ROCKINGHAM — One of the biggest athletic events of the summer is returning to Richmond County for the eighth straight year, as Dannell Ellerbe’s annual football camp is set to return.
Ellerbe, a Hamlet native and two-time Super Bowl champion, will hold his one-day camp on Saturday, July 13, at Richmond Senior High School’s practice facilities. Sponsored by USA Football, the FUNdamentals camp is free and open to any athlete ages six to 17.
“Hey it’s that time again!!!!” Ellerbe wrote on his Instagram page last week when he made the official announcement. “Please sign your kids up for my 8th Annual Football Camp. Every year has been a success because of you and we look forward to another successful event.”
Like in past years, Ellerbe is encouraging campers to pre-register for the event before June 29. However, there will be a registration period the morning of the event from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., with the camp running until 12:30 p.m.
The first 300 pre-registered campers will receive a t-shirt, as well as a goody bag. Ellerbe assured that no participant will be turned away.
“I always host the camp to show the kids that they can be whatever they want to be,” Ellerbe said of hosting the event summer after summer. “I just want them to know that people from this area can make it. I want to be a visual — and shine the light.
“I never forget where I came from,” he added. “As long as I always have the opportunity to (host the camp), I will.”
Last summer, the current NFL free agent saw roughly 350 campers attend his camp, making the drive from all over the Carolinas. Along with his wife Shervella, also a Richmond County native, and who does a lot of the logistical planning, Ellerbe hopes to continue to teach local youngsters the right way to play football.
Some activities during camp will include: passing drills, route running and catching drills, running back drills and an emphasis on playing the game the safest way, all in a non-contact setting.
“We’ll basically go over the fundamentals of football,” Ellerbe said. “It’s just like a regular football camp, and there’s a fastest man competition at the end.
“We’ll show the kids how to do starts, work on stances and show them the proper way to tackle — and hopefully show them the basics of the game and each position in football.”
While his presence has resonated with local football players and fans since his playing days at Richmond, Ellerbe also brings a star-studded cast to help facilitate camp. In attendance a year ago were NFL running back Mark Ingram and former Super Bowl champion and Baltimore Ravens teammates Bobby Rainey and Lardarius Webb.
The lineup for this summer hasn’t been set in stone, but Ellerbe expects a big turnout from former NFL and college teammates. Ellerbe boasts some success of his own, having won Super Bowl XLVII with Baltimore and Super Bowl LII with Philadelphia.
Also expected to be on hand to help will be Raider head football coach Bryan Till, as well as several members of his staff a current players. The RSHS Beta Club will help with registration.
“We want to have fun with the kids, and for the kids to have fun while learning how to play football,” he concluded.
Breakfast and lunch will be served during camp, and an award ceremony will take place after all the day’s events to recognize top performers. Ellerbe also hosts an autograph line to close out the day.
To pre-register, visit account.usafootball.com/events/359. Once there, a free account will need to be created to sign up for Ellerbe’s camp.
