Summer in the Turkey Creek area isn’t complete without the Mike Gottman Youth Football Camp.
From June 3-6, the coaches taught 55 kids the fundamentals of football at the high school level on the Durant High School practice field, just behind the football stadium, from 8:30 am. to 4 p.m. In addition to competitive drills and coaches’ instruction, Durant’s camp also incorporates 7-on-7 games, flag football games and physical fitness. This year also brought a new twist with special teams work added into the mix, giving kids the opportunity to try kicking.
“It’s been a great camp so far,” Gottman said. “They got after it really well. It’s hot, they’ve been battling the heat, but the kids have responded really, really well.”
The ninth annual camp was “tied” for the biggest yet in terms of attendance and, unusually, it had more incoming eighth and ninth graders enrolled than younger kids — “squirrels,” as the coaches would say. Coaches said the older kids were more than willing to lend a helping hand with the “squirrels” and helped make sure chemistry at the camp was on point.
They may not all play football at and attend Durant in the future, but the camp is always open to the community at large every summer for all to learn from one of the most experienced staffs around.
Gottman and the coaches are already looking forward to next year’s camp and hope to make the 10th annual event bigger and better than everything before it.
For more information about Durant’s football camps, visit durantfootballcamps.com. More information about the program itself is available at durantcougarfootball.com.