Back before his teenage years in his hometown of Centerville, Ohio, Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk couldn't wait for football season to start in the fall. So he always got a head start in the summer by going to football camp.
"It would go in stages," said Hawk, who remembers going to football camps as young as 10 years old. "In the spring was usually baseball time, and then when June and July it, you'd go to football camp, and then right after football camp you'd start the season, so it was a good introduction.
"We knew once camp came around that we were about to start the season up. It was always an exciting time."
Youngsters around the state of Wisconsin have that same opportunity this summer with the Green Bay Packers Youth Football Camps, now in their seventh year.
Designed for boys and girls ages 6-14, the camps feature non-contact skill instruction over the course of five days. Camps are being held in nine locations throughout the state, beginning in mid-June and running through the end of July. (See camp dates and locations below.)
Campers are divided into age-appropriate groups, and the camps maintain a 10:1 student-to-instructor ratio.
College and high school coaches as well as former Packers players are among the instructors, who will teach kids how to throw, catch, defend, form block, form tackle, compete, run and explode out of a stance with proper technique and improved skills. With a station-based training format, every football position is taught in detail, and all campers have an opportunity to learn all positions.
In addition to developing football skills, the program emphasizes many of the life skills taught by the game such as sportsmanship, nutrition, teamwork, self-esteem and having fun.
"We try to instill values of the Green Bay Packers," said Keith Vanden Heuvel, Packers Youth Camps football director and an instructor every summer since their inception. "And that starts with bringing a great attitude to the camp experience. To me, attitude and effort are more important than ability.
"We won't ever tell anyone who they are too small or too slow or too young to play this game. The best football players are the ones with the most desire. We see some amazing examples of determination because we give kids a fair chance and plenty of support."
A typical day at a Packers Youth Football Camp starts with stretching and warm-ups, followed by speed and agility work. The rest of the morning is focused on offensive skill stations as well as "combine skill challenges," where campers try to improve on their personal bests in drills such as the 40-yard dash.
{sportsad300}After lunch, a question-and-answer session with a former Packers player (known as the "Camp Heroes") is followed by a life-skill discussion, a return to warm-ups, and then defensive skill stations. The six-hour day ends with multiple 7-on-7 games and a recognition of the day's best campers.
"Kids get a chance to learn the great game of football without the fears of the sport," said Camp Hero Johnnie Gray, a Packers Hall of Fame inductee as a defensive back from 1975-83. "Football is the ultimate team game and every kid should have a chance to play safely. The Packers non-contact camps provide great learning opportunities for newcomers and they will also challenge experienced athletes to develop greater skills."
The Q&A sessions with Heroes like Gray are where many of the life skills are emphasized, as campers get the undivided attention of an individual who fostered a successful career both on and off the field.
"I get to share my NFL experiences -- both the high and the lows and what it took to get there and stay there for 10 years," Gray said. "I appreciate a chance to highlight the educational opportunities through sports."
The camps also are a great way for kids to follow the encouragement of the NFL's Play 60 program, a health and fitness initiative to inspire kids to play well (at least 60 minutes a day) and eat better.
The 2008 Green Bay Packers Youth Football Camps are available in the following communities:
Mequon
Mon. June 16 - Fri. June 20
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Trinity Lutheran School
Madison
(first session)
Mon. June 23 - Fri. June 27
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Bishop O'Connor Center
Oshkosh
Mon. June 23 - Fri. June 27
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Oshkosh Community YMCA
Glendale/North Milwaukee
Mon. July 7 - Fri. July 11
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Cardinal Stritch University
Waukesha
Mon. July 7 - Fri. July 11
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Heyer Elementary School
Franklin
Mon. July 14 - Fri. July 18
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Milwaukee County Sports Complex
Kenosha
Mon. July 14 - Fri. July 18
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Kenosha YMCA
Green Bay
Mon. July 21 - Fri. July 25
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
East High School
Madison
(second session)
Mon. July 21 - Fri. July 25
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Bishop O'Connor Center
Elm Grove
Mon. July 28 - Fri. Aug. 1
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Elm Grove Lutheran
For more information on the Green Bay Packers Youth Football Camps or to obtain application materials, please call 866-246-9800 or click here.
