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Football camp scores touchdown
Program teaches kids all players' positions
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
 Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photo by DARWIN WEIGEL
Demeiko Ross Jr., 7, of Annapolis makes a pass Thursday at the Little Pro Football Camp at Jesus the Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Owings.
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Football season came early for about 80 boys who attended the Little Pro Football Camp last week.
With the idea of teaching fundamental football skills to boys ages 6 to 14, the program's director and founder Chris Baucia aims to give each player a taste of all the possible team positions. Baucia started the camp in 1999, but this was its first year in Calvert County.
The Crofton resident said he got the idea to hold the camp in Owings from co-director Jim Esposito of Calvert.
"The idea of the camp is to take youth players and take them through every position in the game of football and teach them the basic fundamentals needed to become good high school football players," he said.
The evening program was held at the fields near Jesus the Good Shepherd Church in Owings.
He continued that there were 14 coaches and several volunteers from youth football teams the Huntingtown Hornets and the Dunkirk Warriors.
"[The kids] are divided into different groups and different positions. … You take all of the hitting out of the game to teach the fundamentals," Baucia said, explaining that each instructor had 55 minutes with two groups individually.
He said the kids were grouped by age and that the camp was not just for Calvert County residents.
"We have some kids who travel from Anne Arundel because their schedules match up," he said.
Baucia said he thought the young players could appreciate "that they're actually getting taught by really quality coaches who care about them."
On Thursday evening, he said the campers received a visit from members of University of Maryland, College Park's football team, who spoke to the kids about academic and life skills and sign autographs.
Nine-year-old Wesley Connell of Owings said Thursday that his favorite position so far had been linebacker.
"It was really fun," said Wesley, who added that while he was currently home-schooled, he might enjoy playing on a team when he reached the high school age.
He said his favorite pro football team is the Pittsburgh Steelers.
"My dad grew up there and my grandmother, too," Wesley said.
Dunkirk resident Kyle Berkley said his favorite college team is the Virginia Tech Hokies while his favorite pro team is the New England Patriots.
"Tom Brady's there and he's my favorite player," said Kyle, 11, who will be starting at Northern Middle School in the fall.
He said he was impressed with "how the coaches like to interact with the kids.
"Like, if you're not getting it and need help with something, they're more than happy to help you," said Kyle, who has been a quarterback on the Dunkirk Warriors for four years.
Hernwood Elementary School student Dana M. Jones III, a Baltimore Ravens fan, said he enjoyed the quarterback position as well.
"My favorite part of the camp was the tackling part," the 8-year-old said, "because we got to act like Vikings during our tackles."
