By Nick Brockman, Messenger Sports Reporter nbrockman@the-messenger.com
Friday's Hopkins County Central Summer Football Camp bears the name of the Storm program, but first-year head coach Zach Hibbs said the youth skills camp is less about school affiliation than helping local athletes improve.
Hibbs and the Central football staff will host a camp for children in grades 4-8 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the school's athletic complex. In addition to producing greater football knowledge, Hibbs said he hopes to create more familiarity with Central.
"A lot of these kids never get to meet us because we're on the south end (of the county) and we don't necessarily want it to be just a Central camp," he said. "Anybody is welcome to come and that's why sometimes I hesitate about putting the Central on top... We just want everyone to come have an opportunity to get better and meet us."
Athletes will be broken down into two groups: grades 4-6 and 7-8. For the younger players, the focus will be fundamentals and integrating fun into the game, while the elder division will learn finer techniques.
"With the older kids, we're going to work a lot of the skills because several of the kids -- it doesn't matter if they're going to be here or at North -- they need those skills and just helping them get geared up for their seasons in the seventh and eighth grades," Hibbs said. "That'll help tremendously."
Some camps tend to focus on positions that incorporate handling the ball like backs and receivers, but as a former lineman and line coach, Hibbs said he will make sure the positions affectionately known as "the trenches" are not forgotten.
"To me that's just as important as working the skills for receivers and running backs and defensive backs and linebackers," he said. "If kids don't know how to get into a proper stance, then it's not very easy to be an offensive lineman. If kids don't know how to get in a good stance on defense and fire off the ball, then they're at a disadvantage, so it's important for the line to get a good skills camp too."
Hibbs and the Central football staff will host a camp for children in grades 4-8 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the school's athletic complex. In addition to producing greater football knowledge, Hibbs said he hopes to create more familiarity with Central.
"A lot of these kids never get to meet us because we're on the south end (of the county) and we don't necessarily want it to be just a Central camp," he said. "Anybody is welcome to come and that's why sometimes I hesitate about putting the Central on top... We just want everyone to come have an opportunity to get better and meet us."
Athletes will be broken down into two groups: grades 4-6 and 7-8. For the younger players, the focus will be fundamentals and integrating fun into the game, while the elder division will learn finer techniques.
"With the older kids, we're going to work a lot of the skills because several of the kids -- it doesn't matter if they're going to be here or at North -- they need those skills and just helping them get geared up for their seasons in the seventh and eighth grades," Hibbs said. "That'll help tremendously."
Some camps tend to focus on positions that incorporate handling the ball like backs and receivers, but as a former lineman and line coach, Hibbs said he will make sure the positions affectionately known as "the trenches" are not forgotten.
"To me that's just as important as working the skills for receivers and running backs and defensive backs and linebackers," he said. "If kids don't know how to get into a proper stance, then it's not very easy to be an offensive lineman. If kids don't know how to get in a good stance on defense and fire off the ball, then they're at a disadvantage, so it's important for the line to get a good skills camp too."
Each camp participant will be allowed to choose his main position, but all will learn both offensive and defensive aspects.
Hibbs said many of the stretches and drills that will be utilized in Friday's camp come from various colleges the coaches played with as well as Central's own program. The camp will conclude with a passing challenge.
Several current and former players, including 2009 grads Keith and Kevin Couch, will be on hand to help as well.
Registration will be held prior to the camp beginning at 8 a.m. Cost is $20 per athlete. For more information, contact Hibbs at 339-2270.
Hibbs said many of the stretches and drills that will be utilized in Friday's camp come from various colleges the coaches played with as well as Central's own program. The camp will conclude with a passing challenge.
Several current and former players, including 2009 grads Keith and Kevin Couch, will be on hand to help as well.
Registration will be held prior to the camp beginning at 8 a.m. Cost is $20 per athlete. For more information, contact Hibbs at 339-2270.
No comments:
Post a Comment