FAIRFIELD — For the second straight year, Montana State's Cole Taylor, Colter Petre and Mason Dethman made a trip to Fairfield on Wednesday to lead a football camp for kids in grades 1-8.
Taylor, a Great Falls native who attended CMR, said helping with these clinics is a full-circle moment for him.
"When I was younger I was going to these camps and I remember seeing the Cats guys and they were huge role models. They were like Superman to me," Taylor said during the camp. "Just trying to be that good role model for these kids, and trying to give them anything I can to inspire them and just make their day a little better is pretty sweet."
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The Montana State linebacker played a vital role in Bobcats' FCS national championship run this past season.
"Winning that national championship game is surreal, like something I'll never take for granted," Taylor said. "It was awesome. I'll remember it for the rest of my life, so just trying to inspire these kids that it can happen."
The camp is organized by Helen Music, who has name, image and likeness deals with Taylor and Petre through her businesses Montana Valley Metals and Montana Valley Irrigation. She said it was great to have all three players in Fairfield again.
"The kids had such a good time having them last year and then for them to go and win a national championship after they were here, pretty cool for these kiddos," Music said. "The fact that they came back again really means a lot to us that they take the time to do that. These kids look up to them so much."
Music said this is the seventh time Fairfield has hosted the camp and that around 80 kids signed up.
Two of the participants are Fairfield sixth grader Finley Legge and eighth grader Sam Woodhouse. Both said having instruction from the MSU players helped them develop.
"How to do special teams, and how to punt and throw good," Legge said. "They're really good players and really nice people. Really good athletes."
"New skills and tactics. Getting a right spiral down, punting and kicking. All sorts of things, really," Woodhouse said. "It's a great experience for us because we don't usually get this and it's a once in a lifetime opportunity."
