The 27th Hampton Roads Youth Foundation Football Camp was held at Armstrong Field on the campus of Hampton University. The free annual camp usually features both current and retired NFL players.
HRYF was formed in 1997, by founders Carl Francis and Vernon Lee, Jr. Francis, a Hampton native and Bethel High grad, spoke with VirginiaPreps.com Matt Hatfield before the event.
This year, current NFL players Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker De'Shaan Dixon and Arizona Cardinals draft pick Kei'Trel Clark represented the current NFL contingency.
A Western Branch alum, Dixon played College Football at Norfolk State, while Clark attended Manchester High School before finishing his college career at Louisville with a stop at Liberty in between.
Retired NFL veteran LaRoy Reynolds, who attended Maury High School before going to Virginia, played nine years in the NFL. Dwight Hollier attended Kecoughtan High School before being drafted out of North Carolina by the Miami Dolphins. Both were also involved with the event.
The NFL camp started with a combine where players were measured in events such as the 40-yard dash before moving on to Offensive & Defensive Skills development and 7 on 7 matchups.
Compared to most of the college recruiting camps I have attended this summer, this camp was well organized. The majority of the campers were underclassman and came from as far away as New York and Pennsylvania.
At the end of the camp, the coaches selected top performers with Hampton linebacker Matai Ware, Woodside linebacker Jayden Laubach and Maury freshman quarterback Matt Williams.
** Check back later for a Prospect Watch highlighting the camp award winners. **
One return camp participant from 2022 was Gloucester sophomore Charlotte Kirby; a female who told me her position was quarterback. Kirby worked out with the defensive backs and held her own during the drills. Francis said she was the 1st female player to actually participate as a football prospect.
