Flashes Wrap Up Camp, Turn Attention to UCF
8/24/2023 10:58:00 AM | Football
KENT- The Golden Flashes wrapped up the first pre-season camp of the Kent GRIT era, improving as a team on the field and bonding as a team off the field.
Head Coach Kenni Burns also named the captains for the 2023 season with nine players earning the honor. Eight student-athletes will sport single digits this season while offensive lineman Nolan Rumler has the honor of wearing number 54.
"One of the first things we did when we got here was establish a leadership committee with four guys from each class, that class was voted on by the team" Head Coach Kenni Burns said in Sunday's press conference. "From there we voted on the eight players that will wear our single digits this year. That vote was held by the coaches, what we saw throughout camp. These are guys that have qualities that go well beyond football and have become leaders and examples both on and off the field."
In addition to the traditional practices, the team took part in several team building activities off the field.
Camp started with dinner and a trip to the arcade up in Streetsboro and a trip to the movies. Over the course of the camp, team took a trip up to a water park, saw the Guardians defeat the Tigers 4-1 and a wing off where the team voted on the best wings from a variety of area restaurants.
The team also gave back to the area by visiting the Stark Attention Center, a 30-bed juvenile facility in Canton. The team met with the kids and spent the afternoon playing basketball, getting to know and encouraging the kids.
"We talk a lot about connectivity, we wanted to get the team to play for each other and not simply with each other," Burns added. "The only way I know how to play for each other is getting the team to know each other away from football."
Camp wrapped this week with the final practices, a mock game and a campout at Dix Stadium. The team then turns its attention to Central Florida and the start of the 2023 season. Kick-off from FBC Mortgage Stadium in Tampa is set for 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 31st. The game will air on Fox Sports 1 and the Kent State Radio Network.
