Standing at 6-foot-4, 315 pounds and sporting a full beard, John Greco’s recess days are pretty far behind him, but the memories haven’t gone anywhere.
“Going out for recess and playing on the playground,” Greco said, “was like my top priority.”
Recess is still a priority for Greco – just not his own. The eight-year NFL veteran was one of a dozen Browns players who volunteered to build a playground for the 17th annual Hometown Huddle, a league-wide partnership between NFL teams and their local United Way chapters in association with Republic Services.
On an absolutely pristine early autumn day – leaves on the ground, low 70’s weather and not a cloud in sight – the courtyard at Cleveland’s Dike School of the Arts was filled with the sounds of power tools and eager chatter.