Plenty of fun and learning through drills for participants of all skill levels, capped off by coaches talking to the attendees about life skills, took place at the 16th annual Legends All-Pro Football Camp at Bogalusa High School on a sun-splashed Thursday.
“Beautiful day. It’s always good to come back home to help these kids out in Bogalusa,” said camp director and 1983 Bogalusa High School graduate Bruce Plummer, who is a former NFL player and former scout and assistant Bogalusa football coach.
This year’s clinic featured 60 campers, which Plummer said was somewhat of a disappointing turnout.
“I’m just glad for the kids that showed up and all the coaches showed up. They’re enthused. We’re just going to do the best that we can.” Plummer said.
The clinic was set up in stations. The camp had one for running backs and quarterbacks, linebackers, defensive line, offensive line, defensive backs and wide receivers.
The campers went to each station for about 20 minutes and the participants were taken through some basic drills.
“Some of the kids have played football and some of the kids have never played football,” Plummer said. “They’re teaching them stance-and-start, how to catch the ball, how to come out of a break. Things that you’ll see on a football field, but some of these kids that’s never done it, they’re getting to see it firsthand.”
Plummer said some of the campers play high school, middle school or youth football and this is a way to enhance their ability from coaches that have played professional, college or high school football.
This year’s featured coach was former NFL player Rodney Holman.
Holman played 14 seasons in the NFL from 1982-1995. The first 11 years came with the Cincinnati Bengals and the final three were with the Detroit Lions.
Over his career, Holman caught 365 passes for 4,771 yards and 36 touchdowns. His best season was in 1989 when he had 50 receptions for 736 yards and nine touchdowns, all career highs. Holman is also a three-time Pro Bowler, from 1988-1990.
Homan played in the 1989 Super Bowl for the Bengals. That team lost to the San Francisco 49ers, 20-16.
Holman said he enjoys giving back.
“I was fortunate enough to play the years I played and I’m fortunate to give back and share some of my experiences with someone else,” he said. “When I was growing up, I didn’t have the opportunity to have these camps presented to us.
“When I was growing up, we were trying to emulate guys we saw in a game in live action and using our athleticism and creativity, so I enjoy these camps.”