July 1, 2005
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The sun shone down on the Notre Dame campus as 51 Notre Dame Football Fantasy Camp participants dressed in the stadium locker room and prepared to head to Cartier Field for their second day of practice.
In the morning, campers were put through an extensive special teams workout by current Irish coaches Mike Haywood, offensive coordinator and running backs, and Jappy Oliver, defensive line, with help from the group of former Irish players assembled as camp coaches.
Oliver took charge of the coverage teams, teaming with Notre Dame all-time leading tackler Bob Crable to add enthusiasm to the group of campers. Haywood, director of personnel development Ron Powlus and former players Robin Weber and Gary Potempa oversaw the kicking teams.
“The current coaches, guys like Mike Haywood and Jappy Oliver, were a little tentative at first because they didn’t really know what this is all about, but they’ve embraced it now. They’ve been fired up for the last two days,” camp coordinator Patrick Steenberge, a former Irish quarterback, said. “The former monogram guys are loving this, too. They get to meet other monogram guys they didn’t know before, and they get to show a little enthusiasm.”
The afternoon saw the campers participate in a punt, pass and kick competition before breaking into their respective teams for one last tune-up before Saturday’s flag football game in Notre Dame Stadium.
This evening, the players will be treated to dinner at the exclusive University Club by Chuck Lennon, executive director of the Notre Dame Alumni Association. Former Irish standout Tom Freeman is scheduled to be the keynote speaker.