One of the things Chris Metzger feels is unique about the Little Patriots Speed and Agility Clinics that begin Feb.11 at Pinecrest High School is its applicability to all sports. And the head football coach at Pinecrest feels he has a staff of instructors ideally suited to providing the training.

Registrations are still being accepted for the program sponsored by Sandhills Optimist Club that is open to boys and girls enrolled in the first through eighth grades. The Monday through Thursday, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. sessions, run through Feb. 28. They will be held at the Pinecrest High School stadium.

The cost is $100 per person for all 12 sessions or $10 per session.

Metzger, the head coach of USA Football’s Under-18 National Team, traveled to Austin, Texas, on Friday to prepare for Wednesday’s game against Team Canada as a part of the organization’s Annual International Bowl festivities. He’ll be back in time to join the other instructors that include Pinecrest defensive line coach Antwon Murchison. A three-sport athlete at Pinecrest, he played college football for three years at Clemson and one at Mars Hill.

Others are Ben Hammer, the Patriot offensive line coach and a college player at Illinois Wesleyan, and Mike Vogt, a returnee to the coaching staff after a head coaching stint in Florida. He was a quarterback at McKendree University in Illinois in his playing days.

“We’ve got a great group of men that just want to invest in the kids,” Metzger says.

Metzger thinks the camp is especially applicable for the many multiple sports athletes in the area that can benefit from improvement in their speed and agility.

“This is specific to every sport,” he stresses. “We’re going to talk speed, how to run, how to change directions and utilize what a lot of people call high-tech equipment to benefit the kids.

“The heart of it is we can all run physiologically at a certain speed. But to get faster, you have to break it down from the standpoint of the start, techniques and drills. It’s not just straight-ahead. It’s being explosive.”

The different phases of instruction also include: eating habits, study habits, form running, stretching and overall fitness for life. All drills and sessions will be conducted in groups based on age.

The clinic staff will strive to help athletes improve not only as athletes, but more importantly as people.

“Each of the one-hour sessions is going to be packed with multiple drills and activities to benefit the kids,” Metzger says.

Camp attire is T-shirts, athletic socks and running shoes. Campers should bring plenty of water. Parents of participants are to drop their child off at the stadium, or in the case of inclement weather, at the gym.

Checks are to be made payable to: Pinecrest Football Ironman Patriot Club. No child will be excluded because of financial hardship.

For more information, call Metzger at (239) 248-0808.