P.J. Fleck (inset) sets the scene for roughly 70 campers on Saturday at the outset of his “Live Your Dream” football camp at Kaneland High School’s Peterson Field.  Fleck’s camp taught football skills to area youngsters with proceeds going to several charities. Fleck, a former member of Kaneland’s State-winning football squads, is on the coaching staff at NIU. Photo by Sarah Rivers

KHS alum’s camp has bigger things than football going on

by Mike Slodki

            Footballs getting tossed around in picture-perfect weather, guidance being given by personnel with NFL and NCAA experience, and autographs being signed like they were going out of style made up a sizable part of the “Live Your Dream” camp.

            But for camp organizer P.J. Fleck, the camp on his high school field, successfully run in its fourth year, there is more to the camp than just pigskin hoopla.

            “I don’t know if I’m an old pro at this, my wife (Tracie) does a lot of the work organizing, but as long as the kids keep coming out, we’ll keep doing it,” Fleck said.

            The camp proceeds go to outlets like CARRA, the Coach Kill Cancer Fund and Locks of Love.

            “There’s so many people out there that are less fortunate and have been dealt tough cards. It’s great to have something like this to raise money for those organizations,” Fleck said.

            “Live Your Dream” boasted the usual impressive list of camp instructors from every level of football, ready to teach the fourth-through-eighth graders a thing or two to help skills along.

            NFL players like Ken Dorsey of the Cleveland Browns, Norm Katnik of the Baltimore Ravens and Brett Basanez of the Carolina Panthers turned out. Joining them were two quarterbacks who know a thing or two about throwing to Fleck: former NIU Huskies quarterbacks Chris Finlen and Josh Haldi.

            Various members of the Huskies coaching staff also participated, as well as Kaneland coach Tom Fedderly and his staff.

            Stressing fundamentals is something that never gets old, whether you’re slinging passes or teaching junior high kids the ins and outs of the game.

            Those sentiments are echoed by Basanez, who is no stranger to football clinics, and played his football locally before suiting up in Charlotte.

            Basanez, who plans to do another camp in Cincinnati, played high school ball at St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights, and his college ball at Northwestern under late coach Randy Walker. The quarterback is usually in Charlotte over the summer, watching film and ready to compete for the number-two spot.

            “I’ve known P.J. for quite awhile,” Basanez said. “He told me about the camp and I told him that I wanted to help out. This is football at its purest.”

            Basanez, by teaching, is reinforcing basic skills to himself.

            “It’s like working with a clean slate, any time you teach young kids. The main thing is to have fun, and I know everyone out here today did,” Basanez said.

            Kids who particpated in the camp received signed photos and a black T-shirt with the camp logo on it, while the former Knight, Huskie and 49er got much more, and continues to give much more.

            “It’s not about me, only a handful of the kids know I even went here or even played at NIU. It’s about making sure they have the purity of football at this age and enjoy it.”

06/27/2008