June 30, 2003
The inaugural Notre Dame Football Fantasy Camp will commence on Wednesday, July 2 and will welcome 27 attendees to the first-ever event on the Notre Dame campus. Bill Scholl, executive director of the Notre Dame National Monogram Club, will oversee the camp, which includes a staff of current Irish coaches and former players and coaches.
Participants in the five-day camp (July 2-6) will enjoy an authentic Notre Dame football experience. Each participant will go through on-field positional instruction with former Notre Dame stars and take part in meetings with current and former Irish coaches. On the final day of camp, attendees will follow the traditional pre-game schedule which includes mass, pre-game meal, and team meetings in the morning, followed by dressing in the locker room, touching the “Play Like a Champion Today” sign, and running out of the tunnel for a flag football game in Notre Dame Stadium.
The 27 participants represent 13 different states (California, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin) and England. The campers also range in age from 21 to 70 years and there are three doctors participating in this endeavor, which is the first of its kind.
A number of former Notre Dame football greats will serve as instructors at the camp including two-time All-America running back and 1953 Heisman Trophy winner John Lattner, 1982 captain and two-time All-America defensive back Dave Duerson, and 1988 co-captains offensive lineman Andy Heck and running back Mark Green, both former All-Americans. Rudy Ruettiger also will be in attendance, along with several other former Notre Dame monogram winners.
Current Irish football assistant coaches Greg Mattison and John McDonell will serve as head coaches for the two squads, in addition to helping with positional instruction and team meetings. Former Notre Dame assistant coaches Tom Pagna, Brian Boulac, Tony Yelovich, Brian White, and Peter Vaas also will lend their expertise to the camp. Mattison and Pagna are scheduled to present informative talks to the camp’s participants on recruiting and fundamentals.
During their stay in South Bend, the camp’s participants also will be treated to a tour of the College Football Hall of Fame and a golf outing at Notre Dame’s Warren Golf Course.
For more information on the 2003 Notre Dame Football Fantasy Camp, please contact fantasy camp organizer and former Irish quarterback Patrick Steenberge at (817) 219-7274.
Fantasy Camp Attendees:
Name – Hometown
Tom Salb – Hobbs, NM
Robbie Horton – Suffolk, VA
Pat Schaller – Pine Hill, NJ
Troy Horvath – Osceola, IN
Jackie Jackson – Granbury, TX
Bob Johnson – Lititz, PA
Phil Benyo – Drums, PA
Mark Sorice – Greensburg, PA
Mike Sullivan – Jacksonville, IL
Bob Mohrhusen – Seaford, VA
Philip Benyo – Drums, PA
Frank Bagatta – Commack, NY
David Buysse – Carmel, IN
Tom Lisack – Stevens Point, WI
General Leonard Perroots – Manassas, VA
Mike Fletcher – Indianapolis, IN
Kevin Dunigan – Logan, OH
Joe Colgan – Chicago, IL
Robert Haberkorn – Topeka, KS
Keith Cross – Worcester, MA
John Shanley – Holbrook, MA
Phil Sheridan – Winnetka, IL
John Thomas – Dallas, PA
Tony Scire – San Antonio, TX
Nigel Brown – Kent, England
Mike Sommers – San Marcos, CA
Dan Benyo – Boston, MA