Barth Brothers host annual kicking camp at Hoggard
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WWAY) — Thursday night at Hoggard’s Scott Braswell Stadium, a couple of the football program’s finest returned to give back to the community for the tenth time.
Connor and Casey Barth held their “Kickin’ It with the Barth Brothers” camp at their alma mater. Dozens of kids showed up to take part in the event.
The older Connor spent a decade in the pros and says training for Sundays was a bit different than his high school days.
“When you get to the NFL, it is really about putting in that extra work,” Connor Barth said. “Putting in those extra hours and just working on fine tuning the little things. Your ball contact and your leg swing, things like that. I actually had a good foundation here that got me ready for college. Then college got me ready for the pros. It was a good ten year career.”
(Photo: Colton Emswiler/WWAY)
Both Connor and Casey kicked in college at Chapel Hill.
They’ve bonded over their love of the position and are grateful to pass on their knowledge to the next generation.
“This specifically, it’s enabled us to grow and see each other grow in different aspects of it,” Casey Barth said. “Become closer and have this to give back and share it to the community.”
“We’re going to throw a lot of information at you,” Connor Barth said. “If you can take away just a couple key things and work on that when you get home, maybe we’ll find the next college or NFL guy out here.”
(Photo: Colton Emswiler/WWAY)
Recent New Hanover graduate Austin Luther attended the camp for the third time. He managed to take his prior lessons to heart and will kick for Division I Eastern Kentucky this fall.
He used Thursday as an opportunity to pick the brain of a professional one final time.
“Connor’s kicked at the highest level,” Luther said. “I think getting some mental to help with the next level because he’s familiar with that. You always try to compete. They have some good competition out here. It’s always good to have a good time. It always gets you better to compete with the best people they have out here.”
(Photo: Colton Emswiler/WWAY)
Tres Daughtry attended the camp for the first time and traveled from Fayetteville to do so. The sophomore at Cape Fear High School hopes to bring back some pointers to help his squad win this fall.
“I’m trying to learn leadership, I’m trying to learn technique,” Daughtry said. “Hopefully I can have a good year. One thing I’ll hope to take away is my technique. I’m just trying to get better, I’m trying to lengthen my distance and get my leg stronger.”
(Photo: Colton Emswiler/WWAY)
The campers learned things such as stretching, field goals, punting and kickoffs. There was also a competition at the end to test their skills with prizes up for grabs.
