April 30, 2009
EASTON, Pa. - Lafayette will host the fifth annual Lauren's First and Goal Football Camp from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 7 at the Metzgar Fields Athletic Complex.
The non-contact clinic is open to students entering grades 9-12 in the fall of 2009. The minimum donation is $25, with all of the proceeds from the camp directly benefiting Lauren's First and Goal Foundation, a 501c3 tax-exempt charitable organization that supports pediatric brain tumor research and pediatric cancer services.
Lauren's First and Goal expanded to the University of South Florida in 2008, and combined with the Pennsylvania camp, the two drew close to 2,000 participants instructed by more than 300 coaches who all helped raise more than $255,000 for Lauren's First and Goal Foundation. Last year, 438 high schools in 10 states were represented.
Since the Foundation's inception five years ago, more than 5,300 high school players have attended the camp and over half a million dollars has been raised to support research toward a cure for pediatric brain tumors.
Funding has been dedicated to specific research studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, the UCLA Medical Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Brookhaven National Lab and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and the Duke University Brain Tumor Center through the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation of the US. The Foundation also funds pediatric cancer services including pet therapy programs, patient advocacy initiatives, and social and support group opportunities, and aids families living with a pediatric cancer diagnosis.
In only its fifth year of existence, the camp has blossomed into one of the largest one-day football camps in the country.
"It's a win-win for everybody" said John Loose, Lafayette's defensive coordinator and director of Lauren's First and Goal Football Camp. "The kids get exposure to different colleges in one setting. There's probably double the amount of college coaches here than at any camp in the country. The coaches get a chance to see a whole bunch of kids in one area, and all the money goes to the foundation. We've given away over a half a million dollars."
The camp is staffed by coaches representing NCAA Division I, II and III institutions, all of whom will volunteer their time.
"I'm in awe of how many coaches volunteer," Loose said. "It's amazing."
As in previous years, there will also be the guest speaker. Former speakers have included former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky, Super Bowl XXI MVP Phil Simms, current N.Y. Jets' assistant coach Ben Kotwica, current Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and former San Diego Chargers head coach Bobby Ross.
Camp registration forms are available on Lafayette's athletics website, www.goleopards.com, and at www.laurensfirstandgoal.org. For the first time this year, those interested can make outside donations online at www.laurensfirstandgoal.org. For more information, call the Lafayette football office at 610-330-5485 or 610-330-5838, or email firstandgoal@rcn.com.
Over 3000 children are diagnosed with a primary brain tumor in the US each year, and over 120,000 pediatric brain tumor survivors are living with the side effects of the disease and treatments, which often times have serious ramifications in terms of quality of life.
