Chargers, Panthers hit gridiron for camp

By By Ronnie Woodward


Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Ayden-Grifton football coach Paul Cornwell and North Pitt football coach Dave Boal didn’t expect to take their respective teams to football camps this summer, especially given the current economic situation.

But the generosity of a couple of Greenville churches led the Panthers and Chargers to a 7-on-7 camp put on by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke last week.

The teams — including the coaches — stayed at Oak Hall dorm on UNCP’s campus Monday and Tuesday night, and returned home Wednesday afternoon after completing the camp.

Greenville’s First Presbyterian Church, which Boal attends, donated $3,000 for NP to attend the camp. Boal said the most impressive thing about the donation was the fact that most of the church members don’t even know the players on the Panthers’ team.

“This was the first time our team could do something like this, and we couldn’t have enjoyed it more,” Boal said. “But we couldn’t have done it without the donation.”

Eastern North Carolina FCA Director David Wall contacted Cornwell about attending the camp. Cornwell told Wall that he would love to take his team, but doubted it could afford it.

Wall then helped Cornwell raise the money, with St. James United Methodist Church being the Chargers’ top sponsor.

“The FCA is really working hard to get involved, and this camp was just a great example of that,” Cornwell said. “Our team was given the opportunity to develop on the field, but learned just as much off the field as well.”

On the field, North Pitt placed third out of the eight teams that attended. The Panthers went 7-2-2 at the camp, including splitting a pair of games with A-G.

The Chargers finished in fifth place with a 5-6-1 record.

“Camps like this can lay the foundation for the rest of summer and hopefully carry into the season,” Cornwell said. “Our kids got a lot of repetitions while they were there, and we were really able to work on our passing game.”

Cornwell said his team struggled early, but got better as the camp progressed. Maybe even more important, he said he noticed players bonding on and off the field during the camp.

“It’s all about getting better and bonding together as a team,” Cornwell said of the camp goals. “I think both teams did that.”

Boal and Cornwell both said they will try and pursue similar camps in the future.

“Of all the summer camps out there, this is the kind to go to,” Cornwell said. “It was a great experience for our team and if we get the opportunity to go again, we will definitely try to.”

Contact Ronnie Woodward at rwoodward@coxnc.com or (252) 329-9592.