NC State cornerback Shyheim Battle gives back to Rocky Mount
With the start of his fourth season at NC State on the horizon, Shyheim Battle wanted to make sure he took the time to give back to his community before locking in for fall camp. The shutdown cornerback graduated from Rocky Mount High School in the 2019 class before traveling to Raleigh to start his collegiate career.
Battle returned to his hometown to host the OUTTA252 Camp Showdown Saturday, an event for athletes to go through drills with the guidance of professional trainers coaches and college athletes, while also testing themselves against the best talent in the area during one-on-one competition. Approximately 130 total athletes attended the day’s camps.
The cornerback cares a lot about the community he was raised in, so putting on an event like Saturday’s camp carried a lot of importance.
“Rocky Mount is my home town,” Battle said. “I love it dearly. This place made me who I am today, and me, being the guy I am, I like giving back to my community. I want to see my community be a better place. I want to be able to come home and see it grow.”
As he continues to help bolster his community, Battle wants to make sure people see him as a resource for the greater Rocky Mount area.
“I try to bring back here the knowledge that I gained when I was away and try to provide the same platforms that I didn’t have, that I had to go get,” Battle said.
This includes access to camps. Sometimes it’s not possible for high school athletes to travel across the state to participate in prospect showcases— something that is often necessary for an athlete to receive exposure to college coaches.
Not only did Battle help provide an opportunity for a camp in the area, he made it completely free for those attending and even offered cash prizes to the top performers thanks to sponsorships from local businesses.
Mike Battle, the director of the camp, said the city of Rocky Mount was also extremely supportive as they planned out the two camps that took place Saturday. He said keeping the camp free for the athletes and their families was important to them, and they hope to keep future events free as well.
“Out of the 252 area, it’s very low income based for the majority of the kids that play sports,” Mike Battle said. “We want to do something free to give the parents a little break also.”
“This will be an annual event.”
Shyheim and Mike Battle, along with Elite Athletes Marketing Group and many others, organized and ran this weekend’s event. A host of current and former NC State athletes also traveled to the camp, which meant a lot to the cornerback.
“Really, it just helps us bond even closer, that they even came and made a commitment to come help me out ” Battle said. “So I appreciate them for doing that. They didn’t have to do that.”
In addition to the current Wolfpack athletes who made the trip to Rocky Mount, class of 2023 NC State-commit and Rolesville High School athlete Tamarcus Cooley also attended the camp. The skilled defensive back and receiver showed off his abilities on both sides of the ball during one-on-ones.
Cooley wanted to attend the event to help support his future teammate. Battle is a mentor for those in the 252 community and beyond, and he also sets an example for future Wolfpack defensive backs like Cooley.
“Shy, he can lock down a whole side [of the field] to himself, so I’m trying to get like that,” Cooley said.
Battle wanted to find a way to make today about more than just football, and he accomplished that goal by focussing on the community, getting local businesses involved while also handing out free merchandise and cash prizes as rewards for the athletes. Saturday’s event was a success overall, and he’s looking forward to seeing where the OUTTA252 showcases can go from here.
“This is definitely a platform that I want to keep growing,” Battle said.
