Camp Season

As June began, I realized it was going to be a busy summer. First Camp was at Ohio University where I ran the kicking, punting and long snapping portion of their camp for the OU staff. I met some really talented young men there and was assisted by Spencer Benton as he was still in town. From there I went to the University of Cincinnati where I ran the kicking portion of their camp. This was my second year doing this for Mike Elston. There were nearly 50 kickers at this camp and I saw some young men such as Ryan Ullrich from Indianapolis, Drew Basil from Chillicothe, Anthony Cimanello of Columbus Academy really step up their game. Later Drew Basil would get an offer from UC. Later that evening I attended the Dayton North South All Star Game at Welcome Stadium where I was able to observe Josh Couch of Carlisle punt extremely well. Josh is headed to the University of Akron on a Full Scholarship. He will be gray shirted so he will not enter school until the winter of 2010. The middle of June we were headed to the University of Illinois to run their Specialist Camp. Chip King headed up the long snapping portion of the camp while Jake Rogers of the University of Cincinnati and myself switched back and forth between the kicking and punting. That is always a great camp as I get to reunite with one of my former coaches Ron Zook. I have a lot of respect for Coach Zook as he was the coach that recruited me to The Ohio State University. I am forever indebted to him as he along with Steve Woods, Coach Zook's GA at that time and now Ass't Coach at Franklin High School, changed my life and gave me an opportunity of a life time. Of course Head Coach John Cooper made that final decision but it was those two guys that vouched for me. So yes, I am also a very big John Cooper fan! Speaking of Ohio State, I traveled from Illinois straight to Columbus, Ohio to work the OSU camp. There, I head up the combo portion of the camp. Combos are those that kick and punt. I have worked that camp under the direction of Steve Woods for 16 years now. This particular one was the one that stuck out the most. I was honored at that camp to have had the opportunity to spend quite a bit of time with the top performers. Guys like Carey Spear of Mayfield HS, Drew Basil of Chillicothe and Nick Robertson of Trinity HS in Louisville. Ultimately, Drew came out of the camp with an offer from OSU. I was elated as this was his dream to play for OSU. He was able to kick off the ground and do it extremely well. I am a firm advocate that it takes a kicker a good year to be able to make the adjustment from the tee to the ground. Having spent so much time during the winter with Drew he was able to stay consistent with his technique and make that adjustment better than anyone I had seen previous. Ryan Ullrich from Indianapolis is the other young man that I felt made this adjustment fairly well, but clearly Drew was a standout at the OSU Camp. When it comes to recruiting kickers I feel that t is not necessary to make them kick off the ground prior to their Senior season as it is a very difficult transition. More so if coaches would take a closer look at the technique while kickers are kicking with a tee, that is a better point of evaluation than making them try it cold turkey. Anyway, enough rambling on that topic! I can go on for hours about that.
As June wrapped up my wife Kristy, daughter Emma Rose and I traveled to Atlanta to attend one of my former campers Cole Chason of Clemson's wedding. We were honored as Miss Emma Rose was the Flower Girl in the ceremony. Cole was introduced to me by Jad Dean. Cole spent quite a bit of time here before he entered his Senior year at Clemson in 2006. He always spent a lot of time with Emma and for that she put Cole on a pedestal. That was a very special time for all of us. He and his bride Laurel are doing very well.
Through the month of June and in between all the camps I also had the opportunity to spend time on a private instruction basis with many talented young men. To name a few that haven't already been mentioned, Keegan Irwin of Bishop Reedy HS, Ryan Luzenske of Kansas City, Taylor Gannon of Northwestern HS, Mark Girton and Clark Melvin of Miami Trace HS, Del Champion of New Jersey, Eric Duale of Duquesne University, Zac Eckert of Monroe HS, Jonathon Treloar of Loveland HS, David Gannon of South Carolina, Caleb Keeton of Waynesville HS, Luke Goshorn of Lebanon HS and Brian Upton of Springboro HS.
I will be updating this again in the very near future. Best of luck to all as training camps wrap up and we head into the first week of the high school season!
Tim Williams