ADAMS TWP — To just about everyone at the Mars Athletic Complex Tuesday morning, Ben Roethlisberger was a two-time Super Bowl champion, a Pro Bowl quarterback and a fierce competitor for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

But for two people in attendance, they simply know him as their son.

Roethlisberger's parents, Ken and Brenda, recently moved to the Pittsburgh area from Findlay, Ohio, and decided to take in the atmosphere of their son's three-day football camp, which concludes today.

It is the second year in a row that the camp, organized by Pro Camps, has been held at the MAC.

This year, the event attracted 450 youngsters between the ages of 7 and 14 from 11 different states.

"We didn't get to come in for last year's camp," said Ken. "But we know that there's almost double the kids this time, which means it must have been a success last year."

"The camp is great," Brenda said. "With so many kids here, that says a lot about the people who organized it."

Fans can ride the highs and lows of a player's career to an extent, but no two people understand Roethlisberger's path to stardom like his parents.

From a record-breaking rookie season in 2004 to a Super Bowl title in his second season to a near-fatal motorcycle accident in June 2006 followed by a subpar season for Roethlisberger and the Steelers and, most recently, a second Super Bowl title in February, Ken and Brenda Roethlisberger have been through it all with their son.

"You can't get too caught up in the good because you realize the reality that there will be negatives at some point," Ken said. "You just have to take the good with the bad."

Among other things Roethlisberger has done for his parents, he has turned them into football fans.

"Ben got into football growing up, but we didn't watch much of it on television until he went to college," said Ken. "Now that he's in Pittsburgh, we try to get to the home games (at Heinz Field), but not too many away games."

With all the quarterback has achieved to this point, the Roethlisbergers are most proud of their son's attitude.

"He's 27 years old, but he's still a kid at heart," Ken said. "And this camp is a perfect example of that."

The Roethlisbergers like what they've seen of Western Pennsylvania so far.

"The Steelers are a hard-working team and that's what Pittsburgh is all about," said Brenda. "I think that's why Ben likes the city so much."

The camp, which included the instruction of 45 area football coaches, featured a lot of enthusiasm from its participants.

"Just to see the smiles on their faces when they catch a touchdown pass or intercept me, that's the biggest enjoyment I get out of this," Roethlisberger said. "I've always said that if every kid here learns just one thing, whether it's good sportsmanship or how to catch a fade pass, then it's been a success."

On Monday, Roethlisberger was pleased to see sportsmanship with one of the campers.

"We give out a sportsmanship award and it goes to a kid the coaches feel earns it with the way they play the game," Roethlisberger said. "On Monday, it went to a kid who was helping opposing players up after plays. It was nice to see that."

As for a possible third Super Bowl in six seasons, Roethlisberger said he and his teammates know the enormity of the task facing them.

The last time the Steelers were defending the title, they went 8-8 and missed the playoffs in 2006.

"Guys are going to be gunning for us and they'll give us their best shot," Roethlisberger said. "You just have to stay focused."