Super Elite Football Camp has grown in seven years

August 7, 2014 · 0 Comments

By Jeff Doner
In 2007, Nick Burns started Super Elite Football with a vision of promoting and growing the game he loves throughout Ontario.
Over the last seven years, Super Elite has worked closely with numerous youth football organizations across Ontario, including the Ontario Varsity and Minor Football Leagues, the Nations Capital Amateur Football Association and the Ontario Football Conference.
“It started as one camp with 53 kids in our first year and now this year we have 20 camps with just over 1,200 kids,” Burns said. “It’s been really neat to see the process grow the way it has. We charge as little as possible to help these kids have an experience of a lifetime at every single camp.”
Burns, who played football at McMaster University and in the CFL with the Hamilton Tiger Cats, first started running camps from his hometown in Barrie, but is now predominantly based throughout York Region.
Most recently, Super Elite has held camps at Villanova College and Country Day School in the King City area, and at the Aurora Sports Dome.
“York Region is a huge hotbed for football,” he said. “Our mission statement is to improve football from a grassroots level, not only in our area, but in our country. There are some great organizations in the region, like the York Simcoe Bucs, the Markham Raiders; those organizations are big supporters of youth football.”
Their first annual Summer Youth Leadership camp is running from July 21 to 25 at the Aurora Sports Dome and is sure to be a big hit.
The summer camp runs all day, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and includes lunches, two full fundamentals practices throughout the day, pool activities, leadership and team building activities, academic mentorship from University coaches, and daily mentorship from past and present CFL players, including Toronto Argonauts James Yurichuk and Andre Durie.
“We also have guys that have gone through the system and university and are coming back to help out,” Burns said. “It’s a really neat dynamic with a great group of kids and coaches.
“We’re a fundamentals-based camp, so it’s all about getting these kids better, growing the sport of football and more importantly giving them an experience that they’re never going to forget.”
The Summer Youth Leadership Camp costs $349 for the entire week and there is a possibility for financial assistance if needed.
Aside from their summer camps, Super Elite also offers eight week programs in the winter and overnight provincial camps.
Burns said Super Elite works with youth all the way up to 19 years old and hopes the game will continue to catch on.
“We’ve put a lot of emphasis on the younger players, because I think they’re the future of our sport, so we’re trying to mold them into players,” he said. “Football is not for everyone, but what we try to do is give them a camp that allows them to become excited about the game.”
For more information on Super Elite Football and their camps, visit www.superelitefootball.com