First night nerves are a part of football.
There were some expectant and pensive expressions on the faces of the rookies enjoying dinner at the Letterman’s Club at Beaver Stadium on the first evening of the Penn State Football Fantasy Camp.
“You can see it in their eyes that they don’t know quite what to expect,” said camp organizer Patrick Steenberge. “There is a combination of wanting to do well for themselves, not wanting to let their teammates down and making sure they can still play football after all this time away from the field.
“For some of the older guys it is the better part of a few decades since they last threw a football or receiving instruction from coaches. And then there is an element of the intimidation factor. The Penn State players they have cheered from the stands for years and the coaches whose game plan they have admired are now in the locker room talking x’s and o’s with them. It can be a surreal experience.”
But there are veterans on hand to help. The sophomores and juniors, returning to the fantasy camp experience that they can not live without each summer, are quick to put the freshmen at ease.
“We’ve been in the end zone before and can help them,” says Scott Heisler, who as captain of the Penn State team that faced Notre Dame in last year’s Fantasy Bowl I, caught a touchdown and after two years is at home in the Nittany Lions locker room. “We become one big family pretty quickly and the new guys will be welcomed into that fraternity. Some people might appear a bit nervous – even us experienced guys – but that will soon disappear once the first practice is underway.”
That first chance to be coached by familiar Penn State names such as Jay Paterno, Wally Richardson and Blair Thomas, among a host of well-known Nittany Lions, comes at 9.30am on Thursday following breakfast that has to be finished by 7.30am and then a team meeting in the Lasch Football Building on campus.
The average age of the Penn State Football Fantasy Camp member is 46 years young and they come from 11 states with tow pairs of father-son combinations in Roger and Brandon Apple and Mike and Michael Manning. Clearly all are dedicated Nittany Lions fans.
“They wouldn’t be here if they didn’t have a passion for Penn State and a burning desire to learn what makes this famous organization tick,” added Patrick Steenberge. “They get to see Penn State from the inside, which is a very unique and privileged perspective.”
When not on the football field, the campers attend football meetings and listen to a variety of guest speakers whose knowledge of Penn State football is undeniable. At the Kickoff Dinner at the Letterman’s club, the listened intently as defensive line coach Larry Johnson, former Nittany Lions defensive tackle Bob White, alumni associate executive director Roger Williams and Nittany Lions radio voice Steve Jones spoke. Also in attendance, mixing with the campers, were quarterbacks coach Jay Paterno and former Penn State wide receiver Kenny Jackson.
Great fun already and this is only day one.
