High school football: Camp features more than football

BOUNTIFUL — Hundreds of football players from around the country gathered at Bountiful High on Thursday to attend the All-Poly Football Camp, where they learned various aspects of the sport from respected college and high school coaches.

But before they could even put on cleats, slip on a helmet or touch a football, they had to show their unofficial high school transcripts and sit through four classes aimed at making sure they understand that if they want to play college football, they have to be students first.

"It's the first time I've been to a camp where they actually explain all that," said Kimo Makaula, the quarterback at Punahou High in Honolulu, Hawaii. "At this camp, academics come first."

The majority of players at the All-Poly Camp, which is open to athletes of all races, have the talent to play college football. But Alema Te'o, the founder of the 7-year-old event and an assistant football coach at Bountiful, said one of the purposes of the camp is making sure the players have their academics in order so that they can take advantage of their talents at the next level.

"We want them to bring their transcripts so we can go through everything, and they will know exactly where they are," he said. "We have some kids who don't even understand how to read their transcripts. And then there are those who do know how; they can help the others. They can all help each other."

He said this is the first year they've attempted actually asking players to bring their school records. If they don't show their grades, they don't play football.

"We've got a lot of great football players here," Te'o said. "But, hey, you've still got to get into school."

Academic help is just one of the benefits the nearly 300 players at the camp are receiving.

The athletes are getting priceless exposure, competing in drills in front of coaches from the Pac-10, WAC, Mountain West Conference, Big 12, Big Sky and some NFL players, such as the Cleveland Browns' Marvin Phillip. It's a chance for players who are under the radar to get noticed and for the top players to solidify offers.

Tosh Lupoi, the defensive line coach at Cal, learned about the All-Poly Camp online and wanted to be a part of it. He admits that part of his motivation to be at the camp is to get a firsthand look at some possible prize recruits, but it's not the main reason why he's here.