CULLMAN – Last Saturday at Heritage Park, Jeremiah Castille led the second day of his annual Character Camp. Castille, who has been the chaplain of the University of Alabama’s football team for 14 years, infuses the football camp that he runs with an emphasis on having quality character and virtue.
However, Castille Character Camp is not Vacation Bible School with footballs. Jeremiah Castille pointed out that all the coaches for the camp played or are playing college football, except Gold Medal Olympian Willie Smith, who coached agility at the camp.
On Friday, the campers had a day of conditioning, and on Saturday they focused more on football skills and techniques. “I was impressed by how hard they ran,” said Castille about the campers on Friday. “Because in the past we’ve had campers who don’t try as hard.”
Great group for Castille Character Camp 2015 @ Heritage Park in Cullman, AL. #hoperevealed pic.twitter.com/9pnEtW2Mqz
— Jeremiah Castille (@J_Castille) June 6, 2015
The June heat was not enough to thwart the campers’ athletic spirits. Former and current college football players, including a handful of players who were once in the NFL, efficiently guided the campers through drills and exercises.
Thanks to its sponsors for the past eight years, the Castille Character Camp has been free to attend for football fans in first to twelfth grade.
For a young camper named Jimmy, this was his third year at the camp, and he says he keeps coming back to the camp “because of how hard they push you to go and run.”
Jimmy said that each year campers are given talks that follow a theme. According to Jimmy, this year's theme was, “You have to have partnerships to win championships.”
A former player for the University of Alabama and Paul “Bear” Bryant, camp leader Jeremiah Castille is well qualified to deliver the orations to campers.
Usually, Castille runs his Character Camp throughout the south, but this summer, only camps in Cullman and Decatur were scheduled. Although he said he wished there were more campers this year, Castille was proud of the effort the campers demonstrated when performing the various activities.
“I think a reason for the effort is that we have repeat campers,” Castille said. “They know kind of what level we’re expecting.” Castille was also careful to emphasize the quality of the coaches that were helping with the camp. “You’re not going to find better quality anywhere,” he said. “A lot of these guys can go down and teach camps at the University of Alabama.”
The camp culminated with a community event at St. John’s Church that featured music from Wings of Hope and speaker Caleb Castille.
Thanks 2 all our coaches, TJ & Buddy Franny, all our great sponsors in Cullman and the kids that came to camp! pic.twitter.com/o83GU601mN
— Jeremiah Castille (@J_Castille) June 7, 2015
For more information about the Castille Character Camp or the Castille Foundation, visit CastilleFoundation.org.
SEE ALSO: Annual Castille Character Camp Begins
