If you're a football player, chances are you've been invited to or are considering attending a football camp this summer. But with so many different camps out there, how do you choose which one is right for you?
It can be tough to decide because there are so many different options available. But don't worry, we're here to help!
In this blog post, we will discuss three factors you should consider when making your decision. First, we’ll discuss the right size camp to attend. Secondly, we will talk about position camps. Lastly, we will discover the importance of attending a camp of a school you want to attend.
Here are three areas to consider when choosing a football camp:
1) Pick bigger college football camps or "Mega Camps"
Football camps with more coaches in attendance tend to be better for recruiting. This is because the more coaches that are present, the more opportunities you have to impress one of them and get recruited.
Therefore, it is important to look for football camps that have a lot of different coaches from different schools in attendance.
Some camps will advertise the various coaches that will be in attendance, while others may only give that information if you ask. Also, look for terms like "Mega Camp" associated with the camps you're looking for. Mega Camps are bigger camps that and will have a multitude of coaches from various schools in attendance. Often, these coaches are from all divisions of the NCAA.
2) Go to a position-specific college football camp
There are usually two types of camps - general camps and position specific camps. Unless you play multiple positions that would have separate camps (i.e. linebacker and quarterback) position specific camps will be your best bet.
Position camps focus entirely on on a few positions and will only attract coaches of that position. This is great, because it means that all eyes will be on you as you're showing the coaches what you're made of!
If you are an offensive lineman, you'll want to attend a O-Line/D-Line or big man camp. These camps will feature offensive and defensive linemen only and will guarantee that you have plenty of competition to display your skills against and plenty of coaches too.
3) Go to the camps of colleges that are on your wishlist
If you have a list of colleges you would play for and want them to recruit you, sometimes you need to go to them. College football camps are a great way to get noticed by the coaches of your dream school.
If you are currently flying under a coaching staff's radar, the best way to get on their recruiting list is by being evaluated in person. At the end of the day, the best and easiest way for a coach to recruit a player is in person. College coaches also want to know more about who you are as a person and if you are coachable. Being present at their camp helps you display these attributes.
If you dominate the competition, show that you're coachable, and impress coaches with your technique and personal character, it will help put you up at the top of their recruiting list and maybe even earn you a spot in a future invite only camp.
Researching and attending college football camps can be a lot of work, but it will be worth it in the end when you finally get recruited by your dream school.
Once you have narrowed down the colleges camps you will attend this summer, it’s important to prepare for these camps. Since these college camps are so crucial to getting recruited you want to ensure that you show up as prepared as possible. Getting additional coaching prior to entering summer camps is a great way to dial in your technique and impress the coaches you're looking to attract.
Camps can be an intimidating place for young players because they're suddenly surrounded by so many other great athletes. However, if you've been working on your game all year long and are ready to make a splash at camp, it will pay off big time!
At the OH Line Academy, we train Ohio athletes to perform well at college football camps!
At The OH Line Academy in Columbus, Ohio, we train all spring and summer to help prepare our offensive linemen to perform well at summer camps. Our skills and drills programs in the spring and summer are specifically designed to give offensive linemen a leg up and get them noticed by recruiters. Visit our website and check out our programs today and see how we can help prepare you for college football camps.