by Logan Andrew, Editor-in-Chief | FreeWire
The sun was shining, the grass was freshly cut, and the energy was high Monday afternoon as more than three dozen kids took the field at Bucyrus Elementary School for the opening day of the annual Youth Football Camp — led by head coach Jon Butchko and his staff.
Now in its second year, the camp is designed to introduce younger students to the fundamentals of football while creating a fun, low-pressure environment. The timing — right after school and in the final week of classes — is intentional.
“We want there to be no barriers to playing the greatest game ever,” Butchko told FreeWire. “If you hold this in the summer, families get busy, they go on vacation. But here, the kids are already at school. There’s not a lot going on the last week, and this gives them something to look forward to.”
A total of 38 students participated in the first day, with numbers expected to increase to around 50 as the week goes on.
Helping lead the drills were assistant coaches Tyler Furry, Russ Slanczka, Nick Kohler, and Landry Amstutz, who guided the kids through passing, catching, footwork, blocking, and more. Players Hayden Butcher and Cooper Kalb helped with drills as well.
Butchko, who’s entering his third year as head coach of the Redmen, emphasized the joy and connection youth sports can bring — not just for the kids, but for the program as a whole.
“These kids look up to us. When I was young, seeing the varsity guys in public was like seeing celebrities,” he said. “I try to remember that feeling — and make sure they’re having fun while learning the game.”
That balance — between fun and fundamentals — is something Butchko and his staff are intentional about. “We rarely talk about winning or losing,” he said. “What we talk about is improvement and competition. Just getting better every play.”
Looking ahead to the fall season, Butchko is optimistic. A strong group of incoming freshmen — including several standouts from last year’s 8th-grade team — are expected to compete for starting spots right away.
“It’s not always easy starting freshmen,” Butchko acknowledged, “but these guys work hard. They’re going to push the upperclassmen, and that’s how you build a team.”
For now, though, the focus is on building excitement — one drill, one high-five, and one smile at a time.
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