Buffalo Bills wide receiver Andy Isabella, Mayfield High graduate, to host free one-day football camp July 1

MAYFIELD, Ohio — Buffalo Bills wide receiver and 2015 Mayfield High School graduate Andy Isabella is giving back to his community by hosting a free football camp July 1 at his alma mater.

Although it’s billed as a “football camp,” as these camps say, this one is a little different. This camp, aimed at boys and girls in grades 7-12, goes beyond just teaching football.

This is clear from the list of camp instructors given by Isabella.

“It’s going to be a great experience,” Isabella said. “I have great coaches. We have myself; my brother-in-law, who is an active duty Navy SEAL; one of my friends is a former student of Mayfield High School. She is a bodybuilder and she is also a soldier. She’s going to be a coach because it’s a boys and girls camp.

“And we have Coach (Ross) Bandiera (Mayfield High head football) and a coach from Mayfield (High), who will be running a (camp activities) station.

“My uncle is the police chief (Thomas Wetzel, former Richmond Heights police chief and now chief of the University Circle Police Department) and a SWAT veteran, and he will run a police station (camp activities ), so it’ll be pretty cool.

“We have John Carroll’s (training) speed and strength coach partner Tim Robertson, who trained (former New England Patriots wide receiver) Julian Edelman. He’s going to run the speed station.

“Then we have the head chef of the Buffalo Bills, who is also a black belt in Brazilian jujitsu, who will teach self-defense. And we’ll also have a friend of mine who owns a martial arts school in Mayfield that teaches stand-up fighting.

“It’s going to encompass a lot of different things,” Isabella said. “It’s going to give the kids a taste of different things that are out there, not just football.

“It’s definitely a different experience (from other football camps of this type). I think the kids are going to get a lot of value from it and come away with more confidence and maybe different ideas about what they want to pursue. Football is one thing, but it might inspire them to do other things.

“It’s for kids in grades seven through 12, but I also offer (the camp) to ambitious and younger kids. It will be a difficult camp. »

Connection on July 1st begins at 8:30 a.m. and activities begin at 9 a.m. Isabella said the day’s activities would end at 11:30 a.m.

“We have awesome sponsors,” he said. “The children will receive good products after the camp.”

A few sponsors are Truly Nutrition, which provided the camp with 200 shakes and supplements. Rock Tape, a tape used to prevent injuries, will provide a roll to each camper.

Campers won’t leave hungry, as Raising Cane’s will provide chicken for camp participants’ lunch, Romeo’s Pizza on Mayfield Road will deliver pizza, and hot dogs and burgers will be available at the camp grill.

Isabella said the camp workouts will last an hour and 45 minutes and after that, campers will have the opportunity to speak with him and his fellow instructors.

“They can pick my brain a little bit if they have questions about something they might be struggling with or need help with. I will be teaching a speed and agility station and will also be adding some football knowledge.

Isabella, 27, an offseason resident of Mayfield, was a second-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals in 2019 out of the University of Massachusetts, touted for her speed and big-play ability.

Last season was his second with Buffalo and his fifth in the NFL. He also played in two games in 2022 for the Baltimore Ravens.

The Bills begin training camp on July 23 after a 2023 season that saw the team go 11-6, finishing first in the AFC East. After a playoff victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Bills bowed out of the playoffs with a 27–24 loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

When asked what her role would be this year with the Bills, Isabella responded, “I’m playing punt returner and once I win I’ll move up to receiver.” and I will be part of the special teams. and also play a role in the offense.

Many people have dreamed of playing in the NFL, and as someone who has reached that level, Isabella said, “It’s a dream come true. Maybe when I was younger I didn’t appreciate the platform I had and what I could offer and give back.

“As I grew up, I realized it wasn’t really about me, it was about what I could give back and help the kids under me who were maybe trying to find their way. Give them a little extra encouragement to know that if they keep going and play hard, they can achieve anything they want in life.

Isabella said he was looking to make the camp an annual event.

“We hope it goes well and continues in the future and makes it bigger and bigger because, I think, once the kids get a taste of what we’re giving them, they’ll be sold and they will. I want to come back next year.

For more information, email Isabella at [email protected] or Bandiera at [email protected].