SPORTS NEWS

	Miami Dolphins quarterback Jay Fiedler welcomes the 192 players to his three-day football camp Friday.

One hundred and ninety two young football players signed up for the third annual Jay Fiedler’s Prime Time Football Skills Camp on Friday afternoon at Olympic Heights High School in west Boca Raton.
“This is the most they’ve had,” Fiedler’s mother Donna said as she finished counting all the names on her registration lists.
The camp is an offshoot of the family’s Brookwood Camps that Fiedler’s father Ken has owned since 1986.
“Our family’s been involved with the camp business for a long time now,” said the camp’s namesake and Miami Dolphins quarterback Jay Fiedler as campers went through evaluations Friday. “We all love working with kids.”
Fiedler was happy that 192 registrants had signed up and said that at the first camp two years ago they only had 75 kids.
The Fiedlers received help from a number of area coaches including most of the Olympic Heights High School football staff, Perry Schneider of Taravella High School and others.
After warming up campers were split according to position and then performed a timed 40-yard dash and agility drills. Their results Friday determined where campers would work out today and Sunday in practices and scrimmages.
Mike Wong, an eighth grader at Eagles Landing middle school was working with the other lineman. Wong, younger brother of 2003 second-team all-state selection Chris Wong, has inherited his brother’s size.
The elder Wong played offensive and defensive line for Olympic Heights last year and along with fellow seniors Mike Gring and Casey Palacious were helping run the camp Friday.
Palacious, a Boca Raton/Delray Beach News first-team selection participated in the camp last year. The lineman said it’s not just about getting to work with members of the Miami Dolphins but “you do learn a lot.”
As for the Dolphins who are scheduled to appear Fiedler said he’s made phone calls to “15 to 20 guys” and didn’t want to say for sure who would be here today and Sunday but is expecting Ricky Williams, Zach Thomas, Chris Carter and Randy McMicheal.
Williams’ appearance would please some of the youngsters at camp.
“He’s my favorite player,” Mike Wong said.
Olympic Heights freshman Nathan Lanza called Williams “the best player,” and Pompano Beach middle school student Mike Bray said he was looking forward to Williams’ appearance because, “he had all those yards last year.”

All levels at camp

Judging by those assembled Friday on the Corey Lewis Stadium field, the level of players at the camp ranges from first-year player to varsity team member. It was something Fiedler noted when he first started doing the camp three years ago.
“At first I didn’t know what to expect,” said Fiedler, who will begin his fourth season under center for the Dolphins when camp begins next month. “I started planning the camp a little more advanced. But we’ve got kids that never played to juniors in high school.”
Fiedler said, “The best thing about the camp is seeing the kids improve.”
As for his own team that missed the playoffs last year by losing its season finale to the New England Patriots, Fiedler said many players would begin working out together Monday. “We’re anxious to get back out there,” he said, “considering how last season ended.”

HomeBanc running
fantasy camp today

As part of its new marketing partnership with Fiedler, HomeBanc Mortgage Corporation is holding a fantasy football camp today at 12:30 p.m. HomeBanc employees and clients will have a short scrimmage against Fiedler and other Dolphins.
“Jay’s going to do internal and external promotions with us,” HomeBanc employee Rene Young said. “He’ll be creating opportunities for our business partners they wouldn’t normally have.”
Before the scrimmage there will be a “Fiedler Facts” sports trivia contest open to members of the media. A check for $500 will be presented in the winner’s name to the Fiedler’s Reach for the Stars charity.