Thoughts from Joe Namath John Dockery Football Camp

BroadwayJoe.tv would like to share with you Joe’s thoughts from the first few days of Joe Namath John Dockery Football Camp. Enjoy!

Joe Namath John Dockery Football Camp is, I’m proud to say, a few days into our 41st year of instructional football lessons. When I helped start the camp in my late twenties, I had no idea we’d still be going at it today. Our fantastic staff has done a terrific job teaching these kids fundamentals and refining their play, but it goes beyond that. The sport of football is just a game, yes – but in ways it’s more than that. It’s a teaching device, a structured motivational tool. Playing football, you learn about true hard work, about what it takes to compete and, more so, to succeed. You learn about the team structure, the personal sacrifices you have to make for the sake of others. No one man is greater, no one man is less – it’s a group of equal individuals coming together for something more than just a game. We at Joe Namath John Dockery football camp are not here to turn these kids into professional athletes, or to momentously change their lives. We are here to give these kids an opportunity to play, to compete. All we want is the kids to be there. There are very few who are willing to play the game of football. It’s hard – that’s a fact; there are no other superlatives needed. What I’m looking for is nothing more that kids being out there competing, because those hard times on the field prepare you for many difficulties you face in life. You may never need to form tackle anyone outside the field of play, but you need discipline and a defined work ethic. It’s what drives you, gives you the motivation to know that you can make it through trying times. If nothing else, this camp is teaches kids that competing and working hard today will pay off for the rest of their lives. I know this because of the dozens of young men who return year after year, then send their kids here when they’re old enough. The camp has changed over the years; campers and coaches come and go, drills and training are upgraded, and techniques improve. What hasn’t changed is the message: get out there and compete. There are a lot of young men who can play the sport of football, but few take hold of the opportunity. We’re happy to teach some of those few.
- Joe