Set Your Calendar Now for 2013's #1 Spartan Football Event...

A MUST ATTEND EVENT FOR NEXT YEAR

A very special event took place on the morning of Saturday,
April 28, just a few hours before the scheduled 1:00 PM kickoff of the Spartan
Spring Football game. The Spartan Youth
Football Camp, which began at 10:00 AM, entertained nearly 900 future
Spartans. A don’t miss event for all
future Spartans, mark your calendar for next year. Any and all children that attended were
treated to some of the best coaching and just plain fun I’ve seen in years.

As the children
entered unto the Spartan practice facilities they were first divided into age
groups and then given a group number, which would serve as their “team” for the
next two hours.  They were then directed
to their personal coaches and team leaders stationed all about the athletic
fields. They began at that station and
after about six minutes or so the horn would blow and their team leaders would
lead them to the next station.

Best coaching you may ask, how so? The Spartan football players, in full uniform
minus pads, coached all of the stations.
And let me tell you this, the players were definitely into this event.
To tell you the truth, I could not tell just who was having the most fun, the
boys and girls participating, or the football players doing the coaching. It was also amusing as I watched the fathers
add their own two cents in the coaching up of these young athletes. Kids, parents, and players were creating
great Spartan memories and having a great Spartan time.

The kids were running, jumping, crawling, tackling,
throwing, catching, and blocking. Everything they see their Saturday football
heroes do and the players were right there with them demonstrating, urging them
on, and encouraging them to do the best they could at each station. Not once did I see a player that did not have
the time to talk to, give an autograph to, or take a picture with a child or an
adult.

To see a 6’7” 340 # Henry Conway hold a blocking bag and
watch a might mite four foot nothing, 70# and change, knock him to the ground,
or a future 4 star receiver put the move on and fake out Johnny Adams, was hilarious and the kids
loved it. Every minute of it, and so did
the men of Sparta who were giving of themselves so unselfishly.

My favorite child athlete easily was the little girl with
Anthony Rashad White. She did every
drill full out and completed everything at every station. She ran, tackled, fell, got up, and tried
again, never once did the smile leave her face.
It was just a pure joy to watch that little one participate and have the
time of her young life.

At the conclusion of the camp all campers were called to the
center of the field where Coach Dantonio personally addressed the entire
gathering of kids, players, and adults.
His message was clear, do the best you can and be the best person you
can be. Spartans Will Gholston and Fou
Fonoti were called to the middle of the circle and Fou led an inspirational
cheer for the campers. It would be unfair of me to not mention the Spartan
Coaching Staff as well.  They were all
present and walking among the campers, Coach Dantonio and Sparty too! Just like the Spartan football players they
had time for everyone who wished to meet them.
At the conclusion every registered camp participant, and those that did
not register and there were a bunch that just observed, received a ticket that
would get them a free hot dog, pop and ice cream.

If you are a parent, grandparent, uncle, or aunt I urge you
to mark on your calendar right now the Youth Camp, and make sure you take that
special little someone in your life to this very special event next year.  Go even if time will not permit you to
attend the spring game, be sure to make the time to get that special little
someone, that future Spartan, there to experience Spartan Football up front and
personal. It is a wonderful opportunity
for you and the kids to meet the players and the coaches and make Spartan
memories that will last for forever.