Issue date: 7/10/08 Section: SPORTS

Media Credit: DAVID MINTON Former Dallas Cowboys tight end Jay Novacek calls on a player to ask a question to current Dallas Cowboys defensive end Jay Ratliff at the Jay Novacek football camp July 9. PHOTO BY DAVID MINTON/NT DAILY

Media Credit: DAVID MINTON/NT DAILY Dallas Cowboys defensive ends Jay Ratliff and Darrell Robertson talk to players at the Jay Novacek football camp July 9. PHOTO BY DAVID MINTON/NT DAILY

Media Credit: DAVID MINTON/NT DAILY Dallas Cowboys defensive ends Jay Ratliff and Darrell Robertson talk to players at the Jay Novacek football camp July 9. PHOTO BY DAVID MINTON/NT DAILY

One of this summer's football camps is going to have a professional pedigree. The Jay Novacek football camp will be July 6 to 10 at Traditions Field.

Dan Brown, former head athletic trainer and program director for Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, said players ages 7 through 18 can practice and have the chance to meet and train with NFL players, including former Chicago Bears defensive tackle Dusty Dvoracek and former New York Giants cornerback Everson Walls.

The camp is sponsored by the Center for Achievement and Lifelong Learning and Sports International.

"This year we have about 475 kids separated into four groups," Brown said. "They'll play from about 8 in the morning until noon."

Former Dallas Cowboys tight end Jay Novacek is sponsoring this year's camp, which features an awards ceremony, daily lectures and coaching from Novacek himself and an experienced staff consisting of local college and high school coaches to ensure individual and team instruction for both defense and offense.

Parents are encouraged to stay and observe the events, like Erika Jasper from Austin, who sat watching her 10-year-old son.

"I feel like it inspired him in several ways," Jasper said. "He has met with new kids his age, and it's made him more determined at the game of football."

The Sports International Web site promises individual instruction for quarterbacks, running backs, centers, linemen, ends, wide receivers, linebackers, special teams and secondary positions.

"First, we want to teach the kids respect for the game and for each other," said Rich Lawrence, head coach of track and field and cross-country and former assistant football coach for Texas A&M Commerce. "Secondly, we want to teach the proper techniques of the game, and last, the values of the game of football."

High school attendees will be included in the "TOP 30" High School Players Club, which sends information about the camp's top 30 to 35 high school players to more than 1,500 college football coaches.

"We've been doing this for 17 years now since it started in 1991," Novacek said. "One of the highlights for me every year is coming out here, just seeing the kids, watching them play a game that we all love and being able to help them out in any way. It's pretty special and a lot of fun."

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