Tommy Bohanon Foundation hosts free football clinic for kids
It was an opportunity for kids between the first and eighth grades to train the same way the professionals do, and you didn’t have to be a football player to do it.
The Tommy Bohanon Foundation hosted its seventh annual free football clinic Saturday at North Fort Myers High School, where nearly 300 kids, as well as dozens of coaches and volunteers, came out for a day of training and fun.
Bohanon said the camp features the same drills you would see in a major college or NFL training camp and gets the young athletes out for some physical activity instead of sitting around the house.
“The kids get great coaching from the local high school and college coaches. It’s a great day to come out here and give these kids a real chance to learn something,” Bohanon said. “Even though it’s called a football camp, it’s a camp for all.”
Among the many volunteer coaches was Steve Brown, who coaches the 12U Pop Warner program at North. Bohanon grew up in the Red Knights’ program and has grown to help kids in the community.
“We’re in the offseason, so it gives us a chance to interact with the kids we cannot see,” Brown said. “The kids get to see some of their friends and there is a huge group of coaches here, so you get exposure to different techniques and coaching styles you aren’t used to.”
Most of the high school coaches were from Riverdale High School, as were many of the volunteers. Miguel Clarke, who plays for the Raiders, served as a volunteer to help mentor these kids.
“We want to be role models for the kids. We want to teach them self-confidence, push them past their limits and give 100 percent all the time,” Clarke said. “Some of these kids came here nervous and stuck to their older brothers. There’s a lot of confidence. They just have to believe in themselves.”
The great thing about this camp is that many of the drills stress agility, which can be applied to many sports. Also, it wasn’t just for boys, as several girls were sprinkled in.
Gavin Risinger, 12, plays Pop Warner football for North. He learned about the camp from his mom and wanted to do it.
“I want to learn about offensive and defensive lineman drills. I also want to get out and do something this summer because I’ve been bored at home,” Risinger said. “I haven’t done much working out at home and I hope this helps.”
The Tommy Bohanon Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that is dedicated to supporting young athletes to reach their highest potential on and off the playing field.
For additional information or to donate, go to the foundation’s website at tommybohanonfoundation.org.
To reach CHUCK BALLARO, please email news@breezenewspapers.com