GREAT FALLS — The Great Falls Central football team will be hosting a first-of-its-kind camp on June 12, featuring some of the top sports names in the Treasure State.
Mustangs coach Wes Ross tapped into his deep list of contacts for clinicians and lined up guys like six-time NAIA national champion coach Mike Van Diest and former Chester, Carroll College and Detroit Lions tight end Casey FitzSimmons.
The camp is for kids from kindergarten through eighth grade and will also feature college players from the Frontier Conference and Big Sky Conference serving as coaches.
“I wanted to put on a fundamentals camp emphasizing fun. So many kids just don't have the fundamentals and then they'd never stick with the sport,” Ross said. “So I wanted to try to give back and share some of our connections with the youth in Montana.”
The event will be held June 12 at Great Falls Central with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m. and the camp running from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“The kids will get T-shirts and we're going to have some awards at the end for effort and a desire to get better,” Ross added.
Many high school teams host youth camps, but Ross wanted to launch Central’s camp with a bang by bringing in some well-known names to help with coaching.
“I think even I can learn something from those guys,” Ross said. “I mean, gosh, to have Mike Van Diest, a six-time national championship winner, that's impressive. Casey FitzSimmons had a lengthy seven-year NFL career. Some of these Frontier Conference guys are all-conference players. I think anyone from dads, coaches and young kids can learn something from them.”
For more information about the camp and forms, visit greatfallscentral.org or call coach Ross at (406) 570-8534.
