In this edition of SI Blitz we highlight high school junior Karl "Eric" Hetzler, a junior from North Hurston High School in Lacey, WA.  Eric plays wide receiver and corner back and has attended the Marcus Trufant and Lawyer Milloy camps.

            Eric has been attending camps for the past four years and credits much of his knowledge of the game to his father who played wide receiver in high school.

            "My dad played football in high school as a wide receiver and when I started playing he thought it would be a good idea to have me play the same position because he could train me himself. Since then I have focused my training of being a receiver; however, ever since starting football in the youth football league, my coaches have also used me as a defensive back."

Throughout all the drills and experiences Eric learned at the Sports International Football Camps the most important were team work and self-motivation.  "As the coaches taught me, you can't win a football game by yourself. I have learned to encourage and support my fellow team members even when I am standing on the side-line watching them play."  

            Eric also attended the Sports International Passing & Receiving Academy which caters to quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends. He found it useful because it gave him "a chance to get in 'repetitions' that I normally wouldn't be able to get at regular practice at school. And the specialized passing and receiving academy "gives you a chance to work 'with' other players with the same ambitions and to exchange ideas on what works for them as well as what has worked for you."

            While attending the camps Eric has made many new friends who he sees every year working to improve their football skills.  Eric's hard work and dedication has led him to receiving multiple awards such as being selected "Most Outstanding Receiver" by Marcus Trufant and "Most Outstanding Defensive Back" by Lawyer Milloy.  Eric was also selected to be a part of the Gridiron Elite at the camp, which he was very excited about; "I was really pumped! I have worked so hard to be the very best and making Gridiron Elite was my ultimate goal from the first day I heard about it at my very first Sports International Camp."

            Eric is working towards his future hopes to play football in college and uses the Sports International Football camps to display his skills and "get his name out to coaches all across the country."  Eric and his team are in another hunt for a championship and he will be lettering in football for the second year. 

Eric is working hard towards his future in football and beyond and never forgets his family roots in football and remembers lessons from his dad, "my dad tells me that I need to take advantage of every opportunity to practice, train, and study football and that will only make me a better player."

 -Article by Peter Chan