PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Former Ponte Vedra High School standout and current Michigan Wolverines offensive lineman Jake Guarnera returned home Saturday to host his first youth football camp at Ponte Vedra High School.
“I just wanted to give back to the kids in the community,” Guarnera said. ”The community that I played high school football in, grew up in. Bringing back all of the guys and having them workout the kids is something that I wanted to do and I’ve been thinking about for a year and a half and then I finally got to do it this year.”
The camp drew a strong turnout, with 80 participants ranging in age from 6 to 14 years old.
“I’m really just blessed to do this with the kids and share all of the experiences that I’ve had with the younger generation and help them get better at what they love and what I love,” Ponte Vedra alum and Florida Gators running back Brian Case said. “I’m really happy to be out here and be back in my hometown.”
Campers rotated through a variety of football drills while receiving instruction from Guarnera, several of his former Ponte Vedra teammates and Mandarin alum and Michigan wide receiver Jaime Ffrench.
“These kids are very smart,” Ffrench said. “They are very coachable so they’re taking notes and know how to apply them and when to apply them so that’s good.”
Proceeds from the event will benefit the Special Forces Trust, a nonprofit organization that supports members of the U.S. Special Operations community and their families.
Guarnera said camps like this provide an opportunity to introduce young athletes to football in a positive environment while helping them develop their skills and confidence. The focus throughout the day was on learning the fundamentals of the game while making sure participants had fun.
“It definitely helped me fall in love with the sport,” Ponte Vedra alum and Utah Utes football and lacrosse player Ryker Kemp said. “As a kid you look up to these guys. I think we deserve to give back to the community.”
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