University Park, Pa. — The Penn State Football staff will again welcome a large contingent of high school players from across the nation to its 36th annual summer football camps, which get underway June 4.
Penn State will host five different camp opportunities on the University Park campus in June, including a "seniors only" camp, which was introduced five years ago and continues to grow in popularity.
Close to 3,000 players from across the nation annually attend the Penn State Football camps.
The Penn State camps feature two offense / defense skills and fundamentals camps for athletes entering 8th-12th grade in the fall, to be held June 20-23 and June 27-30. A placekicking camp, headed by Penn State placekicking coach and recruiting coordinator Mike McQueary is set for June 4-5. This camp also is for 8th-12th graders.
The "seniors only" camp will be held June 25-26. This camp is designed to give an upcoming senior the opportunity to focus in on his primary offensive or defensive position. In addition to the Penn State staff, the senior only camp will feature many visiting college coaches and former Nittany Lion players that are in the coaching profession as assistant coaches. The past five years, approximately 20 former Nittany Lions, currently serving as high school or college football coaches, have worked the senior camp.
Penn State’s popular 7-on-7 team passing camp will be held June 18-19. Many of the top high school teams from the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast attend this camp and use it as a competitive off-season teaching opportunity for their skill players. This camp is designed for varsity programs.
In addition to the Penn State coaching staff, selected outstanding college and high school coaches and Penn State Athletics trainers and medical personnel complete the camp staff.
The instructional sessions are held at Penn State’s expansive grass and artificial turf fields, or in the case of inclement weather, in the Nittany Lions’ indoor facilities, including Holuba Hall.
During all the camps, participants can spend their free time enjoying Penn State’s many recreational facilities, including the outdoor swimming pool.
Additional camp information, including registration forms, can be found by visiting: www.pennstatefootballcamps.com or by contacting the Penn State sports camps office at 814-865-0561 during business hours.
Coach Joe Paterno and his staff have guided Penn State to 53 wins in the last 66 games, including victories in the 2010 Capital One Bowl, 2006 FedEx Orange Bowl, 2007 Outback Bowl 2007 Valero Alamo Bowl. The Nittany Lions are tied for No. 7 nationally in winning percentage over the past four seasons with a 51-13 record.
The Nittany Lions defeated LSU in 2010 Capital One Bowl to earn their third 11-win campaign in the past five seasons. Penn State was No. 8 in the final USA Today Coaches poll and No. 9 in the Associated Press survey, earning its 23rd final Top 10 ranking under Paterno. The Lions won at least 11 games for the 15th time under the Hall of Fame coach.
Entering his 45th season as head coach and 61st on the Penn State coaching staff, Paterno returns 13 starters and 37 letterwinners for the 2010 season, as well as 10 players that have starting experience. Penn State opens the season Sept. 4 vs. Youngstown State for a noon kick in Beaver Stadium and visits 2009 national champion Alabama on Sept. 11.