Comments on: O-D football camp

By: Scott Allan

Scott Allan — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:17:05 +0000

No, Atlanta Father, I will let your comment stand on its own. I think your tone just reinforces everything I’ve been saying about the camp. Feel free to taunt and call people names all you like. You can’t bully people into attending your camp. You know nothing about me and what I do for my son beyond the brief story I’ve written in here so your insults have no affect on me and I’m sure your personal attacks will sway no one. I’m glad you had an enjoyable experience there. I hope you attend for many more years and your son gets a scholarship to college and is the first round draft pick in the NFL. One thing I”m fairly sure of is that 3 1/2 days per year at O-D camp is not going to dramatically improve those chances. Your son is either an elite athlete or he’s not. He will either play for an elite high school program or he won’t. I bet you attend because it is a chance to bond with your son and you both love football. If you buy into the O-D hype of getting a D-1 scholarship by attending, then I think you are delusional. I sent my 10 year old son to camp last year to learn a little football and enjoy himself. He’s was 10 for God’s sake. If he isn’t having fun or playing football there is little point in attending.

By: Atlanta Father

Atlanta Father — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:00:15 +0000

This IS your post, Scott and you can call it like you see it. But its evident to this parent, who has been to 5 years straight of OffenseDefense Camps (son is 13 now) with 2 of those being Atlanta, that your son sounds like a whiner like his father. He should have gotten himself involved rather than wait for someone to hold his hand and lead him around. And you, who sat there all week watching this???!!! Thats pathetic. You didn’t have the courage to ask about the situation? Instead you wait until your home and hide behind your computer?? You can complain all you want, and my hunch is that its pretty common from you, but you should take some responsibility here, and be a man about the situation, be a father who wants to help his son rather than just be his mouthpiece for complains. Otherwise, i know there are openings in your local soccer league. You should be ashamed of yourself. And to link a BBB account….22 questionable issues all due to lack of response?? Considering over 10,000 campers per year for over 40 years of service, thats pretty amazing.
And having been a counselor for all 5 years (assisting the camp rather than sunning myself in my lawn chair on the sidelines) its protocol not to tell the kids when the pro player was coming until he actually arrives. When he’s appearing we all tell the campers the morning of the appearance. It avoids the distraction. The kids can remain focused on learning football rather than carrying their sharpie around. You want autographs, go to the mall, not football camp. And we went to a Sports International Camp when he was 8…..Art Monk didnt show, meals werent ordered for the camp from the college, they had NO footballs, and it was strictly babysitting. But hey is thats what you want, Scotty, the choice is yours. Like you said, “you know your son, not anyone else”.
Now I’m sure that being this is YOUR whining post, you’ll delete this. But the most important thing is that you’ll have something to think about in all your free time.
Your poor football player…..thats all that comes to mind. As a youth Coach, you are the parent that hurt kids the most, and offer the absolute least.

By: Jenna

Jenna — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:45:34 +0000

Because of the previous comments, I decided to check with out with BBB. This made me think twice…

http://www.bbb.org/myrtle-beach/business-reviews/camps/offense-defense-sports-in-myrtle-beach-sc-90004326

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:15:21 +0000

I just want to say that with this and any camp, there will be good and there will be bad. My son is 11 and he is attending his second OD camp this week. We sent him to the camp last year and we noticed a vast improvement in his confidence, which we all know fuels how they play on the field. He had a great 2008 season on both sides of the ball. I would definitely recommend the camp to anyone who wants their son to work hard and to compete against some of the best kids in his age range. Nothing will make them up their game more than seeing where they “stack up”.

I guess what I hope that everyone takes from these camps it that the kids that are “highlighted”, are the ones that are in the coaches faces asking questions and jumping in at every opportunity to play any position. My son plays QB and LB. He didnt always get to play in his position, but when ever they were asking for a RB or even a lineman, he would jump in and fill the position. That goes a long way with these coaches, and if you don’t already know, the scouts will love it when the time comes for them to be evaluated also.

My suggestion is that you keep them going to the camps for the exposure, keep working them hard in the back yard and at the park and let them know that 100% isnt always enough when someone is watching. Its about the improvement that they come away with and what you can build on when they get back and the season starts.

Good luck

By: Sean

Sean — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:19:47 +0000

Sorry to hear about your son’s experience at camp. There is a huge difference in football camps out there and between what they promise in the brochure and what they actually do. Check out this site for some good summer camp info.
Thanks!
http://www.blog.collegeathleticscholarships.net

By: Josh Zinger

Josh Zinger — Thu, 07 May 2009 09:13:39 +0000

Wow, really? I have heard nothing but good stuff about the camp up until now. I am attending the Baltimore, Maryland camp this summer. Do you think that the economy could make there be less campers so that not as many of your problems could occur? This is very disappointing… I am sorry about your sons experiance… I just hope they improve it in the near future.

By: Scott Allan

Scott Allan — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 17:06:31 +0000

You’re welcome and thanks for stopping by!

By: cambridge punting

cambridge punting — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 15:11:30 +0000

Thanks for the article, I was considering sending my kid to the very same summer camp this year and this was an eye opener!

By: Scott Allan

Scott Allan — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:29:52 +0000

I’m afraid I agree. I’m convinced that football camps should be for fun and that 3 or 4 days per summer will not turn an average athlete into an elite athlete. I recommend these camps only if the kids want to go to have fun and get some exercise which can certainly be better than staying home watching tv all summer. We won’t be doing football camp this year but instead working out in the back yard. He learned far more from his league football coaches then he ever learned at camp.

By: Greg Ball

Greg Ball — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 18:29:27 +0000

The problem with youth football camps (and, by a lesser degree, youth baseball camps) is that they take an “all position” approach. It is a waste of time. Football is position specific. I’ve seen 200 pound grade schoolers running routes. Camps exist to make money for the school in the summer. For many programs, it is how they pay “volunteer” assistants - let him run the camp. The head coach puts his name on it and shows up on reward day.

They are a waste of time.