Bankhead Sports Academy made its second annual appearance in Yorkton last weekend. The football camps, led by head instructor John Bankhead, took place over a three-day span.
Bankhead is from California, and has made a career out of traveling all over the world to train football players. After a recent trip to Japan, he made his way up to Canada. His camps have been visiting Canada for almost four years, but last year was the first time they were in Yorkton.
It’s no secret that there are dozens of football camps offered around the region each year. After all, Saskatchewan loves its football. But Bankhead said they offer something different than all the other camps.
“A lot of camps just exercise the kids, and what I would say is that they do the ABC’s of football. When we come in, because we have so much knowledge and so much experience, we really try to work the ABC’s all the way through the X, Y and Z,” said Bankhead.
“That’s what you’ll see after this three day camp, you’ll see the kids more polished, more sharp. And that is the number one goal.”
Bankhead explained that by breaking certain plays down into five or ten components, the kids are prepared for when it’s time to execute those plays on the field.
“We’re not here to teach them things that the existing coaches know how to teach. We’re here to teach extreme details so these kids can really learn and progress, and take these tools and move further and further with their ability,” said Bankhead.
Bankhead Sports Academy showed up with a total of six coaches for the Yorkton camps. Those coaches cover every position, and their experience speaks for itself. Bankhead said that combined, they have trained more than 400 athletes who they’ve helped get into college on scholarships. He said they’ve also trained 30-40 kids who have ended up in the NFL.
“Us coming from the States, we deal with so many athletes in football. And so many of our athletes have the opportunities to get this type of coaching. These athletes up here, they don’t get that opportunity,” offered Bankhead.
He spoke highly of the athletes he had the opportunity of training over the weekend.
“For us to come up here and show them what we do at a high level, and to watch the kids here really appreciate that level of coaching, really wanting to learn more, their minds are open, ears are open, and they’re just very hard working kids,” he said. “It’s really a blessing for us.”
Yorkton coach Jason Boyda, along with Heidi Watrych, helped coordinate with Bankhead to set up the camps.
Boyda said the elite level of coaching that Bankhead Sports Academy provides is really beneficial for the kids.
“What they do is really fine tune the little things that make the kids better football players. And it’s not just on the field,” said Boyda. “The instruction and the message that they preach to these kids with the enthusiasm and the energy that they bring, it’s also a positive message off the field, too.”
Boyda said the Bankhead Sports Academy coaching staff encourages the young athletes to be better students, and to give back to their community.
And it’s not just a benefit for the kids. Boyda said the local coaches take advantage of the chance to learn from the experience that Bankhead and his coaches provide.
Bankhead saw desire in the Yorkton kids, saying they want to do better, be faster and know more. They just don’t get the opportunity to get all the tools to do that here.
He also added that he has high hopes for the future of the football program in Yorkton.
“We have a blast coming up here and working with these kids,” he said. “We’re hoping to go into year ten, and then 20, and really help this Yorkton community build their football program. You’re going to see in five years, it’s going to be something big and special because of the techniques that we’re starting with the young kids.”
Approximately 100 kids showed up to the Bankhead Sports Academy. And before the California coaches even left Yorkton, they were already discussing plans for next year’s camp.
