MGCCC lineman camp grows again in 2013

PERKINSTON---In the early days, one field was more than enough to accommodate the crowd at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College's Offensive/Defensive Lineman Camp.

   This year, Gulf Coast head football coach Steve Campbell is using three fields to handle the more than 530 high school students from all over the state and region.

   "It's easily the largest lineman camp in the Southeast," said Campbell, who was recently named 2012 Coach of the Year by the Mississippi Association of Coaches (MAC). "We also have a skills camp going in tandem with the lineman camp, so there's something for everyone here. We have some of the best high school and college coaches from around the region instructing these kids."

    The campers got two bonuses at Monday afternoon's workout, a downpour that briefly cooled things off, and a visit from New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Jonathan Jenkins. The 2013 third round draft pick by the Saints played at Gulf Coast from 2009-2010 and was an NJCAA All-American for the Bulldogs.

    "I told them I'm proof that good things happen when you put in the hard work," Jenkins said. "I gave them the insight on what I went through and how I was able to do it. It all started for me here at Gulf Coast."

    Even with out wearing pads, the up-tempo workouts are demanding, and sometimes grueling in the South Mississippi heat. Campers practiced once on Sunday, three times Monday, and finish up Tuesday morning with a skills contest.

    "Championships aren't won in the fall," Campbell said after an intense Monday workout. "They're won right now. The effort you guys are putting in this week will pay off during the upcoming season."

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PHOTO: More than 530 campers are in attendance at the 2013 MGCCC Lineman Camp.