Learning from the pros: Ed Gant leads youth football camp in Naples

NAPLES, Fla. — A rainy Sunday moved the football camp indoors, but Ed Gant said the lesson stayed the same.

Gant, a Fort Myers native and former professional wide receiver, hosted his “1v1 Sunday” youth football development event at First Baptist Academy in Naples through Heart of a Lion Performance. The camp gave young football players a chance to learn from coaches with pro experience, including Immokalee’s Javarris James, who was a star running back at the University of Miami before spending time with Arizona and Indianapolis.

Gant said the camp was about more than drills.

“It’s more of a mental game than a physical game,” Gant said. “So giving them that aspect of mental toughness and the lion mentality, how to approach a certain situation, how to fight through adversity.”

That message became part of the day when rain forced the camp to move from the field to the gym. Before the players started drills, they spent time in the classroom learning about preparation.

“Football is a sport where you prep so much and play so little,” Gant said. “It’s the only sport in America where you do more preparation than playing. And the classroom is a big part of that.”

For young quarterback Peyton Novak, the goal is clear.

“I’m going to the NFL. No doubt,” Novak said.

Novak said camps like this help him keep working toward that dream.

“Going to these camps are just a huge opportunity to learn from people who have been there, done that,” Novak said.

Gant said bringing those lessons back to Southwest Florida to share his experience, is the point.

“I see myself coaching, developing, and giving me another hunger to implement what I know to see the growth of others,” Gant said.