CLEMSON – The annual Dabo Swinney Football Camp in Clemson Football’s athletic facility gives kids and players an opportunity to find greater footing in their skills while receiving high-level instruction from a revered coaching staff. For Sergio Carr Jr., it was more than just a camp.
Carr Jr., a rising eighth grader, attended the camp for the first time that he could, and the opportunity holds more meaning to him than meets the eye. As a lifelong fan of the Clemson Tigers and a wide receiver/safety for Walhalla Middle School’s football team, located 30 minutes from the University, to experience the camp for the first time and play in front of Swinney is invaluable.
“I like Dabo Swinney and how he is, and I like how the Clemson coaches were to me,” Carr Jr. told The Clemson Insider. “It was an awesome experience.”
After growing up in Greenville, South Carolina, Carr Jr. and his family moved to Walhalla, where he began to attend school and dive into playing football. Most of his family played football, so he tested the waters with the sport when he was eight years old. That was all it took to make him fall in love with the game, and his passion now is bigger than ever. When asked about his biggest supporter, he was quick to answer:
“My dad,” Carr Jr. said. “He has always been there for me and helped me with a lot of things.”
It is evident when speaking with his father, Sergio Carr Sr., that he holds a special passion and love for his son. Whether it be helping his son attend events, supporting his presence on social media, or assisting him in all of his football endeavours, their unique connection holds massive value.
Carr Jr.’s dream, as with many other young players, is to make it D1. Whether it be in soccer, which he also enjoys playing, or football, he wants to make it to college and stay big in sports. After that, he wishes to seek his eyes towards the NFL, where he can continue to be successful and do great things. First, though, much work has to be put in, and Carr Jr. has certainly been doing just that.
“I learned how to have a lot of effort,” Carr Jr. said of his experience at camp. “College coaches will be looking for if you have good effort or not. I also learned how to stay consistent with the things you do and to keep working and practicing at home.”
While there is a great amount of time in between reaching his dream of making it to the top, Carr Jr. has made great progress in his play and his studies. Off the field, he is currently a member of his school’s Beta Club while being an A & B student. On the field, he recently attended the Under Armour Rivals Camp and plans on continuing to work for the season ahead.
Photo courtesy of Sergio Carr Jr. on X (formerly known as Twitter)