Michigan Wolverines football coach Jim Harbaugh will be heading to the Kansas City area in June to hold a satellite camp at Blue Springs South High School.
Satellite camps have been a point of controversy in the college football world after the NCAA voted to ban the camps earlier this year. While the ban was overturned weeks later, the role of satellite camps continues to be debated.
Supporters say the camps serve as an opportunity for high school players to showcase their talent in front of multiple coaches and they help smaller schools find talent. However, opponents of the camps say they are glorified recruiting events that happen outside of the NCAA recruiting calendar. They also say the camps encourage northern schools to scoop up talent from the talent-rich southern region of the country.
Blue Springs South player Isaiah Jackson is one of the many players expected to take part in the camp in June. On Friday, he said he was looking forward to the opportunity to play in front of Michigan staff.
"One of the things I like is that I get to show my talents in front of the coaches as well as my teammates," he explained.
Jackson is currently a junior at Blue Springs South, but he hopes to continue playing football in college. He realizes that the chance to play in front of coaches from a powerhouse program is something that may not happen again.
"College is getting very expensive and more and more by the year," Jackson said. "I already have a sister now that's in college. I know that when I get in college, a scholarship would help a lot."
Blue Springs South staff say the camp was scheduled last week, shortly after the ban on satellite camps was rescinded by the NCAA Board of Directors.
Athletics Director Tim Michael said now that the ban has been overturned, he expects other colleges to target the Kansas City area.
"We've got good programs here," he explained. "We've got a lot of good coaches in the KC metro and a lot of talented kids."
Blue Springs South went 14-0 last year and won a state championship.
First year head coach John Oyler said the satellite camps are a good thing, and the high school players should always come first.
"A lot of kids in the area do one-day camps. Financially, that stretches them," he explained. "From our perspective, it's awesome that our kids are getting an opportunity to work with these guys. These are some of the best coaches anywhere."
With the satellite camp a few weeks away, Jackson said he is ready for his opportunity.
"It's a big deal," he said. "A lot of people are excited about it."
Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverine staff will hold the satellite camp at Blue Springs South High School on Wednesday, June 15. The camp is open to all high school football players from the region.
The Michigan staff will also hold a camp that same day in Pittsburg State in Kansas, about two hours south of Kansas City.
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Tom Dempsey can be reached at Tom.Dempsey@KSHB.com.
