SAPULPA, Oklv.- The third annual Native Pride football camp will be taking off on June 17, located at Hollier park. The four week camp is open to all ages. It will begin in June and run through July. The camp is free, no registration is required. Snacks will be provided for the students that attend.
Little Chief Program Coach Jon Foster (Mvskoke) has been coaching for eight years now. The camp only saw 15 students the first year it was hosted. As of 2023 that number has risen to the range of 40-60 students. Foster wanted to provide an opportunity for these students to prepare for their respective seasons in the fall. He understands that not every student may have guidance to continue practicing during the summer.
Native Pride Football Camp’s name came about when other coaches noticed that most of the students that attended were Native American. Given the makeup of the team, the name stuck.
Parents of students have raved about the camp. Foster has fielded questions from many parents and students alike asking when the next camp would be hosted. Its popularity has seen the same students repeatedly attending the camp. “We have a lot of kids returning and they seem to love it,” Foster said.
Foster mentioned that not all students have to attend every day of the camp, attendance is based simply on when each student is able to attend.
Foster will not be the only coach at this camp. He will have other coaches to volunteer alongside him. Each camp day sees three coaches on site. The camp is also open to volunteers from the Sapulpa Little Chieftains program.
When coaching students, Foster tends to be laid back and understanding. He knows that every child learns differently. He wants everyone to know that he cares for their wellbeing and success. “Not only just on the field and playing the game but also off the field, there is somebody there for them and that’s all I want to be is just somebody positive that could be there for them,” Foster said.
Camp starts off with drills including dynamic warm ups, stretching and agility training. Afterward students take a break, then break off into groups. Groups determine field positions including lineman, quarterback, and running back.
When speaking about the drills and football, Foster knows that teamwork is the most important thing. “All 11 of us are on the field, all working together to try to make a play work. I just try to incorporate the best that I can with teamwork and that’s pretty much what the game of football revolves around, one team. It’s not just one on one, you have to rely on your brother to your left or to your right to make the play work,” Foster said.
More than just a Sport
Towards the end of the camp, when everyone comes together Foster likes to speak to the students and give them a pep talk. He likes to speak about how to be successful within themselves and the importance of maintaining good grades in school.
“I love the game of football, I love being around the kids and that’s my reward out of it is just to see the smile on their faces and that they’re doing something positive rather than maybe being out getting in trouble,” Foster said. “The joy I get is them thanking me afterwards or maybe the next day, weeks later they still thank me for doing and putting the camp on and doing what I do. They’ll tell me that it really helped them and they feel it helped them prepare for the season.”
What sparked Foster’s interest in starting this camp was his oldest son, who is currently a freshman in high school. He witnessed coaches who kept up with their players even during the off season. Foster understands football can be hard if a student does not have a father figure in their life.
“I’ve coached a lot of kids who may not have a father, so that’s kind of been one of the main things that kind of hit it for me. They may not have a dad or a lot of grandparents are raising the kids, I’ve coached alongside coaches who may want to go in and in the shape to see what they’ve been doing over the off season. But they gotta understand that some kids may not have the opportunity to work with somebody and be ready for the season,” Foster said.
Foster is a 2006 graduate of Sapulpa High School where he played on the football team. He has fond memories of his high school football career, particularly beating the Jenks Trojans in the 2006 playoffs. Although Foster did not have the opportunity to attend camps like Native Pride growing up, he is happy to provide them for the next generation.
Overall Foster is thankful for the amount of support he has received regarding the camp, including from his family. He remarked that he is thankful to have the team of coaches who volunteer their time to make hosting the camp possible. Foster receives no compensation for the camp himself, he simply does it to love on students and for the love of the game.
Foster provided one piece of advice for students that may want to try football. In order to see if they enjoy it, they just need to give it a shot, whether it is at school or at a nearby camp. However he remarked that football is not for everyone since it is a tough sport.
For further information or questions about this camp you can contact Foster at 918-807-4406.
