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SUPER 7
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| Steve Clarkson Super 7 QB Retreat Recap |
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| With the picturesque coastline of Santa Barbara, California serving as a backdrop, DeBartolo Sports University hosted a very special 3-day event that is certain to become a Memorial Day weekend tradition. The first annual Steve Clarkson Super 7 QB Retreat was a ravishing success, meshing intense QB training, fun-spirited competition, and relaxing social activities together to create a pleasant and memorable experience for all in attendance.
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The Steve Clarkson Super 7 QB Retreat was designed to provide clients of the Steve Clarkson QB Academy with a relaxed setting for two days of training, while recognizing and honoring an accomplished group of high school quarterbacks known as the ‘Super 7’. The ‘Super 7’ were hand picked by renowned quarterback guru, Steve Clarkson, based on their standout performances during the 2007 season: Matt Barkley (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei); Richard Brehaut (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Mater Dei); Dayne Crist (Sherman Oaks, Calif./Notre Dame); E.J. Manuel (Virginia Beach, Va./Bayside); Josh Nunes (Upland, Calif./Upland); Terrelle Pryor (Jeannette, Pa./Jeannette); Matt Scott (Corona, Calif./Centennial); and Russell Shepard (Houston, Tx./Cypress Fair).
The festivities began at the Fess Parker’s Double Tree Resort on Thursday evening with a welcome dinner and reception. Despite the evening chill and a brisk ocean breeze, there was tremendous energy throughout the evening as all the athletes and their families shared good food and conversation. Steve Clarkson addressed the audience, welcoming all to this special weekend for him, the participants and DeBartolo Sports University. After providing a brief overview of the weekend activities, Clarkson introduced three special guest speakers: Chairman of DeBartolo Sports and Entertainment, Eddie DeBartolo Jr.; President and CEO of DeBartolo Sports and Entertainment, Chuck Saulino; and legendary All-Pro wide receiver, Jerry Rice.
After Rice respectfully declined a request to show off some of his dance moves, no longer a secret due to his performance on Dancing with the Stars, Clarkson stepped to the stage to introduce the DeBartolo Sports University team members. This was soon followed with an introduction of the college mentors in attendance (Bomar, Carpenter, Clausen, Locker and Tuitama – flight delays prevented Boeckman and Freeman from attending the reception), with each athlete issuing a brief statement to the audience. To close out the banquet Steve extended the microphone to Jim Clausen Sr., father of Rick (LSU/Tennessee), Casey (Tennessee), and Jimmy Clausen (Notre Dame). Clausen, the creator of Clarkson’s nickname ‘The Dream Maker,’ doesn’t hide from the fact that his three sons were granted the opportunities and experiences in their respective football careers with the help of the accomplished quarterback instructor.
Friday morning, a trolley car was waiting outside the hotel to transport athletes, spectators and coaches to La Playa Stadium on the campus of Santa Barbara City College. At the conclusion of warm-up activities, the Super 7 quarterbacks and college counselors were taken to one end of the field to work with Steve Clarkson, the wide receivers did position drills with Jerry Rice, Curtis Conway, and Geoff McArthur, while the rest of the quarterbacks were placed in field rotations that closely resembled an Academy setting.
Friday afternoon, the Super 7 Quarterbacks were put to the ultimate test as Clarkson put them through his very own quarterback challenge. The challenge consisted of four events: the Distance Toss, Speed & Agility, the Gauntlet, and Read & Recognition. Scores were tabulated for the Super 7 QBs in every event, with a cumulative total determining the winner.
The top three finishers for the Challenge were:
1st - Richard Brehaut: 645
2nd - Dayne Crist: 533
3rd - Josh Nunes: 483
With the on-field activities complete for the day, everyone convened in the Plaza Del Sol ballroom for Casino Night. Those not interested in gaming could participate in an X-Box tournament or watch the Los Angeles Lakers destruction of the San Antonio Spurs. All would-be casino-goers were staked with $500 in casino cash and provided with the incentive to win prizes based on total winnings. While the casino activities lasted a few hours, interrupted only by dinner service, the participants played for an array of gifts including X-Box 360s, iPhones, iPods, gift cards and much more.
With Casino Night complete and prior to announcing all the prize winners, Clarkson brought the college counselors to the dais to present them with a personalized commemorative football as a memento from their weekend in Santa Barbara. Clarkson then introduced each member of the Super 7 to the crowd, presenting them with a Super 7 trophy to honor their achievements in 2007. As the Casino Night program ended, athletes and parents gradually returned to their rooms to rest for Saturday’s full day of activities.
Saturday’s workout took on a different feel as the college counselors shared in the coaching duties with DeBartolo Sports University instructors. The seven collegiate quarterbacks worked hands-on with the younger participants and offered up various coaching points on technique, fundamentals, and mechanics while also answering questions about life as a Division I-A quarterback.
As athletes rotated among the on-field stations throughout the morning’s workout they would eventually pass through an obstacle course that counted towards their overall score in the quarterback challenge. Quickly running through ladders, maneuvering around cones, throwing at still targets, and plowing through tackling dummies were some of the different components to the obstacle course station. At the close of field rotations, the prep quarterbacks would finish up their skills challenge with many of the same events the Super 7 signal callers completed during Friday’s QB Challenge workout.
The top three finishers for the high school and youth challenge were:
High School:
1st - Chase Rettig: 639
2nd - Brendan Cross: 580
3rd - Austin Hinder: 512
Youth:
1st - Kelly Hilinski: 379
2nd - Chase Forrest: 342
3rd - M.C. Poe: 305
The college counselors were then able to conclude the on-field activities by showcasing their talents in the Read and Recognition event of the QB Challenge.
The weekend concluded in the Fess Parker’s Reagan Ballroom with a Hawaiian Luau. The athletes and parents showed up in casual beach attire as Polynesian dancers took the stage and danced to the beat of drums and maracas. In a moment of sheer amusement, the dancers summoned the college counselors onto the stage and gave them an instructional dance lesson. Participation awards were given to each of Steve Clarkson’s private training clients and special guests, while prizes were issued to the winners of the QB Challenge. The college quarterbacks were called back up to the stage and were presented with their banners which hung from the Resort’s rotunda throughout the weekend. To conclude the Luau, Steve Clarkson summoned the Super 7 quarterbacks to center stage one final time to present them with autographed Joe Montana jerseys as parting gifts.
It was appropriate that the weekend ended with a luau as we bid you Aloha from Santa Barbara. It was a memorable weekend for everyone and DeBartolo Sports University looks forward to recreating the fun next year.
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