Camp of Champions
Stoops, Pelini help instruct at alma materBy JOHN VARGO Tribune Chronicle
Article Photos
YOUNGSTOWN - Bob Stoops and Bo Pelini were just two of many collegiate coaches at Monday's seventh annual Cardinal Mooney Football Camp of Champions.
Both Big 12 mentors are Mooney graduates and served as role models to near 300 youths Monday morning on the artificial turf practice facility behind Mooney High School.
''You throw Mike (Stoops) at Arizona as three and I'm sure there will be more down the line,'' said Pelini, who will start his first full year as coach at the University of Nebraska.
Pelini served as Nebraska's defensive coordinator in 2003 and served as interim coach - leading the Cornhuskers to an Alamo Bowl victory that season after then coach Frank Solich was fired.
Pelini was an NFL linebacker and secondary coach for Green Bay, New England and San Francisco and served as an assistant coach and coordinator capacities at the University of Iowa, Oklahoma and Louisiana State Universities.
''It says a lot about the culture we were exposed to growing up, the values and principles that go into being a success not only on the football field, but in life,'' said Pelini, a 1986 Cardinal Mooney graduate. ''It's a great thing and we all feel very fortunate.''
They are just microcosms of the coaching fraternity to come out of Cardinal Mooney.
"There are so many people that have done so well coming out of Mooney and the alumni base that are here,'' said Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, who is a '78 Mooney graduate. ''It's exciting. We all pull for each other. We're all friends. When you talk about class reunions, I don't think we have them because we all know each other from all different grades and classes. There are a great number of people here at Mooney that have had great careers.''
Bob, who is entering his 10th year at Oklahoma, had prior stops at Kansas State and Florida before becoming the Sooners' coach.
Pelini was Oklahoma's co-defensive coordinator, defensive backs coach in 2004.
''Bo has done a great job and has had a great track record at the places he's been,'' Stoops said. ''We're fortunate we had him with us for a year. I'm happy for him and I'm sure he'll do a great job.''
Pelini wants to emulate Stoops' success at Oklahoma.
''Bob's been a friend and always will be a friend. I've coached against guys like that before. You take the personal side out of it,'' Pelini said. ''He's done a great job over a lot of years. I was able to work for him and learn from him. I hope to do a lot of things at Nebraska that he was able to accomplish at OU. Watching his experiences and talking to him, I think I'll be able to benefit of all the things he went through when he started out.''
But Stoops, Pelini and the other high school and collegiate coaches were not the only instructors. Mooney senior defensive tackle John Simon, who has made a verbal commitment to The Ohio State University, helped the young campers learn the fundamentals of football.
He attended this camp as a youth in Youngstown.
''I've helped out here the past couple of years. It's a great camp, a lot of famous people here,'' Simon said. ''It's a great time for the kids to work on the fundamentals of football.
''When I was a kid, you got to meet all the popular coaches, all the ex-players. I really looked up to the Mooney players too. I always had a great time up here.''
Youngstown State coach Jon Heacock, who has helped out at the camp for the past couple of years, said having success stories like Stoops and Pelini back serves as a role model for the youth.
''I think it's a tremendous opportunity for young people to be around guys that are from this area that have gone out and done things the right way and are having success,'' Heacock said. ''Anytime you can do that it is a plus. I think those guys do a tremendous job coming back here.''
Pelini said this came is a good way to give back to not only the community, but his alma mater.
''We've had a good turnout and we hope to continue it for a long time, come back and give back for everything it gave to us,'' he said. ''Back when we were growing up, we didn't have all these opportunities. These kids - they're lucky.''
