The Bluewater Football Academy had coaches to help with every position during their two-day training camp at SDSS, June 11 and 12.

Hub Staff

From “Chalk Talk” to game-like situations, the Bluewater Football Academy tackled football knowledge and skills for new as well as seasoned players during a two-day training camp held at Saugeen District Seconday School (SDSS), June 11 and 12.

Organized by Zach Scotto, SDSS football alum and former Laurier University Golden Hawks offensive lineman, the camp had coaches for every position focussed on developing the product of football in the Bluewater region.

“Our main theme was to get better, by teaching basic fundamentals, starting from the ground and working up from that,” Scotto said following the last few drills performed on June 12. “In football you need to have repetition to get better. Just like most things, you have to do it to actually get good at it and this allows them to get some repetition in game-like situations,” Scotto said.

SDSS player Brendan Morano, who will be suiting up again this fall for his 2-12 year, won the weekend’s MVP award. “As a team we needed this,” said Morano, adding that after this training weekend, “it’s like taking a big step forward.”

Over the two days Scotto and his coaches, who were mainly university players, devised training tactics, from one on one situations, chalk board plays to group situations that were taped and later analyzed.

“Our Goal is to make everyone better,” said Scotto who admitted that without help from local businesses and sponsors, the Bluewater Football Academy might not be. “This camp wouldn't have had the opportunity to be the success it was [without them],” said Scotto.

There were 33 athletes who took park in the Bluewater Football Academy which featured a handful of elementary school students from the area as well as high school students from SDSS, West Hill Secondary School, John Diefenbaker Secondary School and Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School in Burlington.

“It was good to see these young athletes develop themselves, regardless of the level they began the camp at,” Scotto said, adding it makes him happy being a part of, and leading, a group of individuals with a common goal in mind.

Athletes enrolled in Bluewater Football Academy practiced plays during the two-day camp, June 11 and 12 at Saugeen District Secondary School.

Bluewater Football Academy offered a two-day training camp at Saugeen District Secondary June 11 and 12.

Players from Saugeen District Secondary School, John Diefenbaker Secondary School, West Hill Secondary School, Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School, as well as some elementary school students, attended the Bluewater Football Academy, June 11 and 12.