There is no better way to tell how you stack up against the best players in the nation than competing amongst the countries’ elite in a nationally renowned football camp.
Manteca High sophomore linebacker Eddie Smith was able to evaluate his talents against the best after participating in Football University’s Top Gun All-Star Football Camp in Williamsburg, VA July 21- 24. Smith was invited to the highly-touted camp after an impressive performance during the FBU Bay Area Camp version back in May.
Smith stacked himself against the best of the best, obtaining information and techniques about the game from a FBU instructional staff made up of former NFL coaches and players. Smith closed out his summer off-season work schedule learning from the best tutelage the sport has to offer.
“I was very excited about the opportunity,” Smith said. “I was also pretty nervous about competing against the top players in the nation.
“There were kids from all over there, so I just wanted to go out and do my best.”
Smith made the trip east with his father Mel, staying through the four-day camp and finishing the trip with a stop at Bush Gardens Theme Park with the camp contingent. Football dominated the majority of the trip, giving Smith a glimpse at how the NCAA Division I blue-chip athletes work as well as receiving teaching from former NFL linebackers.
“You knew that you were somewhere special,” Smith said. “I thought that I was on top of the world out there. There were coaches from the NFL there that had coached Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Just to be out there with them and to be able to get that experience to learn from them was good.”
Smith was directly under the coaching of former NFL linebacker and College Football Hall of Famer Ricky Hunley. Smith worked with the defensive unit exclusively during the camp, but got action against offensive players in 7-on-7 team drills.
The teachings and experience that Smith garnered at the camp is clearly something that he plans on passing along to his Manteca High teammates. Smith closed out his freshman season voted as the Buffaloes’ Defensive Player of the Year, but saw eye opening talent at the camp that reveals how difficult a road it is to become one of the game’s best.
“The talent out there was just crazy,” Smith said. “I saw the top linebacker in the nation, the top running back; just watching them, you could see that they were definitely going places in the future.
“All of them work so hard and you can tell they are trying to go somewhere.”
Smith has ushered himself onto the national scene with a strong showing at the FBU camps, giving himself a nice platform to build upon over his three remaining seasons at Manteca High.
“I am very confident I am going to be able to come in and help our team,” Smith said of his upcoming season as a Buffalo. “I want football to take me places. Football is going to get me to college to get an education and that will secure my future.
“All that will help me have a better life; and I love the game too.”
Manteca High sophomore linebacker Eddie Smith was able to evaluate his talents against the best after participating in Football University’s Top Gun All-Star Football Camp in Williamsburg, VA July 21- 24. Smith was invited to the highly-touted camp after an impressive performance during the FBU Bay Area Camp version back in May.
Smith stacked himself against the best of the best, obtaining information and techniques about the game from a FBU instructional staff made up of former NFL coaches and players. Smith closed out his summer off-season work schedule learning from the best tutelage the sport has to offer.
“I was very excited about the opportunity,” Smith said. “I was also pretty nervous about competing against the top players in the nation.
“There were kids from all over there, so I just wanted to go out and do my best.”
Smith made the trip east with his father Mel, staying through the four-day camp and finishing the trip with a stop at Bush Gardens Theme Park with the camp contingent. Football dominated the majority of the trip, giving Smith a glimpse at how the NCAA Division I blue-chip athletes work as well as receiving teaching from former NFL linebackers.
“You knew that you were somewhere special,” Smith said. “I thought that I was on top of the world out there. There were coaches from the NFL there that had coached Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Just to be out there with them and to be able to get that experience to learn from them was good.”
Smith was directly under the coaching of former NFL linebacker and College Football Hall of Famer Ricky Hunley. Smith worked with the defensive unit exclusively during the camp, but got action against offensive players in 7-on-7 team drills.
The teachings and experience that Smith garnered at the camp is clearly something that he plans on passing along to his Manteca High teammates. Smith closed out his freshman season voted as the Buffaloes’ Defensive Player of the Year, but saw eye opening talent at the camp that reveals how difficult a road it is to become one of the game’s best.
“The talent out there was just crazy,” Smith said. “I saw the top linebacker in the nation, the top running back; just watching them, you could see that they were definitely going places in the future.
“All of them work so hard and you can tell they are trying to go somewhere.”
Smith has ushered himself onto the national scene with a strong showing at the FBU camps, giving himself a nice platform to build upon over his three remaining seasons at Manteca High.
“I am very confident I am going to be able to come in and help our team,” Smith said of his upcoming season as a Buffalo. “I want football to take me places. Football is going to get me to college to get an education and that will secure my future.
“All that will help me have a better life; and I love the game too.”
