ROSCOE, Ill. (WIFR) – Peter Konz might not be putting the pads on these days, but he’s getting the next generation of football players ready to tackle the fall. The former Atlanta Falcon and Wisconsin Badger Center brought the first year of his football camp to Cross Park in Roscoe.

“The feedback was so positive, I couldn’t imagine anything better,” Konz said following the camp. “I didn’t think there would be more than eight kids, then we had about 40 show up. I think it was a great success.”

The former Division I and NFL Center brings years of experience to the young athletes along with an intensity that helps them grow.

“I just went back on my experiences,” Konz said. “The best camps I went to are the ones where I felt the most accomplished. I try to give them a taste of what it’s like to do a Wisconsin Badger or NFL workout, and to feel that victory at the end of the day.”

As Konz enters the coaching world, he thinks back on his old offensive line coach at Wisconsin, remembering how the right coach brings out the best in an athlete.

“Bob Bostad from Wisconsin had the biggest impact on me as a player,” Konz said. “The way he ran practices, he was demanding. When you would try hard, it wasn’t going to be good enough, because he knew you have more in the tank. It really takes a team to bring out the best in all of us. That’s what we tried to do here at the camp. That’s what he did for me, he helped me realize that I got a lot more in me than when I started.”

You could see that mixture of intensity and fun on display all week at Cross Park, with all the young athletes following the guidance of someone who made it to the top of their craft.

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