CASPER, Wyo. — Some of the best high school quarterbacks in the state were at Natrona County High School on Saturday morning, learning what it takes to succeed at the next level from someone who knows firsthand: University of Wyoming starting quarterback Andrew Peasley.
Peasley led a quarterbacks clinic sponsored by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming in conjunction with the University of Wyoming. Twelve athletes chosen by the coaches throughout the region took part. Among them were Natrona County Mustangs Cooper Gardner, Beau Russell, Luke Russell and Ben Maggi, and Kelly Walsh High School Trojans Carter Alvar, Quinn Alvar and Xzavier Harris.
“We met with the university and came up with this idea,” Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming CEO Ashley Bright said. “This is a great experience for these young men, the future leaders in our communities. They’re learning drills that they can do on their own, and getting a peek at some of the work that goes into being a collegiate athlete, because [Peasley] is structuring this like a real UW workout.”
Before getting started, Peasley spoke to the group about the leadership necessary to quarterback a team. The key, he said, is to not be afraid of failure.
“A true leader is someone who can fail over and over without giving up. And when they achieve what they’ve been working for, that’s their pride and joy,” he said.
The Wyoming Cowboy then led the high school athletes through a number of strength and conditioning exercises, followed by quarterback-specific drills, lessons on passing mechanics and more.
Bright said he hopes to turn the clinic into an annual event. He added that in the future, the Boys and Girls Club may look to expand the scope of the clinic, possibly even opening it up to other positions.
“I’m just so excited to see this continue in the years to come,” Bright said with a smile.
