Terrence Murphy building a lasting impression through unique camp

Every kid who’s played football once dreamed of reaching the NFL and attaining fame and fortune.

College Station businessman and former Texas A&M star receiver Terrence Murphy literally dreamed of helping those kids attain — and maintain — those fortunes.

“Scripture says God speaks to young men in visions and dreams,” Murphy said. “That’s literally where I got the idea.”

The “idea” is Murphy’s third annual football camp, which will be held on Saturday at Brazos Christian School. The camp, which lasts from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., is for kids fifth through 12th grade — and even younger, if a parent is present. More than 500 kids have already signed up.

So what? Coaches and former players often camp. That’s not usual.

Yet, Murphy’s camp is unusual.

While camps typically focus on honing football skills, Murphy’s camp stresses three components: Football, finance and faith.

And not necessarily in that order.

Butch Ireland/Terrence Murphy

A four-year contributor at A&M from 2001-2005, Terrence Murphy amassed 2,600 yards and 10 touchdowns.

He aims to plant seeds for kids to not only grow into talented football players but also great husbands, caring fathers and perhaps successful entrepreneurs.

Murphy’s camp will begin with a guest speaker educating kids about the hot topic of Name, Image and Likeness.

Discussions about faith in God will follow. Then, after lunch, it’s chalk talk and football.

Murphy knows kids spend a lot of time thinking about a future football. He wants to get them to start thinking about financial literacy, too.

Even for great players, football eventually ends. Sometimes football ends before fortune is accumulated.

Murphy knows this all too, well.

He was a record-setting receiver at A&M. He was a two-time captain. He was All-Big 12. He was a second-round draft choice for the Green Bay Packers.

On a Monday night in 2005, Murphy — then a rookie receiver for the Packers — was stretchered off the football field in Charlotte, N.C.

He’d taken a brutal hit while trying to recover a teammate’s fumble on a kickoff return. Upon contact, feeling in his body vanished. He fell and couldn’t get up. He lay there temporarily paralyzed.

“My passion started for financial literacy when I got injured at 22 years old on a Monday night,” Murphy said. “I’m laying there paralyzed. Will I ever walk? Will I ever use my arms again? What is life going to be?

“I knew football was over with. God had a different plan for me.”

Murphy would prepare as diligently for life after football as he did for football.

He read the book “Who Took My Money?” It was the first book he’d read cover to cover without scanning over some parts.

Murphy read more and more books about finance. He began to invest. He became an entrepreneur. He started a real estate company.

In 18 years — the same amount of time many of his campers have lived — Murphy has built a wildly successful real estate business. He’s a three-time Texas A&M Mays Business School Aggie 100 award winner for creating and founding one of the fastest-growing Aggie-owned companies in the world.

Actually, Murphy has been holding unofficial financial “camps” for years.

Dozens of former A&M players have reached the NFL. They’d attained the dream. They’d attained the fortune. They hoped to maintain it.

Many reached out to Murphy. He offered advice. He gave direction. He helped them understand finances.

He was approached so often that an idea came to him in his sleep.

“I thought, why not make this a camp?”

To learn more about the Terrence Murphy Camp, visit their website.