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Spears football camp weights heavy on skills

This summer nearly 200 males between the ages of 9 and 17 participated in the Grambling State University Melvin Spears football camp. The camp was held June11-16. Spears said the purpose of the camp was to enhance campers’ skills and provide them with information regarding the importance of getting an outstanding education. Spears, who is beginning his 8th year at GSU and 2nd year as head coach, said, “The main skills taught at the camp are basic skills from every position alignment, stance, and judgmental football.” Covington said that he learned a lot from Coach Sam [White] and the rest of the coaching staff. “I feel better since I came to this camp. I would recommend this camp to others become they can become better people and learn more skills,” he said. Spears said that camp participants were also taught life lessons. “We consistently talk about the characteristics for being successful. They include a good attitude, great character, dependability, and enthusiasm. We also bring in speakers in our enrichment program. They include a number of successful people and DARE. Safety, punt returner, and quarterback Quincy Covington of Independence, said, “I learned so many skills and lessons at this camp. I learned pass coverage, off man, and character. Everything that I learned I will share with my teammates.” Mansfield native Dezmond Spivey has attended GSU’s camp with his father for the past eleven years, said, “I learned how to run routes and how to manipulate the defensive back. I learned a lot from the speech that Albert Lewis gave telling us about character,” he said.Spivey is going to be a senior at Green Oaks High School in the fall. He said that he would recommend the camp to others because he learned more than just the game of football. He learned things such as leadership quality. Quarterback Tonie Spears of Biloxi, said of his camp experience, "I learned that having great foot work is essential to a quarterback’s success, and to be great a player must have great leadership skills." He said that the camp was not just about football because he learned some life lessons, such as staying away from drugs and foolishness.GSU’s linebacker coach, Andre Robinson, was this year’s camp coordinator. He said, "We use this camp as as recruiting tool and to teach youngsters the fundamentals needed to play football." Robinson said that it takes team effort to make the camp work. "It takes a joint effort to run a football camp. I am grateful to all of the coaches and others who helped to make this camp a success," he said. While at GSU Robinson was named the Bayou Classic MVP in 1980 and SWAC Defensive Player-of-the-Year En 1981. This is his third year at GSU. Native Texan Josh Moslely, a linebacker, defensive tackle, running back, and full back at Connally High School, said that he learned that hard work pays off. he learned about ethics. "Doing the right thing means to do right all of the time, not just when people are watching you," he said. Overall, Spears said that they had a good time. “I think all the campers enjoyed themselves,” he said.Most importantly, Spears said that he and his staff accomplished their goals, which are to continue to bring outstanding players to camp and evaluate them.