Tuesday, June 27, 2006
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
T'S GREAT FOR LITTLE KIDS," said Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel in describing the annual Cardinal Mooney Football Camp of Champions that opened Monday at the Mooney Athletic Complex in Youngstown.
"For many kids, it's their first look at football and coaches. They are having a lot of fun and they get to play some football," added Tressel, the former Youngstown State coach who used his first day of vacation to attend his first Mooney camp.
The camp for students from grades four through eight, sponsored by The DeBartolo Corporation (Denise and John York), attracted some 300 kids and a host of other prominent area collegiate football coaches, including several from Mooney.
"The coaches' roots are here and for many of the kids it's their first impression of the coaches," said Tressel who served as a clinician at the camp along with his counterparts. "It gives kids a chance to become interested in football and they get to learn some of the fundamentals."
Tressel's opinions about the camp were echoed by other coaches tutoring kids for the 8:30-11:30 a.m. session, which will be repeated today to climax the two-day camp.
How Pelini sees it
Bo Pelini, a Mooney graduate who is defensive coordinator at Louisiana State, said the camp inaugurates kids into what organized football is like.
"The kids are getting the right message as to what it requires to be a player," Pelini said. "Hopefully they will pick up a few things [and] get to know some of the kids out here. They are learning about commitment and doing a good job [and] going out there and participating."
Pelini said he believes he is ready to become a head coach if "the right job opens up. But I'm not concerned when it will come. You have to work at the job you are doing and you have to focus on it and do the best you can."
Durkin's view
D.J. Durkin, a Boardman High and Bowling Green State graduate and now an assistant coach for the Falcons, said the camp is a treat for kids and coaches alike.
"For the kids, this is unbelievable [to be around these coaches]," Durkin said. "These are some of the best coaches in the country. And it's great for me. We [coaches] bounce a lot of ideas off each other."
Durkin, who is coaching linebackers and special teams at Bowling Green, said that he maintains ties with Boardman High and coach D.J. Ogilvie, also a Boardman and Bowling Green graduate.
"[Ogilvie] brought his seniors on the team up [to Bowling Green] for spring practice this year," Durkin said. "They attended team meetings and watched the team practice."
Beck's observations
Tim Beck, another Mooney graduate who is an assistant coach at Kansas, said students at the camp get a chance to see other area people who are succeeding, and hopefully they will get the idea.
"They get to see some local stars, people who have had success. These people can serve as role models for the kids because they could see others who have made it from their area," said Beck, who jumped from high school coaching in Arizona to Kansas to work under coach Mark Mangino, a native of New Castle and a former YSU assistant coach.
Heacock stresses academics
Youngstown State coach Jon Heacock (West Branch High) closed the session with an interesting talk about the importance of academics and proper attitude to all of the camp kids inside the Mooney gym.
"I encourage all of you to get into good habits in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades because the NCAA has increased its academic standards," Heacock said. "You have to have more math and English. You are now going to have to get more academic achievement than any previous classes before you.
"You have to come to school every day and not be late," Heacock advised. "There are [almost] no excuses. It's all on your report card. So get to class and be on time."
And he emphasized, " Academics are the most important."
kovach@vindy.com