Youngsters around the community showed off their football skills this week during the Gator Elementary Fundamental Football Camp hosted by Bulloch Academy.
    Bulloch Academy head football coach, Terence Hennessy, and past and present Gator players looked to spread their knowledge of the game to Statesboro’s younger kids in hopes of preparing them for middle school and high school football.
    “If they just pick up one new thing during this camp, it will be worthwhile,” Hennessy said. “We run the same kind of drills like we do in middle school and high school in order to better prepare them, while also getting a look at the future talent.”
    The camp is an opportunity for local children to participate in a relaxed, fun-filled atmosphere while learning about the ins-and-outs of the game. The camp hosted boys and girls from 1st grade to 5th grade at the Gator Alley Practice Field.
    The camp began at 9 a.m. and ended around noon Monday through Thursday, making the heat a major issue for Coach Hennessy and the kids.
    “The most difficult thing we have to deal with this week is definitely the heat,” he said. “The heat index is pretty high around the last hour of our camp, but we have a tent along with a water station set up for the kids.”
    With the heat being a problem, Coach Hennessy hoped to bring a little friendly competition to the camp by hosting a NFL Punt, Pass, and Kick competition.
    “We wanted to bring a little more excitement to the camp this year by doing a punt, pass, and kick competition,” he said. “We also do what we call the Gator Bowl the last hour of our practice. It’s a chance for the kids to scrimmage each other.”
    Each camper will receive a Gator T-shirt, certificate of participation, and also outstanding individual awards certificates.
    “The number one thing I hope the kids take away from this camp is that they had fun, especially in this heat.” Hennessy said. “If they aren’t having fun then it’s kind of a waste with it being 100 degrees out here.”