By Chris Brouch
As the 2026 Green Bay Packers training camp unveils, I’m taking a quick trip down memory lane!
Many, many moons ago, I was a young lad growing up about one mile from Lambeau Field. This was early to mid 1980s. The Packers of that timeframe were quite different than today. There was not a Brett Favre, a Reggie White, Aaron Rodgers, or Jordan Love era. These Packers of the late 70s through most of the 80s generally delivered about 4-7 wins per season.
Despite the chronic bad seasons, one thing always persisted. That was us nearby neighborhood kids giving bike rides to the Packer players back and forth from the locker rooms to the practice field!
Today, it is the American Family Insurance Dream Drive with well over 100 kids and bikes on hand. Things have changed a bit with the last 35 years of Packers success. Back in our day, there was not a corporate sponsor. In fact, most days, there were about 15 of us rat pack nearby kids traipsing over to Lambeau to chum with our favorite players.
As you gave rides to many of the same players day after day, conversations about their camp battles and banged up bodies would ensue. The reality of their quest to keep living their childhood dreams would become very clear!
We were also ALL ABOUT the giveaways that the players would commonly throw your way as you became ‘a regular’ in providing a ride for a player day after day! Having a player run inside headquarters to grab you a water or Gatorade was always welcomed! But, once the sweaty wristbands would be gifted to us, yes, then we were really feeling the love! Plain white wristbands were good. But, if you happen to be the recipient of the some sweatfilled wristbands with a pleather Packer logo on them, oh baby, now you were getting into the big leagues! About once per summer, a player would even sneak out an actual practice ball from camp to gift to his ‘regular’! That was it! You had elevated to the top of the food chain of the rat pack bike rider kids!
Yes, things have changed. But there are still awesome moments that happen in this annual rite of passage in Green Bay. Bring on training camp! Bring on quality time spent amongst generations of Packers fans! Bring on the season!
Go Pack Go!
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