June 25, 2007
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Notre Dame Monogram Club’s fifth annual Football Fantasy Camp will take place in two separate sessions over the next week as 89 participants are set for an authentic Irish football experience. The opening session will run from Wednesday, June 27 through Sunday, July 1, while the second session will start July 1 and run through Thursday, July 5, both on the Notre Dame campus.
For the fourth consecutive year, the camp – organized by former Irish quarterback Pat Steenberge – sold out far in advance. Enough so, that a second session was added for the first time. Of the 89 participants, 38 have taken part in the fantasy camp in the past.
Camp participants will take a tour of campus during their initial afternoon of camp and will kick things off with a reception in the Joyce Center that evening (June 27 for session I and July 1 for session II). It will include a welcome from Monogram Club executive director Jim Fraleigh and the first in a series of special speakers that includes former Irish players, current and former coaches, and several other Notre Dame and college football personalities to address the camp.
The players will head to the locker room in Notre Dame Stadium early on their second day to dress and have meetings before taking part in the first of the day’s two 75-minute practice sessions on the team’s practice fields. In the evening, participants will then travel to the College Football Hall of Fame for a tour and tailgate dinner. Day 3 will be a similar day, with practices both in the morning and afternoon with dinner and more guest speakers in the evening.
On the fourth day of each session (Saturday, June 30 and Wednesday, July 4) – Game Day – the participants will have meetings with their coaches in the morning before attending mass celebrated by Monogram Club executive director emeritus Rev. Jim Riehle, C.S.C., at The Grotto. They will then return to Notre Dame Stadium, go through pre-game warm-ups on the field and – after some final preparations in the locker room – touch the “Play Like a Champion” sign and run onto the field through a tunnel of friends and family for the fifth annual Blue-Gold Fantasy Game, a flag football affair which kicks off at 1:35 p.m. each day and features many of the accouterments of an Irish home game (including live public-address announcing, game officials, and players names on the scoreboard). The post-game will feature media interviews and an autograph session before a reception and dinner in the stadium’s press box.
Each camp winds up with an awards brunch with each participant receiving a tape of the fantasy game, a team photo and a Notre Dame helmet as mementos of the experience.
Proceeds from the camp go to the Notre Dame Monogram Club for its various projects, which include providing many services to current student-athletes, scholarship assistance to children of club members, plus funding the visual enhancement project involving banner and themed gate additions to Notre Dame Stadium.
For more information on the Monogram Club, see www.ndmonogramclub.com. For more information on the Football Fantasy Camp, check www.globalfootball.com and www.ndfootballfantasycamp.com.
Camp Staff Irish head coach Charlie Weis has committed all of his coaching staff to work the camps, further bringing the participants into the Irish football family as never before possible. They will divide into two groups in order to cover both camp sessions, with focus on the four practice sessions and game.
In his letter to each camp member Coach Weis noted, “I will personally speak with each group and share some of my thoughts about the upcoming season. Also, our assistant coaches will be working with you on the practice field and in Notre Dame Stadium, teaching you the same style of Fighting Irish football they work on with our varsity players.”
The coaches who will be working the camp include: Mike Haywood, John Latina, Ron Powlus, Bernie Parmalee, Rob Ianello, Corwin Brown, Bill Lewis, Brian Polian and Jappy Oliver. In addition, the graduate assistants and staff interns will help with both session: Shane Waldron, Kevin Loney, Patrick Graham and LeRoy Knight.
Recruiting coordinator Dave Peloquin will provide an overview of the recruiting process that is such a key element of Notre Dame’s future success, and a stellar cast of former star players is also lining up to assist with coaching and to relate their personal stories during the social hours. Some of these scheduled to appear include: Mike McCoy, Kris Haines, Reggie Brooks, Bob Gladieux, Mirko Jurkovic, Greg Marx, Walt Patulski, Frank Stams and Robin Weber.
