Sparking an interest

Mighty Mite camp introduces the game of football

FARMINGTON

Before Lucas Quintana showed up at the 3rd annual Mighty Mites football camp he caught the ball everywhere else but in his hands.

The eight-year old Sacred Heart Catholic School student in Farmington wanted to learn more about the game he loves so he weathered 100-degree temperatures at the camp from June 20-22.

“I wanted to come here because I like football,” he said. “Most of us don’t even know how to actually catch a ball…I learned how to actually catch the ball and I learned how to shuffle.”

Quintana was one of dozens of football campers in grades second to fifth to attend the annual camp held at Navajo Preparatory School.

He and the young participants learned the ins-and-outs of football at their level throughout the three days of the day camp.

Quintana had an older brother who attended the camp and he recommended Lucas to give it a try.

He said his mom encouraged him to attend.

“I just wanted to try new things,” he said. “You have to think where to go…you have to think about all the stuff to do.”

Quintana said he learned the little things like what it means to shuffle and how finish a proper tackle.

He said he doesn’t play in a football league but he plays with friends during recess at school. He hopes to take what he learned from the camp to teach them.

He said after enduring the heat in the first day of the camp, he decided to return because he wanted to learn more.

“I thought I could actually not give up,” he said. “I didn’t want to give up because I really like football.”

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