The Summerville Sertoma Club has beefed up its summer football training program.
The non-profit organization has offered youth football camps for the past four years, but has added specialty camps this summer.
The club is offering weekly skill training through its new FAST Program designed for boys and girls age 9-18 who want to improve their running skills.
“For this program, we don’t want them so young that they can’t focus because it’s pretty aggressive training,” camp instructor Derick Grimes Sr. said.
“A kid needs to be there because they want to improve, not because a parent wants them there.”
The program focuses on core development, discipline, strength training and agility training. Sessions are held on Sundays from 1:30-3 p.m. Fees are based on a block schedule.
Later this summer, the club will offer a quarterback camp. Specifics for the camp haven’t been ironed out, but Sertoma Bantam League Commissioner Chris Stenger says full details concerning the camp will be posted on the club’s website once they are final.
“It will be strictly for quarterbacks,” Stenger said. “We will work with them on mechanics and various skills. Most likely, we will bring in some former high school QBs who have moved on to the college level to help us with instruction.”
In July, the Southeast Regional Coordinator for USA football will address Sertoma coaches during the annual summer coaching clinic.
The club’s first youth football camp of the summer was held this week and there are two more camps scheduled.
One will be held July 20-23 at the Gahagan Sports Complex and the second will be held July 27-29 in Ridgeville. The registration fee is $55 per camper with an additional $5 charge for those not registering at least 15 days prior to the camp date.
“It’s pure fundamentals,” Stenger said. “We touch on every discipline, covering things like blocking, tackling, running back skills, receiver skills and quarterback skills. Every kid goes through all the drills whether they have played as a quarterback or a lineman. It’s a good experience for them because it gives them an appreciation for what other players do.”
Campers run obstacle courses and compete in blocking, passing and throwing competitions.
Camp instructors even get parents involved on the final day of camp with a parent-child relay event. Prizes are distributed daily and each kid gets a camp T-shirt.
Early registration for the club’s fall football league is open to campers only on the final day of camp.
Each summer more than 250 kids participate in the camps.
Last fall, the Sertoma Football League was comprised of 35 teams, which had 240 coaches. Stenger says league officials hope to add teams this fall, particularly in the division created last year for players living in the upper part of the county.
For more information about the football program or its summer camps, call 261-3093 or visit www.summervillesertoma.com.

Contact Roger Lee @ 873-9424 ext. 213 or rlee@journalscene.com.