Keiser Team Camp Attracts Hungry Talent

WEST PALM BEACH – Nearly two decades ago, Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton held something during the summer that had football coaches, players and fans shaking their collective heads.   In the blistering heat of the summer, in full pads, there were high school teams – lineman, running backs, quarterbacks, receivers, tight ends, linebackers and defensive backs all lining up to do what they all do from August to December.   These events caught on like wildfire with several colleges and universities across the country starting to host these “team camps” – where assimilating the actual game in the middle of the summer attracted those who wanted a true barometer of how far their programs have come since spring.   With 7-on-7 events along with light contact linemen camps occupying the summer football landscape, players and coaches wanted more, and that's why heading to an FAU or UCF became part of the itinerary during June and July.   When the NCAA stepped in and started to govern, which they have never done well with any consistency, their member schools were asked to cut out these events – not fully understanding how beneficial it was to players and coaches.   Enter Keiser University. What former head coach Doug Socha and his staff did was take these events over at their NAIA school, and the news was embraced by those programs who wanted to get in actual football work as a team, and it has carried over for five years now – as now head coach Myles Russ and his staff have continued the tradition.   While other events across the state attempt to assimilate this TEAM CAMP, the results are not the same.   For three days last week, schools from across the state flocked to Keiser for several sessions that gave them all a huge jump on what will be ahead, starting the first week of August as they prepare for the season ahead.   Coaches like Miami Ferguson head coach Gene Chew, this is something that he has taken his players to for decades, dating back to FAU.   The competition that you line up against along with team bonding is something that provides an experience that is hard to find.   “This is essential for our players and team,” said Chew, who is the only head coach the school has ever had. “It not only provides competition but gives the young men in this program an opportunity to learn about each other.”   Chew isn't the only coach who feels strongly about the benefits of a camp like this that offers an opportunity for the players and coaches to work on things that they may not be able to accomplish by just working out at their own school.   Teams from as far away as St. Petersburg Gibbs, Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast, Tarpon Springs East Lake, Community School of Naples and several Miami-Dade and Broward programs joined Palm Beach County area teams that were anxious to put a cap on a very active month of June.   Take nothing away from events such as the long-standing Down ‘N Dirty, which are there to enhance linemen, these team events keep everyone together and are ultra-competitive.   Former NFL standout Tyrus McCloud brought his alma mater Davie Nova to the event to expose his players to competition and give them a chance to bond as a team.   “We have a lot of young men in this program, and besides learning plenty on the football field, they get the chance to learn about each other.”   Miami-Dade programs such as Doral Academy and Miami Lakes Barbara Goleman came to compete. So did Sunrise Piper from Broward where head coach Quentin Short ended his impressive summer as his team, one of the best in 6A, showcased plenty of elite prospects during a day of work.   “An event like this is something we always make a point to attend,” said Short. “It's great for our veteran players as well as those young men who are playing the game for the first time at this level.”   The big winner was Keiser who brought in some programs from outside the area but also saw a tremendous turnout locally - with powers Palm Beach Central and Delray Atlantic battling teams like Lake Worth Dr. Joaquin Garcia, Delray Heritage, Loxahatchee Seminole Ridge and Palm Beach Gardens.   Statewide Coverage Daily. <a href="https://prepredzone.com/florida/">https://prepredzone.com/florida/</a>   You Can Contact Larry Blustein with prospect or team information at: Floridakids1@aol.com.   COACHES, PLAYERS: Do You Have A Subscription? Contact us for a savings code so you can see what everyone has been talking about! <a href="mailto:Floridakids1@aol.com">Floridakids1@aol.com</a>.

WEST PALM BEACH – Nearly two decades ago, Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton held something during the summer that had football coaches, players and fans shaking their collective heads.