The Midwestern State University Mustangs football program brought their brand of football to the Ranch Cities Area, holding a football camp for high school athletes at Aubrey High School’s new indoor athletic facility on Sunday.
One hundred fifty-six prospective athletes, grades 9-12, from across North Texas came together to be evaluated by the Mustangs coaching staff and sharpen their skills on the gridiron.
“For us it’s like opening day, and we’re very proud to be able to host this and bring these great athletes from around the area here and allow them to showcase their skills and talent,” said Keith Ivy, Aubrey ISD athletic director and head football coach.
Rich Renner, Midwestern State University head football coach, shared his outlook on the event.
“You can see by the turnout that there is a lot of talent in this area that we feel is untapped and that we feel like we can get a good evaluation for early on,” he said at the start of the event. “This is our first camp of many throughout the summer, and we’re looking forward to seeing what these guys can do.”
After warm-ups, the Mustangs’ coaching staff broke the athletes into groups based on positions and timed them in the 40-yard dash, the 20-yard short shuttle and the broad jump.
Once the initial testing was completed, the athletes moved on to position-specific drills where the coaching staff gave feedback and instructions to help the players improve their craft.
Quarterbacks and receivers worked on their accuracy, route running and timing with passing and catching drills, while running backs and linebackers ran through bag drills before moving on to 1-on-1 route running and coverage drills.
The defensive backs completed drills testing their footwork and their ability to react to the ball in the air, and the linemen worked on their hand placement and technique in 1-on-1 pass rush drills.
“Our biggest hope is that they learn at least one coaching point, one technique or one skill … something that they can take to make them a better football player this fall, especially for the seniors that are looking to move on to a college-level program,” Renner said.
He added that the camp could provide lessons that go beyond just the X’ and O’s.
“We want them to try and get better every day, but one of the most important things is that they have to learn how to separate themselves from surrounding talent,” Renner said. “Now they’re competing with guys that all want to continue to play football after high school, and this is an opportunity for them to showcase their skills and talent against some of the best in the area.”
Tioga defensive back and return man Quesyn Arrington shared the exact lesson that Renner wanted to hear.
“I learned really quick that you may not be the best out here,” he said. “There were a lot of guys here that are great athletes, but that makes you better, so it meant a lot to come out here and be able to compete in the sport I love.”
Pilot Point Bearcats running back David Pickrel also shared what he learned at the event.
“We worked on cutting and being more explosive in and out of our routes and finding gaps in coverage, and that's going to help, especially with our new district,” he said.
His teammate Josh Chumley said the event’s location was a big bonus for the local athletes.
“It being this close in Aubrey was amazing,” he said. “Coming from a small town, we don’t always have the chance for people to see us, so I’m glad I got to come out and show what I can do.”
