Football: Super Seven retreat to have Hawaiian flavor
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Steve Clarkson is saying ‘aloha’ to Santa Barbara.
The famed quarterbacks guru has moved his Super Seven retreat from Southern California to Maui, where Oaks Christian’s Nick Montana and San Clemente’s Chase Rettig will have the opportunity to impress Thursday through Saturday.
‘We wanted to do something special, and obviously Maui’s a very special place,’ Clarkson said. ‘We wanted the kids to have an experience they might never have on their own.’
The quarterbacks will also get the chance to receive some tutoring they might otherwise never have afforded from an impressive lineup of mentors that includes Clarkson, NHL Hall of Famer Joe Montana and Arizona Cardinals quarterback and former USC Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart.
Other high school quarterbacks scheduled to attend are Andrew Manley of Wahiawa (Hawaii) Leileua, Blake Bell of Wichita (Kan.) Bishop Carroll Catholic, Phillip Sims of Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar F. Smight, Barry Brunetti of Memphis (Tenn.) University and Austin Hinder of Steamboat Springs (Colo.) High.
The campers will also find ‘The Great One’ in their midst.
NHL legend Wayne Gretzky is slated to attend with his son Trevor, an Oaks Christian junior quarterback who hopes to be among Clarkson’s top seven next year.
‘It’s a very talented bunch that’s there,’ Clarkson said.
Clarkson said Nick Montana is a spitting image of his famous father.
‘I think they share a lot of the same characteristics in terms of their on-the-field demeanor,’ Clarkson said. ‘Nick is a very cool customer who doesn’t let anything affect him.’
Clarkson described Rettig as a budding Jay Cutler, referring to the Chicago Bears quarterback.
‘He’s a big strapping kid with a quick release,’ Clarkson said of Rettig. ‘He’s got a lot of the intangibles to him and a very high ceiling.’
The players will stay at the posh Grand Wailea Resort, which is often overrun by celebrities. Of course, with Montana and Gretzky in the fold, the Super Seven camp counselors will generate plenty of double takes themselves.
--Ben Bolch