Camp Participants The two sessions of camp feature three fifth-year seniors (fifth-year participants), 11 seniors (four-year participants), 12 juniors (third year), 11 sophomores (second year) and 52 freshmen (first year). The participants range in age from 22 to 74, with an average age of 47. They hail from 26 states and two foreign countries (Canada and Denmark). The three fifth-year seniors have participated in all five Football Fantasy Camps. This year features an all-time high of five different father-son combinations: the Bagattas, Dedarios, Fauts, Eckharts and Monaghans. See below the full list:
2007 Notre Dame Football Fantasy Camp Session IFRESHMENJohn "Jack" Anderson, age 50 Orlando, FLBob Brennan, age 44 Odessa, FLChris Cromer, age 35 Rome, GAGene Faut, Jr., age 41 Roselle, ILGene Faut, Sr., age 65 Tower Lakes, ILDan Heatherson, Sr., age 60 Granger, INJoseph LaBella, age 50 Merritt Island, FLMark Lang, age 48 Omaha, NEMichael Lescanic, age 56 State College, PADavid Libs, age 66 Buchanan, MIScott Litwiller, age 44 Tulsa, OKBrad Minnick, age 32 West Salem, WIPatrick Neary, age 46 Alexandria, VAJohn O'Neill, age 39 Toronto, CanadaTerry Philbin, age 39 Columbus, OHBrian Pieroni, age 40 Chesapeake, VARobert Pourvali, age 39 Westlake Village, CAFrank Russo, age 53 St. Petersburg, FL
SOPHOMORESMatt Edmonds, age 47 Granger, INJohn Fitzmartin, age 59 Warsaw, INJim Fontana, age 48 Aliquippa, PATony Frogameni, age 48 Sylvania, OHTimothy Kopp, age 61 Wrightsville, PAGrant Morehead, age 35 Hoschton, GADan Rodden, age 53 Buffalo, IL
JUNIORSChris Alley, age 42 Tazewell, VAFrank Bagatta, Jr., age 22 Smithtown, NYMike Brennan, age 37 Ocala, FLJoe Colgan, age 49 Chicago, ILJim Dedario, age 43 Phoenix, AZJohn Harris, age 37 Holmdel, NJDan Kindelt, age 61 Woodlawn, CANed Lesnick, age 64 Portland, ORDick Morehead, age 60 Jacksonville, FLChris Secreto, age 46 Kirkland, WAMark Smith, age 47 Cleveland, TN
SENIORSJames Barry, age 27 Chicago, ILFrank Bagatta, Sr., age 54 Smithtown, NYKeith Cross, age 34 Holden, MAJoe Dedario, age 65 Phoenix, AZMichael Haveard, age 45 Pensacola, FLRon Henry, age 47 Miami, FLBart McGloin, age 42 Wheatfield, NYTerrence Novak, age 51 Vacaville, CAJeff Pace, age 52 Dallas, PARick Peltz, age 38 Indianapolis, INBob Wiley, age 55 Copenhagen, Denmark
5th Year SENIORSRobert Haberkorn, age 46 Cape Grardem, MOBob Johnson, age 44 Lititz, PAJohn Thomas, age 58 Dallas, PA
2007 Notre Dame Football Fantasy Camp Session IIFRESHMENMark Aiello, age 44 Rochester Hills, MIPhil Albanito, age 57 Randolph, NJJohn Bollman, age 50 St. Joseph, MITom Britz, age 66 Palm Springs, CASteve Cassidy, age 42 San Rafael, CAJoe Coltelli, age 47 Fredon, NJJohn Courtney, age 74 San Mateo, CARonald Crisafulli, age 56 Newton, NJCharles Eckhart, age 24 Indianapolis, INThomas Eckhart, age 48 Indianapolis, INRoger Elliott, age 50 Tippecanoe, INKen Femiano, age 45 Northport, NYSteven Filbert, age 58 South Bend, INTodd Gabriel, age 38 Eagle, IDKeith Hauge, age 68 Rancho Palos Verdes, CAMichael Kane, age 37 Ocean View, NJMark Krivoruchka, age 52 Newton, IAGil Kuta, age 48 Baltimore, MDJoe Laughlin, age 39 San Rafael, CADean Mandis, age 39 Granger, INGary McGlinn, age 49 Philadelphia, PASean McGuinn, age 38 Petaluma, CAT.J. McGuire, age 37 Hatboro, PAColin Monaghan, age 24 Uniontown, PAGary Monaghan, age 53 Uniontown, PABill Morrisroe, age 62 Sacramento, CAKen Myers, age 40 Agoura Hills, CAKen Neeld, age 40 Gambrills, MDBrian Salerno, age 37 Grand Rapids, MIAnthony Sarro, age 47 Winston Salem, NCShaun Takkinen, age 42 Hungtington Beach, CAMichael Tomc, age 53 Athens, OHEric Turzak, age 36 Bloomfield, NJMichael Whelan, age 46 Evansville, IN
SOPHOMORESJoe Hession, age 52 Carmel, INLarry Leamy, age 70 Marshall, MIMichael O'Donnell, age 67 San Juan Capistrano, CAPatrick Stanley, age 57 Wichita, KS
JUNIORSRichard Bell, age 54 Greenwich, CT