About 70 campers spent two days with Woodford County High School football Coach Dennis Johnson and his staff playing games, learning techniques, and enjoying being on the high school field.
“What camp like this does is get people acclimated to football,” said Johnson. “We try to make it fun. We do a lot of games and activities. We want kids to enjoy it and want to come back.”
Based on the reaction from rising first-grader Bode Byrne, the approach appears to be working.
The Southside Elementary student quickly identified his favorite part of the day. “Tackling,” he said with a smile.
Byrnee also played receiver during the camp and said his favorite part was simulating game play.
“Probably playing,” he said when asked what he loves most about football.
According to Johnson, the camp’s main goal is to foster a love of the game and make kids excited about sharing the experience with friends.
“We want every kid to play,” Johnson said. “Those kids are going to tell somebody about it. The more we can put it out there for people, that’s what we want.”
That relationship between young players and the high school varsity football program has become a major focus for Johnson during his time at Woodford County.
Johnson recalled advice he received from his dad, Alvis Johnson, when he first took over the coaching job at Woodford and was struggling to find wins and get more kids involved.
“I was complaining about the weight room one day and he told me to be quiet because we were getting obliterated every Friday night,” Johnson said with a laugh. “He said, ‘You need to go to every youth and middle school game. Just stand there and watch and get to know the kids.’”
Following his father’s advice, Johnson found a way to marry the youth and middle school programs with the varsity program, running similar schemes so the players were ready when the next level approached.
“That was kind of the first step to building a good program,” Johnson said.
Well before the youth players step foot on the field for a varsity game, they feel the camaraderie and belonging to Woodford County football.
Raylan Robbins has already seen that connection firsthand.
Through his brother Beechem’s involvement with the program, Robbins said that he has a good understanding of what makes football in Woodford County unique.
“The family,” Robbins said when asked what he enjoys most about football. “Everybody comes together and works hard. If somebody’s down, we’re all down. Everybody cheers each other up.”
Robbins said he has learned so much about what makes football a true team sport.
“They all play together,” Robbins said. “If one gets injured, they all come together. Someone has to be ready to step in. They talk and communicate all the time.”
“We put in the work,” Robbins said. “We did conditioning, drills and footwork. Footwork is an important thing in football.”
One example Johnson pointed to was rising senior Josiah McKee, who attended the camp and spent time with younger players. McKee recently committed to Oregon State University to play football.
Having former youth players return as successful high school athletes gives campers someone they can identify with.
“They look at him and think, ‘I can be him,’” said Johnson. “It’s huge when they come through the ranks and get to see somebody like that.”
For Johnson, those moments are especially meaningful because he remembers being that young player himself. He still remembers being a youth player when a teammate on his dad’s Harrodsburg team handed him a pair of gloves for a Saturday youth game.
“He was a legend to me,” Johnson said. “For him to let me wear his gloves in a youth game meant the world.”
Today, Johnson hopes his campers can have a similar experience with WCHS players.
“They might not always say it, but it means so much to them,” Johnson said. “Before a Friday game, when those guys are warming up and a kid gets a handshake from one of them, it means a ton.”
While he is years from playing varsity football, Byrne knows one thing. He will tell his friends who didn’t make it to camp this year, “Next year, they should come.”
Johnson’s plan to build a top program is working. Woodford is coming off a successful season in which the Jackets qualified for the state semifinals. He’s building an army of football players in Woodford County from youth to varsity.