NFL player Jalen Carter, former Central Florida standout, hosts a free football camp at Apopka HS.
APOPKA, Florida. – Aspiring football players from Central Florida got the opportunity to practice with the star on Saturday morning. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Carter hosted a free football camp at his alma mater, Apopka High School.
“It’s nice, it’s really good, because he just returned, for example, from the championship, we can just learn from his camp,” said Makari Gainus, a camp participant.
Carter began his high school studies as Apopka Blue Darter, graduating in 2020. He said he enjoyed giving back to his community. “I am excited. This is my second camp. I know the kids are very excited to be here and I’m ready to go.”
After high school, Carter played college football at the University of Georgia, where he won two championships. He was selected 9th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Eagles. He returned to Apopka on Saturday, hoping to inspire the next generation of athletes. “I really just want them to have fun,” he said, “they probably don’t have a specific goal right now, I just want them to have fun and hopefully that will be their goal and they will come and try to do what I did.”
The free youth football camp was designed for boys and girls aged 8 to 14, about 50 people. The camp featured skills and drills led by high school coaches Carter and Apopka. “We will do all offensive skills drills, individual drills. We’ll do some team action, individual defense drills and skill drills, and finally some competitive stuff,” said Apopka HS football coach Matt Anderson.
Carter said the idea for the camp came from his mother, Tony Brown. She was there to cheer on the athletes. “I hope they come away with something positive,” she said, “something that they can achieve their dreams if they just work hard.”
