Make no mistake about it. Jamarl Eiland and Kevin Justice wouldn't want to be anywhere else on a 90-degree day than the football field at Plymouth-Canton Educational Park.

Not even a swimming pool could compete with the Wildcat Football Youth Camp last week. Jamarl and Kevin were among about 130 kids in grades 5-12 who honed up skills and collected helpful tips during a myriad of short, snappy drills.

"Soft hands, soft hands," one of the coaches said, throwing hot passes at kids dashing out from the sideline stripe toward the middle of the Turf Field surface.

At one end zone, prospective linemen worked on their footwork and stance. Yet another station, with water always close by, featured kids carrying the ball and making spinarama transitions.

"It's been pretty fun," said Jamarl, 14, a quarterback with the Canton Lions rec league team who will enter ninth grade at Plymouth High School. "I've learned a lot of things, quarterback drills and things that should help me."

BACK IN THE SWING

According to 12-year-old Kevin, a Plymouth-Canton Steeler linebacker entering seventh grade at Pioneer Middle School, the late-afternoon no-pad sessions were helpful refresher courses that he'll remember when football season rolls around.

"This is really different," Kevin said. "I like it, it's fun, it's short (three days) and it gets you back into football after basketball and baseball.

"It's good because you're doing conditioning on the football field, you're throwing footballs around, you're doing drills. It really gets your mind set back on the game."

Jamarl said the sweltering temperatures didn't take away from the enjoyment of doing drills and scrimmages, where he threw "a couple nice passes."

"I like the heat, I prefer the heat," Jamarl said. "It helps keep me loose."

The camp, under the watch of Plymouth head coach Mike Sawchuk and assistant coaches, helps players with varsity aspirations (such as Jamarl) to find out about terminology and pass defenses in an unofficial way since the Michigan High School Athletic Association prohibits official coaching until August.

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But younger kids who just love football also are welcome to come out and learn.

Sawchuk said, "It really benefits us as far as going and competing at a passing Jamboree, stuff like that, gets us a little bit ahead of the game."

"Younger kids, they don't have to worry about systems yet," said Brian Rochen, entering his first season as an assistant to Sawchuk. "The incoming freshmen do, because they're going to be running this for us in the fall.

"But with the younger kids just fundamental football, wherever they're going to play in the fall, whether Lions, Steelers, OLGC (Our Lady of Good Counsel), we're just trying to get them prepared to have the best season they can."

DRINKING IT UP

Sawchuk said the hot weather proved no deterrent to those who came out. The camp was broken down into two daily sessions (grades 5-9, grades 10-12).

"I'm from Florida, and everybody starts freaking out about this 90-, 95-degree weather," Sawchuk said with a grin. "We had this every day. As long as you keep water at every station and you make sure they get hydrated … you've got to be smart."

Another plus, Kevin said, was putting all the newfound knowledge to the test — out on the varsity field, to boot.

"It's fun because you get to do all the things you learned here and you get to practice them on the field," Kevin added.

Sawchuk, optimistic that all of the football campers will keep thinking about the game over the next couple of months, proclaimed the three-day camp another success.

"I think it's going great, the numbers are great," Sawchuk said. "I think we have some kids that have some talent.

"Obviously, the young kids need a little bit of work in the weight room, but I like what I see so far."

But younger kids who just love football also are welcome to come out and learn.

Sawchuk said, "It really benefits us as far as going and competing at a passing Jamboree, stuff like that, gets us a little bit ahead of the game."

"Younger kids, they don't have to worry about systems yet," said Brian Rochen, entering his first season as an assistant to Sawchuk. "The incoming freshmen do, because they're going to be running this for us in the fall.

"But with the younger kids just fundamental football, wherever they're going to play in the fall, whether Lions, Steelers, OLGC (Our Lady of Good Counsel), we're just trying to get them prepared to have the best season they can."

DRINKING IT UP

Sawchuk said the hot weather proved no deterrent to those who came out. The camp was broken down into two daily sessions (grades 5-9, grades 10-12).

"I'm from Florida, and everybody starts freaking out about this 90-, 95-degree weather," Sawchuk said with a grin. "We had this every day. As long as you keep water at every station and you make sure they get hydrated … you've got to be smart."

Another plus, Kevin said, was putting all the newfound knowledge to the test — out on the varsity field, to boot.

"It's fun because you get to do all the things you learned here and you get to practice them on the field," Kevin added.

Sawchuk, optimistic that all of the football campers will keep thinking about the game over the next couple of months, proclaimed the three-day camp another success.

"I think it's going great, the numbers are great," Sawchuk said. "I think we have some kids that have some talent.

"Obviously, the young kids need a little bit of work in the weight room, but I like what I see so far."

Source: hometownlife.com