Local Coaches Team Up For Special Football Camp

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - High school football has been part of the Pittsburgh landscape for as long as most people can remember.

This week, two legendary programs are helping to run a special camp.

Few men have won more than 200 games like Thomas Jefferson head football coach Bill Cherpak. So, when he is joined by legendary Woodland Hills coach George Novak to run a football camp, people take notice.

"We have a lot of campers who have been here for six years, so we would like to welcome everybody back," Novak said.

The camp is for young men and women with Down syndrome. All campers are between 15 and 30. The guys learn to play football, while the young ladies serve as cheerleaders.

The man who started the camp is San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Tomsula -- a Pittsburgh native.

"All of our campers are here and they love it. They enjoy it and they get to play real football. We don't have any kid gloves on here. We practice football," Tomsula said.

But, no one has to teach the players how to ham it up for the TV cameras.

"I love it. It's great. Good movement and exercise. It's time to lose weight. Keep it up," Logan Hunter said.

The two-day camp wraps up today and already, campers and coaches are counting down until next year.

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