Football camp is first down for Campbell football

     Two summer sessions of football camp kick off the eagerly anticipated return of the sport to the Campbell University campus. Coach Landon Mariani, quarterback coach for the Fighting Camels football team and camp director, said the response to the camps has already been phenomenal. The football camps will be held July 8-10 for grades 1-8; and July 10-12 for grades 9-12.

     “We’re expecting a turnout of approximately 75 students for the elementary grade session and 200 for the high school session,” Mariani said. “At least four local high schools are enrolling the whole team in the camp.”

     Mariani attributes the large turnout to efforts of Campbell football coach, Dale Steele. “He’s done a lot to market the camps and to promote the return of football to Campbell,” Mariani said.

      Campbell announced in April 2006 that it would field the first football team since 1950 and will compete on the NCAA Division I-AA (non-scholarship) level against other similar non-scholarship programs on the Division I and non-I levels. An estimated 2,000 students, alumni, staff, trustees, advisors and members of the community turned out for the groundbreaking of Campbell’s new football stadium at the site on Highway 421 in March 2007. The stadium complex will be completed in stages and include the field, the field house, the main entrance, the bowl, seating for 1,200 and necessary road realignment in the first stage. Second and third stages will include additional seating, press box, a second entrance, other amenities and lights.

      The objectives of the football camps are to increase football knowledge, ability and sportsmanship, Mariani explained. “We also want students to be able to grow morally and spiritually, and we’ve included special ‘huddle’ sessions in the camps which will feature motivational and devotional programs.”

      For more information about the Campbell football camps, contact the football office at 910.893.1974 or 800.334.4111, ext.1974.