Hi-Line Living: Play 60 with Marc Mariani'

There is something romantic about dreaming big, and after the NFL Play 60 event held at Pepin Park, Chicago Bears wide receiver Marc Mariani is hoping the 270 kids who came are going to do just that.

"Dream big," he told the group of kids following their 60 minutes of play in the park, and in the end, he said, that was one message he was hoping everyone would take away.

"That's important to me," Mariani said. "I want them to take that message that you can do anything you want to do. You are always going to have people that doubt you, but you just have to believe in yourself and work hard and anything is possible. Look at me. I'm just a kid from Havre, Montana. If I can do it, so can they."

Of course, Mariani's story is well-known. During his high school playing days, he helped the Blue Pony football team win its first state championship in decades back in 2004. Then, he became one of the greatest wide receivers ever to play football at the University of Montana.

In 2010, he was drafted by the Tennessee Titans and since then has played in 54 NFL games; caught 27 career passes, scored two touchdowns, been selected to a Pro Bowl and notched 4,246 kick-return yards.

Yet, for all he's achieved and done, Mariani is still at heart just a kid from Havre.

"This is my home," Mariani said. "I went to school right over there (referring to St. Jude Thaddeus) and I grew up playing in this park. I remember coming here all the time, and if there would have been something like this (Play 60) when I was growing up, I would have been all over it."

Mariani, who has participated in other Play 60 events in the past, said they are always fun, but that it was even more enjoyable because he got to come back to Havre. The wide receiver, who played the role of quarterback for almost 300 kids, said he also had fun throwing instead of catching for a change.

"Yeah, that was fun," Mariani said. "I just wanted to make sure I could find a way to throw it so they could actually catch it."

With tacos, prizes and autographed pictures for all who attended, the day was pretty much perfect, even though a heavy rain threatened to interrupt things shortly after the 60 minutes of play was initiated. But rain or shine, Mariani's face told a story of someone who enjoyed the day as much as the 270 kids who came out specifically to see him.

"This was a blast," Mariani said. "It was really exciting to see so many come out and be a part of this. I thought we were going to have to stop because of the rain, but I think we ended up having even more fun because of it."

In addition to telling his audience to dream big, he said he wanted kids to be active and to stick to that, well beyond the Play 60 event.

"Take your phones or your parent's phone and throw them in the garbage," Mariani said jokingly. "Don't do that, but get out and get active."

In all, it was a day the youth in attendance will not soon forget. They saw a genuine hometown hero, one who has inspired them to reach for the stars and made Bears' fans out of a town that's half a country away from Chicago.