For The News

Deadline to sign up for the 2017 Earl Thomas III Free Football Skill Camp is Friday, April 28, according to the flyer organizers have circulated.

But anyone who knows Orange’s All-Pro and All-American football star knows that’s wrong.

“Earl never turns away anybody,” Debbie Thomas, his mother, reminded Tuesday.

“That deadline is for ordering T-shirts,” she said.

The camp, the seventh annual put on by the Seattle Seahawks safety, a Super Bowl 49 champion, will be June 23-24, from 8 a.m. to noon each day, at West Orange-Stark High School’s Dan R. Hooks Stadium, 1400 Newton St.

Students between the ages of 5 and 18 are invited to participate. Teaching will focus on football skills. All campers will have an opportunity to meet and work with Earl Thomas and other NFL players.

“He loves giving back to the community and he loves motivating the youth,” Debbie Thomas said. “He lets them know hard work pays off. He’s encouraging them that dreams do come true.

“He tells them to apply themselves to school, that things are going to get hard, but never quit.”

The free in Thomas’ Free Football Skill Camp goes back to a time when, as a youngster and the middle of three children of Debbie and Earl Thomas Jr. couldn’t find the money to attend a football camp he was interested in.

“He told himself growing up, ‘If you’re blessed to put on a camp some day, make it free so anybody who wants to attend can attend,” Debbie Thomas said.

“He’s pretty passionate to give back.”

Registration forms and liability waivers are available online via the West Orange-Cove school district website home page under “District News”.

Students will not be allowed to participate without having first turned in a signed liability waiver.

Registration and liability forms should be returned in person to one of the following: WOS athletics office, WOS campuses, LCMHS athletics office, American National Insurance in Beaumont, Lisa Hair Salon, 1408 10^th St .; Keith Wolfe State Farm Insurance, 2431 MLK; and KOGT on Meeks Drive.

Forms can be mailed to Earl V. Thomas III Football Skill Camp, 5270 Tomcat Trail, Orange, TX 77632.

For more information, call 409-745-3119, or 409-779-6736.

BC sets volleyball camps for July

Registration is under way for the 2017 Bridge City Volleyball Camp, with deadline to sign up June 23 to be assured a camp T-shirt.

Bridge City High School Gymnasium will host the event

Incoming fourth- through sixth-graders and ninth-graders are holding camp the week of July 10-13. The younger girls work from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. each day while the ninth-graders go from noon to 2 p.m. each day.

Incoming seventh- and eighth-graders attend camp July 17-20, with seventh-graders at 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. each day and eighth-graders at noon to 2 p.m.

The cost is $35, which includes a camp T-shirt. Checks should be made payable to Bridge City ISD.

A registration form and parental release can be found on the team’s web page on the BCISD website. It can be reached by visiting http://www.bridgecityisd.net and clicking on the “Departments” tab at the top. From there, click on Athletics, High School Athletics and Volleyball.

Completed forms should be mailed to ‘Becca Peveto, Bridge City High School, 2690 Texas Ave., Bridge City, TX 77611; or delivered in person to coach Peveto at the high school, coach Wiegreffe at BC Middle School, or coach Hayes at BC Intermediate.

LCM basketball camp set for May, June

Dates have been set for the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Boys Basketball Camp. Sessions for incoming third through sixth graders will be May 30 through June 2. Third and fourth grades will meet from 9 to 11 a.m. and fifth and sixth from noon to 2 p.m.

Incoming seventh through ninth grader camp will be June 12 through 15, with seventh and eighth practicing from 9 to 11 a.m. and incoming freshmen from noon to 2 p.m.

Early registration (before May 18) is $50, May 19-30 is $60. Sessions will be held at First Baptist Church Orange, 7637 MLK Jr. Drive. Questions should be directed to Brad Jeffcoat [email protected].

Application forms may be downloaded at http://bit.ly/2oxP9Oc.