DETROIT LAKES, Minn. -- Minnesota Vikings star Adam Thielen had Detroit Lakes abuzz Saturday hosting a full day of Kiwanis sponsored events at the Detroit Lakes Community and Cultural Center taking an opportunity to give back to his hometown.

Thielen’s rise from a barely-recruited high school player to starring for the Minnesota Vikings this season has been full of timely successes at every chance he’s been given.

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“It's one of those things where you don't have a lot of opportunities, so when you do have them you have to take advantage of them,” Thielen said.

While not heavily recruited, Thielen was a four-sport athlete for the Lakers playing basketball, golf and baseball, aside from football.

“Adam's a great story,” Laker head football coach Flint Motschenbacher said. “He was a four-sport athlete. He played them all and played them all well. He's a great example; if you work hard you can play them all and you don't have to specialize."

Thielen was spotted by a scout from Minnesota State University Mankato at the 2007 summer high school all-star game after his senior year, which eventually led to a spot in the Mavericks’ lineup after an injury to a starting receiver. He went on to become one of Mankato’s most successful wideouts, named MSUM Offensive Player of the Year as a sophomore before taking on leadership roles his junior and senior seasons.

His road to the pros started as a rookie free agent with an invite to Vikings’ camp, being cut from the squad, leading to signing with the practice squad where he spent a full season.

Thielen worked hard when others may have given up and it led to a breakout year this season where he garnered NFC honors and got on the scoreboard twice in exciting fashion.

"It's been kind of fascinating,” said Motschenbacher. “He's such a great kid and he's worked so hard to get where he is. He's got a couple good breaks and he's taken full advantage of it.”

Thielen exudes the comfort and quiet confidence found in people chasing a dream for the right reasons and a bit of fate and destiny have helped along the way.

“Besides all of his hard work, he’s been awfully lucky and very fortunate,” Jayne Thielen, Adam’s mother, said.

Success at the NFL level is about putting in the time and effort and excelling when opportunity knocks and Thielen did that this season for the Vikings as a versatile player.

He made eight grabs for 137 yards (17.1 yards per catch) and a 44-yard touchdown, his longest reception of the year.

Thielen was second on the team with 12 special teams tackles, eight solo, and the spectacular punt block and 30-yard touchdown return in week 13 against Carolina, which garnered him the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award.

He was also the backup punt returner to Marcus Sherels on the Vikings’ specialists depth chart.

“It goes beyond just taking care of those opportunities,” Thielen said. “It goes back to the work put in during the off season. That's really where it comes from and that's how you're successful, by preparing well."

Thielen is one of only four Vikings in team history to block a punt and return it for a score.

Adam plays with the work ethic he learned as a kid in Detroit Lakes, and as a football player under the successful program of Motschenbacher, where working hard, playing with pride and class is the mantra.

“Whenever you come from a small town you don't have that spotlight on you and don't have a lot of expectations on you,” said Thielen. “It's always fun to exceed those expectations and prove people wrong.”

The highlight of Saturday’s festivities for Thielen and hundreds of area youth were the two clinics Thielen ran allowing kids to get up and personal with the star, catch a pass from him and learn game fundamentals.

"It was really fun and a great turnout,” said Theilen. “It went really smoothly and the kids seemed like they were having fun. That's what I like to do. That's why I do this."

“Adam’s heart is with the kids, so this fit perfect,” Jayne Thielen said. “I just think it’s really quite an honor.”

Saturday, Feb. 7 was named “Adam Thielen Day” in Detroit Lakes and the Laker native was given the key to the city in a ceremony to conclude the day’s activities in front of a standing room only crowd at the DLCCC auditorium.