The Indianapolis Colts hosted their annual Colts High School Skills Camp Sunday afternoon at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center. Over 70 student athletes attended the skills camp where they had the opportunity to improve their football skills.
"As soon as the kids arrive at the camp, it is instant energy from the very beginning," said Jim O'Hara Camp Coordinator "As soon as they step foot here at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center, the same place the Colts practice, they are excited and ready to go."
The Colts High School Skills Camp is a free camp that is open to high school aged football players. It combines learning about the game of football, but it's also teaching kids to be successful off the field.
"If you are going to be successful in life, you need to have great character," said Indianapolis Colts Youth Football Commissioner Mike Prior. "It's extremely important to teach the young athletes the fundamentals in life, not just on the football field."
The Skills camp is designed primarily for Indiana High School football players, but the Colts have fans all across the country and some such as Sharie Tinsley felt it was necessary to make the trip from Springfield, Illinois. Tinsley brought her son Tyler to the camp for a great opportunity to improve his skills, but Sharie was thrilled at the opportunity for their first trip to Indy to see the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center.
"I was really impressed with the way the camp was ran and gave the kids a chance to get one on one time with the coaches," said Sharie. "There is nothing like having this opportunity at 'Colts Mecca' and spend time in their great facilities."
Along with the multiple area high school and college coaches, former Indianapolis Colts fullback Roosevelt Potts was at the camp helping run the kids through the drills, which is an experience Potts enjoys immensely.
"There was a kid today that never played the game of football before this camp, and by the end of the drill he was teaching others on how to run the drill," said Potts. "The more experience they get at a young age will help them later on in life."
The camp featured great football players across the state of Indiana, one of them being Churubusco's Jason Nicodemus, who was one of the top running backs in Indiana for the 2011 season. Nicodemus rushed for 1,751 yards and 19 touchdowns last season for the Eagles, which won their second regional title in the past five years.
All the student athletes have fun going through the camp, but the coaches and staff involved enjoy the camp even more.
"We are a summer family," said O'Hara. "We have built great continuity with each other and have a great staff."
