Thunder roaring from the skies above caused the Eastside Catholic Crusaders football team to call an audible during the first day of their fifth annual Eastside Catholic Crusaders Champions youth football camp on July 18.

Close to 100 youthful football players in attendance made a beeline for the gymnasium for the first 90 minutes of camp until the inclement weather conditions subsided. Crusaders’ head football coach Jeremy Thielbahr, who is in his sixth season as the head coach of the program, said the yearly summer camp is focused on ensuring the players in attendance come away from the three-day camp with a passion for the sport of football. The camp hosted players from kindergarten through eighth grade.

“Really the main thing is they leave here wanting to continue to play football wherever they are at. We love meeting all of these kids and getting them excited about the game of football,” Thielbahr said. “We want them to enjoy the game and enjoy what this game can do for them. We just have a great time coaching these kids.”

Thielbahr said he enjoyed seeing the current Crusaders football players offer their guidance and instruction to the players in attendance. Crusaders starting quarterback Zach Lewis was one of those players who shared his knowledge of the game during the camp.

“It is a great opportunity to give back. We take what we learn from our coaching staff and give back to the kids. For me it helps because if you can teach it, you learn the sport better,” Lewis said.

Lewis wasn’t surprised to see the large amount of players at the first day of the camp. The Crusaders have won back-to-back state Class 3A state titles and are known as one of the biggest high school football powerhouses in Washington.

“I think people are attracted to winning,” Lewis said of the large amount of camp attendees. “Our team is full of genuine people that like to give back to the community. That is the great part about it.”

Thielbahr is proud of what the football program has accomplished since he took over the program in 2011. Eastside Catholic has appeared in the Class 3A state championship game for the past four seasons in a row.

“Our program and our tradition is starting to really take root. It is great to have 100 kids out here running around wanting to play Crusader football,” he said with a smile.