What should I expect at college football camps?

While this may have been better suited to be posted in late May or early June, one of the most popular search terms to get to this site has been “what should be expected at a summer football camp.”  For football players out there who have yet to attend their first football camp but will in the future, it is important to at least have a clue as to what you are going to expect.

Before getting into the main portion of the article, let me state that all camps and combines are going to be different.  No matter what location it is at or what coaches are there, camps will be different in at least a few ways.  The more that you know heading into these camps, the better it will help you when trying to impress college coaches.

The first thing that you must adjust to going into your first camp, if you are an overnight visitor, are the dorms.  If you have a brother or sister who you have visited before at college, you know what the dorms are all about.  Basically they are small apartments that house as many college students as possible.  During the summer months, campers from all parts of the country will be staying in these dorms.  And because not every dorm has air conditioning, it can get brutally hot.  It may be worth it to come prepared with a fan.

You will also get a chance to see the facilities that the college uses.  While you are likely going to tour the main stadium and practice elsewhere, getting a chance to see how they do things at the Division I level is important.  Note how important the weight room is at the facility as well.  Strength is one of the biggest differences in high school versus Division I athletics.  No matter if you are a star with scholarship offers or a JV player, the college coaches will try to wow you while on the visit.  There is no reason why they should not be instilling all campers how great the school is and what the main benefits of coming there are.  You may not go there for football but if the coach can help attract a student there someday, then great.

When on the field, chances are high that if it is an overnight camp (And not a senior invite camp), there are going to be a lot of kids there.  Some will be from your area and others will from random places throughout the country.  If you haven’t been to camps before, chances are high that you will see better athletes than you have in the past.  As a football player, you need to focus on what you are doing and not worry about how great someone else is.  If it effects your play, than it should definitely not be something you are worrying about.

At the majority of camps, there will be a few different parts.  Per NCAA rules, college coaches cannot legally record any testing (40-yard dash, vertical, etc.) that they do at the camp.  But let me stress to you that they will likely put the majority of the campers through running the 40-yard dash, the vertical, pro agility, and anything else that they feel will help them get a better feel for your athleticism.  They may not be writing it down but I am going to bet that they sure will remember who was the fastest player at camp.

The coaches will likely split the main camp into smaller groups.  That will likely be divided by positions and that will allow you time to work with the position coach.  If you are a running back, you will get to work with the coach who is in charge of the running backs at the school.  Even if you are not a scholarship athlete at that level, you want to show to the coaches that you are attentive and do what they say.  While this school may not be the place for you, a Division I-AA coach there may like your attitude and recruit you because of it.

The thing I always like to stress to athletes out there is that your parents are paying a large sum of money for you to get to the camp.  It doesn’t matter if your family has millions or struggles to get by, you need to appreciate the fact that they got you there and get the most out of it.  And by getting the most out of it, I mean listening, working hard, and not getting in trouble.  You are wasting hundreds of dollars if you don’t take things seriously and that will make you a huge pain in the rear for the college coaches.

Also expect different time fillers at the camp that will keep the athletes busy.  Things like a 7-on-7 tournament, offense vs. defense position work, and a lot of fundamentals will keep you busy during the days at camp.  Again, make the most out of your opportunity to get to the camp.  And above all, thank your parents for paying for it and make sure they know how appreciative they are.  That doesn’t matter if you are a scholarship athlete or not.

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