The annual camp hosted by Lindenwood men's rugby attracted a total of 40 boys and girls July 16-19 to work on their skills in the sport and tactical awareness.  Most opted to stay in the residence halls on campus to experience a taste of college life. 
 
The action started right away on Monday with San Diego Legion fly-half and former Lindenwood Lion Tadgh Leader, teaching the players ball-handling and field awareness. The campers progressed to learn evasion skills, set-pieces, breakdowns, and defense from all of the Lindenwood staff. Highlights included an intense defense day with USA Eagles Head Analyst Jimmy Harrison and a hotly-contested game of Samurai versus Ninjas with Lindenwood Head Coach Josh Macy.
 
Former Lion captain Jack Huckstepp commented on the camp
 
"It was a great experience for all of the players and coaches involved," he said.  "Each day centered on teaching different aspects of the game and it was fantastic to watch them improve over the course of the week."
 
In between training sessions, campers were able to eat in the cafeteria, have and official campus visit, and see the inside scoop on a rugby tour from Coach Macy. Recent graduates Jack Huckstepp, Chris Schoeman, and Corey Harmann showed the campers what it takes to be a Lion.
 
One camper remarked, "Being with all of the different coaches created a great atmosphere where I felt like if I had any question there was someone there with the right knowledge."
 
Another camper added, "Great time, great coaches, great improvement on my part!"
 
The final day on Thursday included two sets of games: one of sevens and one of 15's. Even though there were all types of players involved, everyone had a try at sevens. All three teams won at least one game and there was some great interplay between the rapidly gelling squads.
 
Coach Schoeman was thrilled to be helping.
 
It was great to be able to pass on knowledge to a bunch of kids who were hungry and enthusiastic to learn more," he said.
 
During the 15's session, the campers were split into two teams and they played three periods and showcased the skills they had learned.  Coach Harrison noted the especially impressive defensive play of the group. 
 
The score was tied after the third period and the players opted to play a "golden try" last session, but the campers were running out of gas and the final try was scored within just two minutes. 
 
Coach Leader was impressed.
 
"It was a pleasant surprise to see the talent on offer in the Midwest," he said.  "It was great to see these kids match up and exceed expectations in every facet of the game."
 
As the camp concluded, there were smiling faces all around as the players bid farewell to the coaches.  There were several inquiries about attending Lindenwood in the future, so it's likely that the camp will lead to a few future Lions.