Palmetto native and University of South Florida Bulls Head Coach Willie Taggart won a championship as a quarterback with Manatee High School in 1995. After a stellar four-year career under center at Western Kentucky University, Taggart became an assistant coach before eventually becoming the Hilltoppers’ head coach. Now, after landing what he calls “the best job in America”, Taggart said he’s living out another dream of hosting his first-ever youth football camp in his hometown.
“I was just in my office one day and thinking- why don’t we do a camp back in Palmetto? We do camps everywhere else. A lot of these kids playing football grew up just like I did. I wanted to come back here and put on a camp, and call it ‘Dreams, Goals, and Aspirations’ because that's really what helped me get to where I am now”.
Bulls Defensive Coordinator Raymond Woodie, who starred at Palmetto High School and also played at Bethune-Cookman College and in the CFL, said he hoped the camp would offer kids an experience they can take with them on and off the field.
“In life, sports, or what have you, people are looking for good character guys. Also, you have to have a long-term goal and a short-term goal and they have to be realistic as well. I would just say to keep plugging, keep fighting. The sky's the limit”.
Sarasota native and Bulls running back Marlon Mack said he wished there were camps like Taggart’s camp when he was a kid because “it showcased former local talent giving back and showing youth that you can have success right here at home”.
For more on the camp, click on the link.