Dan Selway camp attracts 80 young players to Lake Forest and wraps up with awards and prizes

Dan Selway with his son Brady (almost 2) after Wednesday’s youth football camp. (Photos Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone)

Dan Selway and his coaches made it a memorable final day Wednesday at a youth summer football camp at the Lake Forest Sports Park.

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The camp was the last of three sessions for the camp, which attracted 80 youngsters and wrapped up with team awards and presentations of backpacks, footballs and caps. Each player received a camp T-shirt.

“It was very exciting,” Selway said of the camp. “It was the best turnout and across the board the most talented camp we’ve had. We had an all-star coaching staff and we had four former professional football players on the coaching staff so we were pretty lucky.”

“Every camper was awesome so every camper was able to get recognized in some way.”

The camp focused on offense.

“It was an offensive skills camp so quarterbacks and receivers worked on on passing and catching, route combinations, footwork, speed and agility.

“We timed 40-yard dashes and we kept track of accuracy scores across the week. So the three big awards were speed, quarterback accuracy and leadership.”

The camp was well received by players and parents, who also enjoyed the location, Selway said. Last summer’s camp was held at the Great Park.

“This was great, this was beautiful,” said Selway. “I love OC Great Park as well but there are only two fields here so everyone found it really easy. The city of Lake Forest has been excllent and everybody was saying how much they like this place.”

Selway said many people, including his wife Andrea, were instrumental in the success of the event. One parent took a team shot at 9:30 a.m. in the morning and had framed pictures to distribute to every player by the time the camp ended around noon.

“To put on a camp like this there are so many people behind the scenes. My wife Andrea is just amazing checking everyone in and basically everything else in between and the coaches and family members.”

The camp is completed but Selway will remain busy and he and his wife will welcome their second and third children, twin boys.

“Twin boys, and all good so far,” Selway said.

The couple’s first son, Brady, who turns 2 in August, got his exercise running around the football field and watching his father coach.

Selway also personally trains receivers and quarterbacks and he will be the offensive coordinator this year for new Northwood Coach Paige Nobles.

“I’m so excited, there is nothing like a Friday night competing,” Selway said.

“Northwood football is something I’ve been passionate about for years. We have some talented guys and I think we took the right step forward last year. Our goals are slightly higher this year to compete in a great league.”

Northwood will be led offensively by 6-4 senior quarterback Jaden Piazza, who had a solid season last year.

“Jaden has been doing some good things,” Selway said. “He obviously has the keys to the engine per se. He’s getting looked at by several universities. He will be a playmaker for us, he certainly had the experience last year.

“Jaden is a high level athlete so we’re definitely expecting big things as a play caller. With a senior qb, we can do a lot of things so I’m excited about it.”

-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com