UM High School Summer Football Camp
February 3rd, 2010 at 8:54 PM ^
What is his pad level like?
February 3rd, 2010 at 8:55 PM ^
I mean it's a lot of money, but even if he doesn't get as much as you want out of it, it will still be a week on campus and practicing with college coaches.
I sent my son to the PSU baseball camp last year. He enjoyed it and was wowed by the whole experience, but he told me that he didn't learn anything I haven't already taught him.
I guess I'm trying to say that you are buying an experience for your son.
February 3rd, 2010 at 8:57 PM ^
your son has dreads?
February 3rd, 2010 at 9:34 PM ^
he learned how to walk and run in Jamaica. BIG fan of Denard. Wants to see him race Usain Bolt. Any guesses on how that will end up??
February 3rd, 2010 at 11:39 PM ^
Well, considering Usain Bolt is the fastest man ever in the 100m...
I'd say Denard by 2 tenths.
February 3rd, 2010 at 9:00 PM ^
Regardless of if he learns a ton or if he is recruited and commits to michigan, it's a cool experience. That's something that he will remember for the rest of his life. As long as you have the money, I think you should send him to it.
February 3rd, 2010 at 9:02 PM ^
Double Post.
Insert another witty comment here.
February 3rd, 2010 at 9:01 PM ^
I went back in the day, and it was overrated. I was taught by a local high school coach--not a Michigan staffer. I was fooled by a friend pretending to call my room as Lloyd Carr, however...That was fun.
It is a cool experience for a kid to spend a week away from home at UM, though.
February 3rd, 2010 at 9:47 PM ^
It's probably changed since when you went, depending on when that was.
February 3rd, 2010 at 9:51 PM ^
Yeah, I don't know how much your son is really going to learn at the camp, but it would almost certainly be a great experience for him. My brother (is a traitorous swine) went to MSU's basketball camp this summer and absolutely had a fantastic time. I know he really enjoyed getting to stay in the dorms, meet players and coaches and play in the Breslin Center.
Now I just need to convince him to come to M's basketball camp, he has a good "white guy with good fundamentals and grit" background.
So, yeah, if it's economically feasible I say it's probably worth it to send him.
February 3rd, 2010 at 9:53 PM ^
I went back in 2000, but I didn't stay in the dorm, I commuted. If you choose to send your son, pay the extra to give him the dorm experience. Overall, I liked it, I was able to practice and go through drills with some of the other local prospects and guys that were highly recruited as well. It is true that most of the guys instructing are high school coaches, but there were college coaches around observing, too. It was fun as a recruit because you felt like all the coaches were watching you and evaluating you. I definitely recommend it.
February 3rd, 2010 at 9:55 PM ^
I would say that it is worth it. They get tested for all of their measurables which most high schools dont do. It's a good way to track the progress from one season to the next or before and after a training program. It is done by the S & C staff so they dont fake (or 2 fakes) the results like they do at most high schools. Plus you get to learn some stuff and they go through the whole experience of a camp and see the recruiting process up close. Not to mention its a donation to the football program.
February 3rd, 2010 at 9:55 PM ^
Since your son is only a freshman right now, it would probably be a better idea to send him to a camp at a smaller school. The football camps at places like Michigan are mostly intended for the coaches to see/meet potential Michigan prospects. Camps at D-II and D-III schools are more geared toward instruction. As a youngster, your son should learn as many of the fundamentals as he can. And then if you think it's worth it, send him as a rising junior and/or a rising senior.
That's just my advice. Take it for what it's worth.
February 3rd, 2010 at 10:07 PM ^
would you suggest. We are in kalamazoo. Grand Valley? Western?
February 3rd, 2010 at 10:17 PM ^
Yeah, I've heard that GVSU's camp is pretty great, actually. I've never gone, but I know a couple coaches who recommended it.
February 3rd, 2010 at 10:33 PM ^
I went to Albion's camp back in the day (which was a Thursday, by the way) and it was pretty good. No idea if it still is or not, but their fundamentals instruction was fantastic. In other words, I echo Magnus' point about the smaller school for fundamentals first approach.
February 3rd, 2010 at 10:08 PM ^
I went in 2008 (the summer going into Rodriguez's first year and my freshman year of high school). It's a very cool experience for several reasons. You get to use the Michigan facilities. You get to live in a college dorm. Top recruits from around the country attend (Justin Turner, among others was there when I went). Football players from around the country attend.
Having said that, it is the country's largest football camp. There isn't much personal attention unless you are really ballin' (I did have a conversation with then CMU Coach, Butch Jones,who was familiar with my town in Illinois, though). You are around the Michigan coaches, but aren't necessarily coached by them. I wouldn't say the camp made me a better football player. I practiced with the running backs and basically did a bunch of agility drills, some one-on-one passing drills, and practiced taking hand-offs. Also, your son will probably have to miss some of his high school practices. Those high school practices can be valuable (especially if they are done in full pads, which the camp is not).
If your son's goal is to get recruited or to have a really neat Michigan experience, it's a definitely a good place to go. However, if your son is interested in improving as a player, making the jump to varsity, or moving up his team's depth chart, I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. I ultimately decided I'd be better off at my high school's practices last summer. I had a good time, though.
February 3rd, 2010 at 10:28 PM ^
I went in 2004 and it was cool. If your kid wants to get the most out of it, I'd really suggest he go with someone he knows (teammate, friend, etc.) That would have made my time so much better, especially since I was an incoming freshman and ended up in the junior/senior dorms.
As another poster said, you stay in the dorms, you are trained by position, and you get to meet the staff. I worked out with Gittleson and got to play flag football in the indoor facility. I also got to run the 40 electronically, test my vertical, etc.
I went as a linebacker and learned a good amount because the competition was a lot better and I had to improve to keep up, but these camps are really just great for exposure. I would have been much better off as a player just lifting weights in the offseason.
I wasn't really good enough to go anywhere(and I knew it), so there wasn't a huge benefit for me to go, but the experience was unforgettable.
February 3rd, 2010 at 11:25 PM ^
Will be attending as well. He's 14 and will be a frosh next year. 6'3" 215 he's a monster. He's just coming in to his own. He's going to play varsity so I'm hoping the competition level will help prep him a little bit for highschool.