Green Bay, Wisc., has been good to Casey Hayward. After making a splash his rookie season in the National Football League, the former Perry High Panther is now looking forward to returning to his first home this weekend.
“It’s been good. Can’t complain,” said Hayward about life in the NFL, a league where he made an immediate impact in a Packers uniform with six interceptions. “Just staying real busy now during the offseason. We just had our minicamp, and now I’m working out every day.”
On Sunday, Hayward takes the lead in the annual Independence Day parade through Perry. When the Chamber of Commerce asked him to be this year’s grand marshal … “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
During a phone conversation with the Houston Home Journal just three days before the big event, Hayward said he was delighted that “my city picked me” for this honor.
In addition to the parade, Hayward will be at The Palace Salon & Boutique (located behind the Dairy Queen on Courtney Hodges Boulevard) for an autograph session beginning at 1 p.m. There is a minimal fee, $1, for autographs on a special Hayward card, and it’s $5 for autographs on a picture.
His mother, Tish Hayward, said Casey still wants to be a part of Perry and that he wants to continue to show how much he appreciates the support he’s received all these years.
The game of football was a whole lot of fun for Hayward when he ran the offense as quarterback at Perry High, and even when he took on the best of the Southeastern Conference when switching exclusively to the defensive secondary at Vanderbilt University. The second-round pick of Green Bay in 2012 found out that the NFL is, indeed, a job.
“Every second of a game matters,” he said. “What you do on and off the field matters.”
Twice a year Hayward gets the privilege of seeing who is arguably the best receiver in the game, Calvin Johnson of the Detroit Lions. But opposing quarterbacks quickly learned to respect Hayward’s skills after he made those six picks.
“Sometimes I was lucky, sometimes I was in the right place at the right time,” said Hayward. “You just want to go out there and make plays.”
Hayward was certainly stretched out like never before, having to prepare for 20 total games. That’s four in the preseason, 16 during the regular campaign, and Green Bay had two playoff games. The season ended with a 45-31 loss to the eventual NFC champion San Francisco 49ers.
When it was over, Hayward said he took the time to rest his body. While it is still a physical game, professional football is a much more mentally challenging sport. Hayward said it is a strain both ways for those in his position, and also for the quarterbacks and receivers.
“You definitely have to be physical to go full speed every down,” he said. “But you have to be smart.”
Perhaps Green Bay is the best place to be for anyone with NFL aspirations. Hayward said the town is just as laid back as Perry. There is such a camaraderie with the fan base that the children of the community loan their bicycles to Packers players so they can ride them to training camp every day.
Hayward had his own little friend, and he plans on maintaining that friendship as long as he’s a Packer. He said all through the season and offseason he’s kept up with the family to see how his friend is doing in school.
“These are the most loyal fans in the NFL,” said Hayward. “The stadium is always packed. Whether it’s sunny or cold, they’re there.”
Hayward has also developed a mindset where he’s not interested in any individual honors as a player. He said the goal for 2013 is to compete hard so that Green Bay can show the rest of the league that it has the best team.
“No doubt, (the Super Bowl) is our main goal,” said Hayward. “I have no personal goals. It’s all about the team. If I can help us get there, great.”
Back home in Perry, Hayward wants to keep traditions like his autograph session going as long as possible. And he will be back for his second annual football camp, called Tune Your Skills, on July 6, at the Perry High School practice field from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. This is a free camp for those in the seventh through 12th grades, and he invites everyone to come out and learn from him and his friends.
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