Kasey Gengler’s summer internship turned into much more than a résumé booster.

It was an experience of a lifetime.

Gengler, the former three-sport athlete at Jamestown High School, and current senior at Northern State University in Aberdeen, S.D., spent almost a month working for the Minnesota Vikings prior to and during the team’s training camp in Mankato, Minnesota.

“It was an unbelievable experience,” he said, “I didn’t want to leave.”

Beginning on July 21, Gengler reported to Mankato primarily to prepare the site for the fans that visited training camp.

Getting everything set up was a major undertaking. Gengler said it took four days to complete preparations, but then just three hours to take everything down and pack it all up.

Once camp began duties included handing out programs, counting how many fans attended, manning the information booth, kids inflatables, VIP parties and working the autograph tables.

Gengler, 21, also provided security on occasion, including for star running back Adrian Peterson and wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson.

That was not his only interaction with Peterson, however.

“Our first off day we went to the rec center to work out and once we were done with that we went to the gym and there were some guys playing lighting,” Gengler said. “I went over and standing right in front of me was Adrian.”

Gengler, who played basketball for the Blue Jays, joined in and took the NFL star to school, sort of.

“Me and Adrian were in the finals twice and I beat him both times,” he said. “Then he asked me if I wanted to play 4-on-4. And I was like, ‘You’re joking right?’ This is during training camp and he wants to play basketball?”

Well, they did. And it wasn’t just Peterson. Also in the game was back-up running back Matt Asiata. And later came rookie defensive lineman Scott Crichton into the action.

Gengler joked about even talking a little smack to the Vikings star running back.

“I started chirping a little. … After that he put his head down and would just go … then I was done.”

How’d the games go?

“We ended up winning two out of three,” Gengler said, who had high praise for Peterson. “He’s extremely nice and very talkative.”

The internship tied in nicely with Gengler’s studies at Northern State, where he’s also on the baseball team. He’s studying sports marketing and administration and in a perfect world would one day love to work for the Vikings.

The internships with the Vikings are a choice assignment and competition is stiff. Only 25 college students are picked per summer and Gengler received glowing recommendations, including from his advisor at NSU Thomas Orr, a Jamestown native.

“I had some help from a bunch of people that called in on my behalf that I got offered the job without having to interview,” Gengler said. “I was very fortunate and thankful for all the support I received along the way.”

He also shared the experience. He was able to get his mom Penny field passes during training camp.

“She had the time of her life down there getting to stand by the players and being right in the middle of it,” Kasey said. “That was a proud moment for me to be able to give something back to my mom for all the things she’s done for me.”

Sun sports editor Dave Selvig can be reached at (701) 952-8460 or by e-mail at dselvig@jamestownsun.com

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