Cottage Grove’s annual summer youth football camp wrapped up Wednesday more or less the way it started -- with a little football learned and lots of laughs in between plays and drills.

Run by Park football coaches and varsity athletes, the camp gave young players a chance to see how the basics of the game really worked, and mostly a chance to have fun. Although it was impossible to tell who was having more fun, the campers or the coaches.

A quartet of Park senior football players shared their thoughts about what they hoped the campers would take away from the experience.

“Really we’re just hoping to teach them to work hard, not matter what happens, just keep moving forward and keep trying their best,” said Park senior EJ Lange. “A lot of the boys like to jump on some of my teammates, other coaches, bring them down, so we’ve got to reel them in a little bit from that.”

 “I hope they just learn to have fun, have fun with playing football and making new friends,” said senior linebacker and running back Lance Hayes. “Making sure they’re nice, having good manners and being good teammates.”

 ‘With these younger kids I’m just hoping that they’re learning to enjoy football,” said Mitchell Dimock who was directing the first graders at the camp. “It’s their first experience with football ever. So it’s really just about making them find a passion and love for the game. It’s a little like wrangling a bunch of squirrels because they’re all over the place but it’s fun because they keep you on your toes, they keep you in it.”

 “Just perseverance, learning the skills they need to learn for the season and just keep on working hard,” said defensive lineman Jarius Boston when asked what he hoped to teach the campers.”

CGAA football practice for players in first and second flag football and third through eighth tackle football began Monday. Practice for third through eighth grade girls flag football begins Aug. 12.

The Wolfpack Football Golf and Cornhole Classic will be held at River Oaks Golf Course in Cottage Grove Friday, Aug. 22 with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting Cottage Grove Wolfpack and Pak Wolfpack Football.

Park opens the 2025 varsity football season Saturday morning, Aug. 23 with a scrimmage at home, hosting Hastings, Rochester Maro and Cambridge Isanti.

The first day of Park High football fall camp is Aug. 11. The Wolfpack, going under the banner of Team 87 this season, open the 2025 season at White Bear Lake on Thursday, Aug, 28.