Passing, running and catching the football were there of course, but so was warming up drills, earnest sprinting in a 40-yard dash, tackling a deceptive moving object, surviving a friendly tug of war. getting lots of coaching up, and the occasional posing for photos.

It was all part and parcel of the three-day Park Wolfpack kids football camp which wrapped up Wednesday. The event drew between 225 and 250 young football enthusiasts in the two sessions, including a number of girl campers. Some 90 girls are signed up for Park flag football.

“What I tell all the high school players in make them love you and make them love football,” said Park head football coach Rick Fryklund. “I want all the campers to go home and tell their parents I can’t wait until the camp again next year.”

Plenty of Park and Cottage Grove youth coaches were on hand to lend a hand as needed, but most of the individual coaching fell to the Park High Wolfpack football players. The players were required to learn the names of those under their care.

 “I hope these kids learn just the power of teamwork,” said senior quarterback Esten Erickson. “And just coming out here and knowing that football is a fun sport to play. That we get to play with our friends.”

“This week I’ve just seen so many kids who aren’t the most talkative and you kind of see them the first day, a little timid, a little shy,” said senior wide receiver/defensive back Nolan Sease. “And by today, the last day of the camp, they’re just raring to go. They’re so excited. They’re talking to everybody and it’s just awesome to see.”

 “Something interesting I’ve seen is when the first graders make mistakes, they go back at it again. They just wipe it off, go back to the next rep and just try to do their best,” said senior wide receiver/cornerback Kaleb Miftah. “But when they make mistakes, they don’t cry about it or mope or have their head down. They’re just ready to get the next rep going.”

 “When all these little kids come out here their start is a little slow, they’re learning everything new, they’re learning their coaches' names,” said junior running back/linebacker/tight end Ricky Santos Jr. “By the time they leave though they’re more disciplined, they know a little bit more about how fun football can be. And they definitely know what to expect when their season actually comes.”