Football Camp at Mississippi College Attracts 210 High School Players

Mississippi College coach John Bland and his Choctaws staff offered instruction at MC's first summer 2015 football camp.

Football season arrived a little early at Robinson-Hale Stadium at Mississippi College.

About 210 high school players sprinted, hauled in passes, improved their defensive skills and were advised to focus on their studies during MC’s first summer 2015 football camp.

By all measures, the June 9 camp on the Clinton campus was a big success. It comes about three months before the MC Choctaws open the football season at home against Texas College on September 5.

On Tuesday, MC Choctaws head football coach John Bland and his staff instructed high school juniors and seniors with a helping hand from their coaching friends at the University of Louisiana Lafayette.

Louisville, Mississippi native Mark Hudspeth serves as head coach of the UL Lafayette Ragin Cajuns. The Sun Belt Conference squad has won 36 games in his four seasons at the school. Hudspeth is a former head coach at Winston Academy in his hometown of Louisville.

A shower Tuesday afternoon cooled things off for the players, coaches and fans at Mississippi College as Central Mississippi temperatures sizzled around the low 90s.

As the MC Choctaws football camp wrapped up early Tuesday evening, Bland thanked the players for coming.

The 2^nd-year Mississippi College coach also took the opportunity to stress the importance of making good grades to prepare for college. “Do well in school,” Bland told the visitors who huddled near the 50-yard line. “Get your academics in order.”

It’s a winning message that Bland often preaches to his own Choctaws players with his I WILL campaign. To sum things up, “I WILL give a great effort in the classroom” and “I WILL give a positive image.”

After the marathon of football drills ended, the players heard a similar message from UL Lafayette’s head coach. They were advised to always post positive things on their Twitter accounts. It could be a message to thank a teacher for attending their game or a note to praise a teammate. Twitter accounts laced by bad language or senseless remarks can often derail players seeking college offers.

High school football players who missed Tuesday’s camp after one more opportunity at MC. The second football camp is scheduled on June 15. The next day, workers head to Robinson-Hale Stadium to replace its artificial turf with a newer version.

Last summer, two MC football camps led by Bland and his coaching colleagues attracted a total of 300 players. That number was nearly reached by the solid turnout at Tuesday’s camp.

Summer football camps are popular at schools across the Magnolia State and well beyond its borders.

A few miles away from Mississippi College, Jackson State football coach Harold Jackson and his Tigers staff conducted a camp Tuesday for high school players at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.

This summer, Mississippi College camps again span a wide variety of sports, including soccer, volleyball, cheerleading and softball. The MC girls team basketball camp led by Lady Choctaws hoops coach Paul Duke runs from June 11-13 on the Clinton campus.