LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — It was a day out on the turf for the next generation of football players in Lackawanna County on Monday.
"I mean, I hope they have fun. I mean, really, we have boys, girls of all different ages, and that's the beauty of something like this," said Justin Bradley, the Valley View Jr. Cougars' Public Relations Director.
It's the first-of-its-kind youth football camp hosted by the Valley View Cougars. Young athletes from kindergarten through sixth grade from different schools in the area laced up their shoes to learn the game, and who said football is only for the boys?
"Most hard stuff, mostly boys get the hard stuff, and girls should get hard stuff too," said Emily Comserette, a Valley View third grader. "My family is technically a football family. I just really like football very much. I like tackling people mostly."
Players from the Cougars varsity team coached the kids in different agility, throwing, and defensive drills. The team's quarterback knows just how much a day like this means to the young players.
"Being a kid who grew up with the team, I know it's nice for the little kids to come up. I grew up watching the older guys, the big-time players who grew up and played here, so for these kids to have the same experience with us, I don't think there's anything more. It'll be something they'll remember for the rest of their lives," said Adam Howanitz, Valley View Cougars senior quarterback.
Colton Hancock, a fifth-grader at Valley View Intermediate, says he's excited to be out on the field with his role models with his eyes on a future quarterback position.
He said, "You always could learn over there, he's usually coaching the high school kids, and you're over there now with them. It's exciting. I feel amazing. I feel like a high school student."
Proceeds from the camp will help the Valley View Cougars pay for new gear.
"You know, with COVID, we obviously lost a couple of seasons of fundraising for equipment, and the equipment is not cheap. Helmets are 250-300 dollars apiece," added Bradley.
The Cougars hope to host another camp like this again next year.