Football might be a fall sport, but that doesn’t mean future football stars don’t have the opportunity to hone their skills during the summer. For the sixth straight year, former Andrean standouts Billy, Bobby and Tommy Finn will be hosting the Finn Passing Academy, presented by the Region Sports Network, from June 30 through July 2.
The camp will take place once again this year on the Jr. Bulldog fields at the Crown Point Sportsplex, from 9AM until noon each day. It is open to players entering 5th through 9th grade.
“Crown Point’s facilities are first class all the way!” eldest brother Billy Finn said. “It enhances the overall experience for the kids. It’s more than just the beauty of the complex and the turf fields. The people at the Parks Dept are great hosts too! The local businesses in Crown Point are supportive. And, our sponsors from all over the Region help make the Academy a success for the athletes.”
“We miss having it at ‘home’ at Andrean (where the camp used to be held), but scheduling conflicts with their enrichment program conflicted with our dates,” Tommy Finn said.
The Finn Passing Academy focuses on teaching quarterbacks and skill position players the fundamentals of the game, especially regarding spread offenses that are becoming more commonplace in youth and high school football.
“We are doing more drills that emphasize quick decision making, not only in the passing game, but in the read option,” Billy Finn said.
But it’s not only the fundamentals on the field that the camp focuses on – the three brothers also teach the leadership skills needed to excel on the field and in life.
“Some of the core principles that we teach are doing the right thing, being a good teammate and leadership,” Billy Finn added.
Campers can not only earn awards at the end of each day based on their athletic achievements but also on their attitudes and how they support each other.
One of the highlights of the camp, a favorite of both the coaches and players, is the daily competitions that take place – including the popular two minute drill.
“We are incorporating more one on one and two on two competitions and games this year, where fundamentals are still stressed,” Finn said.
It won’t only be the Finn brothers teaching the campers – there will be several other coaches to help make sure each camper gets the instruction they need. There will also be guest speakers over the course of the camp, including Andrean grad Jeff Gutowski, an assistant coach at MercyhurstCollege in Pennsylvania.
Registration for the camp is now open at www.finnpassingacademy.com. The camp is available for players entering 5th through 9th grade. Attendees are to wear shorts, t-shirt, and football shoes and bring a mouth piece.