’re doing awesome,” he said. “They’re building so much momentum. There are so many opportunities now for girls with college sports. They’re getting scholarships to play flag football.”
Flowers, a cornerback and kick return specialist, attended four different colleges over a seven-year period. He wasn’t selected in the 2022 NFL draft, but signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent and made the final 53-man roster.
Flowers made the Pro Football Writers of America Association’s All-Rookie Team that season thanks to his return prowess. Taking over the Colts’ kick-return duties in Week 12, he amassed 715 yards on 23 returns with a NFL-leading average of 31.5 yards per return. Flowers’ biggest moment came during a nationally televised Monday Night Football game on Nov. 28, 2022 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He returned a kickoff 89 yards to start the second half, helping set up a Colts touchdown.
Last year, Flowers became a starting cornerback and registered three passes broken up (PBU). Unfortunately, he suffered a season-ending Achilles injury during a Week 4 game against the Los Angeles Rams.
However, having faced and overcome adversity previously during his whirlwind college career, Flowers attacked his rehab with vigor and Hoerster said he’s looking good for starting training camp later this month on time.
“He looks like he’s in a good place now and ready to get back at it,” he said. “That injury was sad news, but he’s just a hard worker with so much drive and commitment.”
Given his work ethic, it wouldn’t be surprising if Flowers has a strong comeback season this fall. After all, he is the very definition of OPRF’s school motto: Those Things That Are Best.