Bohanon Foundation holds annual football clinic
In the nine years the Tommy Bohanon Foundation has held its annual football clinic, nothing has been able to stop it. Not rain or even a pandemic.
And so it was that a record number of kids came to North Fort Myers High School‘s Moody Field on June 21 for a chance to train like a pro at the foundation’s signature event of the year.
Youths entering the first through eighth grades came to do agility drills, catch the football, hit blocking dummies and do the same things college and pro athletes do to get ready for action.
Bohanon said that the camp is a way for the kids to have fun and maybe learn a thing or two about the game.
“They get to come out and act like the pros. Every drill we do is done at every training camp. It’s a lot of fun and the kids get lunch and the sheriff’s office brings the ice cream,” Bohanon said. “It’s just a fun day.”
Bohanon brought a slew of coaches and volunteers to help out. Many were local coaches and friends who helped Bohanon as a player. Among them was Kristoffer Doura, who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins. He said he wanted to give back and help a fellow former pro.
“I’m here in the community and wanted to give back and show these kids we can help them get to the next level,” said Doura, who nearly died in training camp in 2011 before walking away from the sport. “I’m working with the offensive linemen on technique, hand placement, kick slides and things to make them angrier on the field.”
The kids came ready to work under the hot Florida sun. Jesse Swann, 11, plays Pop Warner for the Red Knights. He said it was a great opportunity to learn the game from someone who played at the highest level.
“I want to be a defensive lineman and try to advance my football career,” said Swann, who was a first-time camper. “I think I’m going to get a lot of exercise and good training. Anything an average football player would need.”
Not much has changed regarding the clinic. One thing that has is that, unlike the beginning when you can count the number of girls on one hand, there were about 20 girls participating this year.
A lot of girls have begun playing flag football (with a few playing tackle) at the high school level as well as at the youth level.
Alexa Laurenti, 12, was there with her brothers with the intent on getting better at the sport.
“I want to start playing flag football. My older sister plays tackle football at Cape Youth. I want to learn tackling so I can play with my brothers and get better at the drills,” Laurenti said.
Katie Bohanon said the more than 250 kids and 50 junior coaches made the camp another exciting event, an event that was the impetus of how the foundation got started.
“This is how the foundation got started. We just wanted to do a free football camp for kids in the community,” Bohanon said. “Nobody was really doing it, so it was a way to bring people in from the community. We have never missed a year and are committed to help the kids in Southwest Florida.”
The Tommy Bohanon Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting young athletes reach their highest potential. The foundation funds annual scholarships, sports equipment grants to local high schools, seminars and programs, as well as funding for other local nonprofits. Since its inception in 2017 the foundation has raised more than $1 million.
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This story appears in the latest issue of the North Fort Myers Neighbor Living magazine, available at locations throughout North Fort Myers.