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Holts excited to hold first Raleigh camp

For the past 10 years, former NC State legends and brothers Terrence and Torry Holt have operated a summer football camp out of their hometown of Gibsonville, N.C.
But the time has come for the Holts to expand the event into Raleigh, and starting July 13 with workouts specifically geared for first through fourth and fifth through eighth graders, the Holts will be having their first camp in North Carolina's capital city, which also happens to be the Holts' permanent home.
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It's a move that Terrence Holt noted "just made perfect sense."
"We both had successful careers and starred at our alma mater NC State," Holt noted. "The name recognition obviously resonates, and it's just great to try to positively impact youth in the community. It's a no-brainer for us to come back this way and put on this camp."
The football camps will be held at WRAL Soccer Fields, and will be a two-day affair. On July 14, the Holts will run a camp for rising ninth through 12th graders, including a "high-intensity, pro stimulated practice style of training" in the afternoon session.
"It's a little more work working with the younger grades," Holt stated, adding that area high school and pop warner coaches as well as other former pros will help with the camp. "It's less about details than it is taking them through fun drills that can help them. It's all about fun with those particular age groups.
"What we expect from our teenagers versus what we expect our younger youth is a little bit different. The older kids already have the background of playing so we can turn it up a notch."
The camp is a continuation of the Holts giving back to the community that started when they were playing in the NFL. Every business venture the Holts have involved themselves with a portion of the proceeds have gone into the Holt Foundation. The camps will be no different.
Although walk-ups are welcomed, participants are encouraged to register through its website which includes detailed information on the camp.
Both brothers will be actively involved, with Torry, a potential NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver, helping lead the way on offense and Terrence, a former All-American and six-year NFL veteran at safety, aiding on defense. The two will draw on their vast playing experiences.
"We think we can give them a whole lot that they can carry on," Holt said. "We've been coached by all types of coaches, heard it all, been through countless drills. What we try to do is narrow down what we think have been good for our careers and make us good players, and put that in a package to give to these kids, and we can do it at all levels."
Campers will come away from the experience having gained in three areas. First is athletic training that is not exclusive to football.
"The drills dedicated to football are why we are about here, but we think we have drills that can help them in baseball, that can help them in soccer, that can help them in basketball," Holt noted. "There are a lot of footwork types of stuff, so the skills can carry over into different sports."
Of course the campers will also get valuable tutelage about football, another noted aspect of the camp. But perhaps most importantly will be the message the Holt brothers will try to instill in the young men, a theme centered around "hard work and sportsmanship."
"Being respectful of your teachers, being respectful of your parents, being respectful of your principals, being respectful and working with your guidance counselors," Holt said. "You'll have those same folks if you are fortunate to play in college.
"You'll have an academic adviser, you'll have a head coach, you'll still have your parents. If you play in the pros you'll have a position coach, you'll have a head coach, you'll have a parent, a wife, you'll still have the same responsibilities and people that rely on you and have expectations of you, those are the messages that are blended throughout our camp."
Holt is especially excited about the potential of the Raleigh camp. He has returned to the city to make it his permanent home now that his football days are over, only now instead of a wide-eyed 18-year old entering college he's a matured husband and father.
"I miss football, but it feels great to sort of be settled somewhere, and to be settled here in Raleigh is incredible," Holt said. "I'm still tied in with NC State football, look forward to get over there to practices.
"We keep season ticket holders for basketball and football, and now it seems like we're going to have to get our baseball tickets for the dynasty that it seems like we're building with [Carlos] Rodon and some of the other standouts that we have.
"Being back here is great. It's important to be settled somewhere, and I can't think of a better place."
Holt also maintains his pride in NC State. He noted that he always kept up with the Wolfpack, even when he was in the NFL. One of his former teammates in the pros was former UNC corner Dre Bly.
Bly previously held the ACC record for interceptions in a season until 2011. That's when NC State junior corner David Amerson topped Bly's 11 picks by making 13 interceptions.
"I had [Bly's] number on speed dial ready to text him when [Amerson] tied it, and when he broke it, cause we had a little running bet that he would break it or wouldn't break it," Holt recalled. "[Bly's] a good sport about it because he knows records are meant to be broke, but that is one that many thought would stand the test of time.
"That is an incredible record, and it's great that a guy from NC State has stolen that from a guy from North Carolina."
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