"I cannot be complimentary enough in expressing our thanks and appreciation for the recent Alex Smith camp held in Lake Wales, FL, attended by my 11year old son, Jonathan. Jonathan has played two years of youth football, and this was his 4th camp to attend (two of the others were college sponsored camps). He said it was by FAR the best camp he has been to, and I totally agree.

Even at his age, Jonathan is very serious about his football and, although he enjoys the perks of getting to meet top shelf current NFL players like Alex Smith and Gaines Adams, he is much more interested in camps that offer intensive training and workouts that will make him a better football player. This camp did exactly that.

I cannot commend the staff and coaches enough--it's just not possible. From the oversight of Coach Sherman Wood, to the incredible daily scheduling detail of Coach Hagerty, to the position training by coaches Cooper, McGarrah, Capaccio, and Hernandez (I HAD to get their names, because Jonathan wanted them on a picture I took of them together to remember the camp by), it was flawless, seamless, and the most effective time management I've ever witnessed on a practice field.

They worked the kids HARD, which is exactly what Jonathan likes and was hoping for, but also watched out for the kids' well-being, making sure they stayed hydrated with scheduled water breaks. Jonathan can't stand the camps that are more like day care pickup games; he wants to be challenged to get better at his positions. He did.

Speaking of which: there was a perfect blend of praise when the kids didwell, and appropriate correction when they needed improvement. Coach Cooper's enthusiasm was infectious, and the kids really responded well to what the coaches were trying to teach them.

Jonathan was an "overnight camper" (his older brother and I stayed off site at a motel), and the dorm facilities at Warner Southern were very nice. The dorm parents at the camp also did a great job with the kids, holding them accountable for unacceptable behavior, but letting them be kids, too, a tough balancing act. My thanks and compliments to them for a job well done.

Alex Smith, Gaines Adams, and Scot Brantley were great with the kids, and possess the character that makes them role models that the kids can look up to and imitate. With all of the press that the "bad apples" in sports get these days, it is both refreshing and encouraging to get to meet some of the many genuine "nice guys" who are professional athletes. We wish them well.

Matt, Coach Wood, and the rest of the Sports International staff (trainers, camp store personnel, etc.) were all very helpful, courteous, and professional. I know the kids in the 7-12 age group--and their dorm parents--really appreciated getting the vans to shuttle them back and forth to the practice field.

Being from Florence, AL, we drove 700 miles one way to get Jonathan to thec amp. It was well worth the time, effort, and $$$ spent on gas. I don't see how the camp could have been a better tool for improving young players' skills, and have already decided--at Jonathan's insistence--that if some of the same coaches and personnel are there again next year, Jonathan will be back. Thank you VERY much!"