Eagle clinic ends with competition

The South Putnam football team finished its youth clinic Thursday with competition day. The clinic's youth players were divided into shirts and skins and played "ultimate football" with the Eagle varsity players.

The Eagle varsity players go shirts and skins against each other along with the youth football campers Thursday. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

The young Eagles then listened to juniors Kyle Shaffer, Will Cruse and alum Lucas Lorian talk about what it means to be an Eagle.

"This is the second year that we have run this," SPHS coach Nathan Aker said. "We really want to get them around our kids. That's the main and if they can remember some fundamentals of football that's an added bonus."

A touchdown pass is thrown between varsity and youth ballers at the Eagle camp Thursday. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

The clinic, which was run with grade levels from kindergarten to sixth grade, provided young footballers with the opportunity to learn some core values of the Eagle team.

"We go through the USAA safe tackling," Aker said. "We do teach them that. We teach them how to block, throw, kick, catch, punt, receive and all that good stuff. But the best part is when our high schoolers get to talk to them about what it means to wear the wings and be a South Putnam football player."

Aker feels as though the players have the most control over the 50-or-so kids and he feels that role helps to keep the high school players' role in the community in perspective.

SPHS Alum Lucas Lorian speaking to the young players about his experience playing at South Putnam (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

"(They Eagle players) coach the clinic," Aker said. "They do a good job and they interact with the kids. It's really good for these kids. Sometimes (the Eagle players) don't understand how they are a role model for these (younger) kids and that's what we are trying to show them."

The South Putnam community hopes to gain even more young players to volunteer in future years and Aker hopes that the camp will grow and inspire the future generation of Putnam County football.

"We have good football around here," Aker said. "We have a lot of people that care about football around here. We want to keep it going. It's great to have support and the coaching staff out volunteering to coach. The youth league has really done a good job. We've tried to bridge a gap with that. It's a South Putnam football family and that's what we're trying to get accomplished."

Eagle Will Cruse Looking for an open man in the Eagle Clinic Thursday. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

Eagle Kyle Shaffer shares his thoughts with the youth football players after the clinic finishes on Thursday at South Putnam. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

Eagle Will Cruse talks to the young Eagle players about what it means to wear the Eagle wings and be a player at South Putnam. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)