Camp Exposure, powered by Vista Bank, held its NFL-style combine training camp for 100 underserved high school athletes at Highland Park’s Highlander Stadium on July 8th – 10th, with personal and professional development sessions held at the Embassy Suites of Dallas Park Central. Athletes hailed from all over the DFW Metroplex representing Carter High School, South Oak Cliff High School, DeSoto High School, Mesquite, Frisco, Skyline, Duncanville, Lancaster, Cedar Hill, Rockwall and more. Athletes were primarily recruited by Camp Exposure Founders Lubbock Smith, Tyler Patmon and Jeremiah Hatch by invitation only in order to participate in the 3-day experience.
Players received not only on-the-field training by some of the best in the NFL (Josh Hicks – Ezekiel Elliott’s trainer and Chris Harris, Jr.), but also off-the-field instruction spanning mental health awareness by global speaker and former NFL pro Jay Barnett, financial literacy by Vista Bank, personal branding advice, entrepreneurship, and insights on the Business of the Game by former NFL athletes and professionals.
The camp culminated on Day 3 (July 10th) with a high-energy 7-on-7 tournament, with the winning team vying for the Camp Exposure championship belt and bragging rights until next year’s event.
“I am so grateful to have been invited to Camp Exposure,” said high school athlete Patrick Donaldson. “So much valuable knowledge was passed on to me from both speakers and coaches. I feel that I have grown so much as a person and as a football player in these three days. I am beyond blessed to have received this incredible opportunity.”
“At Vista Bank we have always sought to reinvest in the communities we are privileged to serve — both with our time and resources,” said John Steinmetz, CEO of Vista Bank. “Camp Exposure is one such partnership that shows the measurable impact of financial literacy, regardless of age. I couldn’t be more proud of Lubbock Smith, our Director of Community Development, and his commitment to inspire and educate those around him through financial literacy. Lubbock exemplifies what it means to be a servant leader.”
