ALL-STARS MEET REAL WINNERS.

Byline: VINCENT BONSIGNORE

It takes a lot nerve to run a slant pattern across a football field knowing full well a 200-pound safety is waiting to take your head off once you catch the ball.

Ryan Wolfe knows the feeling. Wolfe played receiver at Hart High of Newhall the last four years and soon he'll be catching balls at UNLV. Part of his job is understanding the risk of injury he takes every time he catches a pass.

``That's nothing compared to this,'' Wolfe said, his eyes circling a playroom at Shriners Hospital for Children in downtown Los Angeles Wednesday.

``When it comes to true bravery, these kids have us beat by a long shot.''

The room echoed with the unmistakable joy of laughter as Wolfe and his friends on the 54th annual Shriners All-Star football teams spent the afternoon playing cards and board games with some of the kids at the hospital.

Sadly, the laughter did little to mask the thick sense of pain and misery of children who did nothing to deserve the unfortunate fate life has dealt them.

For a bunch of young, healthy, able-bodied football players like Wolfe, the trip to the hospital was a harsh lesson in humility and thankfulness.

``I feel silly that I've ever complained about some of the things I've complained about over the years,'' said Monroe of North Hills receiver Chris Richards, who will play next season at Michigan. ``We talk about, 'Oh it's too hot out here at practice,' and it's like, that's nothing compared to what we see here today.''

Richards will join the top senior players from Southern California's public and private high school in tonight's 54th annual Shriners' Classic at 7 p.m. at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut.

For Richards, the all-star selection is more than just the culmination of years and years of hard work, it's also one last chance at high school glory before leaving for college and testing his skills at a higher level.

That's one more chance than most of the kids at the Shriners Hospital will ever get.

``We all laugh and joke around all the time, then you come here and you realize how much you truly take for granted in life,'' said Will Harris, a defensive back from Charter Oaks High. ``You look around this room and this hospital and you can't help but think how much these kids wish they had the chances we've been given. That humbles you in a hurry.''

That's one of the reasons the trip to Shriners Hospital has become such a focal point during the week leading up to the game. Although proceeds from the game benefit the hospital, something far greater than money is deposited into the hearts and minds of the players themselves.

``I've been looking forward to this even more than the game,'' said Birmingham of Lake Balboa quarterback Andrew Miramontes. ``I'm a pretty emotional person, so it's tough seeing some of this stuff, but it's also important. I think we're all guilty of taking our health and good fortune for granted. This is like a wake-up call.''

For some, it becomes a life-changing experience.

In fact, just the other day former all-star Warren Anderson called from Northwestern University to tell event coordinator Steven Wurtzel that his visit to Shriners had inspired him to study medicine in college.

``The plan is to specialize in child care,'' Wurtzel said.

That's the kind of impact no football game can ever make on an athlete.

Wolfe thought about that as he was getting beat in a game of cards by nine-year old Kinsey Norris.

``I mean, it's just amazing to me how much courage these kids have in the face of the adversity they deal with day in and day out,'' Wolfe said.

Norris, who was born without fingers and recently underwent a second surgery to take bones from her toes to fuse onto her hands.

She wore a big bandage on her left hand as she gave a bunch of big, bad football players a lesson in card playing Wednesday.

``She insisted on the surgeries,'' said Kinsey's mother, Nita. ``For her, it wasn't even a question of if she would do it. It was, 'Come on, let's do it.' ''

Just then Kinsey won another game of cards. The players came one after another to take their shot at Kinsey, but she sent every one of them away with a sweet smile that could melt an iceberg and the same words of warning: ``Better luck next time, buddy.''

Picture a pint-sized Cincinnati Kid.

``She's gotta be cheating!'' Miramontes finally yelled, laughing.

``I am not,'' Norris said, handing Miramontes a big stack of cards.

``Here. Maybe these will help you.''

Miramontes took the cards and smiled. On a day of giving and sharing, it was obvious he'd be going home a richer man.

Vincent Bonsignore, [phone]

vincent.bonsignore(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

Members of the 54th annual Shriners' All-Star football game play cards with Kinsey Norris, center, at Shriners Hospital Friday. The game is at 7 tonight at Mt. San Antonio College.

Gene Blevins/L.A. Daily News