Johnston players participate in R.I. Football Academy

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The Rhode Island Football Academy’s 13th Annual Summer Camp read like a “Who’s Who in Johnston sports.”

Nearly two dozen members of the Johnston Youth Football League’s 2014 unbeaten and untied New England Regional Champion Panthers suited up at the week-long day-camp held at CCRI’s Athletic Complex in Warwick.

Even the Panthers’ popular coaches – one-time JHS standout Brian Iafrate and “Mr. Johnston” – a.k.a. Gary Salzillo – were among the many name schoolboy and collegiate coaches who participated in the well-organized camp.

Then there was one of JHS’ all-time football greats – Tom Centore – who was an All-Stater in his days on Cherry Hill and later played at URI. Centore has a huge role in the camp; he shares many of the director’s duties with founder-owner Paul Sylvia.

Then there was Rene Moyen, a former player at Coventry High, who along with his wife owns and operates Next Level Fitness in Johnston. Moyen provided valuable lessons to many of the camp’s 200 attendees, as he is currently the offensive coordinator at Bridgewater State in Massachusetts.

Even Joe Gelsomino, whose family lives in Johnston and who coaches football at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut, was among what Salzillo called “the terrific teachers” at the camp.

“Our kids – as well as all the other campers – really benefited from this week of great instruction,” Salzillo offered. “The RIFA is without question the best camp of its kind in the state.”

The RIFA, Salzillo and other visiting coaches – and scores of parents – will tell you they are “a lot more intensive than other camps. They really live up to the motto: we want to help the players learn football the right way.”

Salzillo, who went from station-to-station during last week’s camp in addition to running the daily operations at Northeast Auto body on Hartford Avenue, went on: “They teach football; they teach running backs how to run with their heads up; they teach kids how to tackle properly and preventing head and neck injuries; it’s a hands-on football camp.”

Each camper must be dressed in shoulder pads and helmets while other camps don’t require those items. In all, the RIFA featured seven stations – four for offense and three on defense – last week.

The offense deals with the quarterback, running backs, receivers and offensive line. Defensive techniques are taught for linebackers, secondary and the defensive line.

“Our camp philosophy is to teach football the right way,” Sylvia, a.k.a. Coach Paul – who founded the RIFA – began. “We strive to deliver proper football instruction to campers of all playing levels, our training sessions are fun and up tempo.”

Sylvia, who explained that the RIFA has a youth level for players like the Panthers are, ages 5-13 and a High School Division.

No matter what level, the daily training schedule allows the camper to get a realistic feel of practicing at an advanced level in hopes, Sylvia emphasized, “that each and every camper can reach his potential as a football player.”

Salzillo later added: “What I really like about the RIFA is that all the coaches work well with each and every player. There’s no yelling … screaming … the coaches coach and show the kids the proper stances, techniques, etc. I’d say this has to be the best camp of its kind in the state.”

Few people, if any, would dispute the theory. Especially at the conclusion of last week’s camp, when Sylvia, Centore – as well as all visiting coaches – served upwards of some 70 pizzas and soda to the tired yet smiling youth football upstarts.

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