Come see the Carolina Panthers practice for the 2010 football season in person at Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC! The Panthers start their 16th training camp at Wofford College on July 28 and all practices are free and open to the public beginning with the first one on July 29,2010. I want to give you all the details you will need to plan a visit to the camp this year including access to the training schedule, directions to Wofford College and parking information and tips to know before arriving at the camp to make your day the most enjoyable and comfortable it can be.
The Carolina Panther training camp is well known for its friendliness to fans and has been ranked among the Top 5 in the league for just that reason by Peter King of Sports Illustrated. Wofford College is noted as one of the best training facilities in the NFL. The players are hosted at the Richardson Physical Activities Building which is 60,000 square- foot in size.
Now to answer your questions!
What are the dates and times of practices? – Practices begin on July 29 and continue through Aug 18, 2010. To access a full schedule of training camp dates and timesclick here. There will generally be 2 practices per day, but be aware that coaches can make changes to dates and lengths at their discretion with no notice. Practices generally last for 90 minutes.
How do I get to the training camp at Wofford College, SC? – For directions to the camp from I-85 N and I-85 S can be found at Carolina Panthers | Directions to Training Camp or Directions to Campus – Visitors – Wofford College. The address of Wofford College is 429 North Church Street, Spartanburg, SC 29303 in case you want to store it in your GPS and let it lead you to camp. A map of the Wofford campus is also at the directions to campus link above.
Will my kids enjoy the camp? In a word, YES! Kids will have fun at the camp because there are several opportunities for them. There is a program Panther Pals that allows children between 6 and 13 the opportunity to watch part of the practice at field level! They can watch their favorite players up close and then meet the players afterward. There will be a tent set up outside the entrance to the practice fields where you can register your child to be a Panther Pal. Five names will be randomly chosen 30 before the end of each practice. The five children selected will be given a Panther Pal T-shirt and escorted to a special area at field level to watch the remainder of practice. Then they meet the players!
There will be food and drink vendors on site at each practice to keep the kids (and you) hydrated and satisfied!
Monday night at the movies! – Monday nights are great for bringing your kids to training camp because after practice, the whole family can stay and enjoy a movie (under the stars) on the big screen and purchase popcorn, candy and drinks to enjoy while watching it! On Monday, Aug. 2 the movie will be “Radio,” and on Monday, Aug. 9 the movie will be “The Blind Side.” I’ve seen both and they are great movies!
T-Shirt Tuesdays! Kids will love Tuesdays for their chance to grab a free T-shirt. At the end of practice, players will toss T-shirts to the crowd along the autograph zone. So make your way there towards the end of practice on Tuesdays to try to grab a free T-shirt!
There are other opportunities and events listed on the schedule link here.
What do I need to take with me to training camp? – The following items will make your visit to training camp more enjoyable.
An umbrella (to block sun or rain)
Bottled water to stay hydrated
A lawn chair or blanket to sit on
Binoculars to get a closer view of your favorite players
Camera to capture memories at the camp
Attitude for fun!
Patience
A roster of the team with their numbers – print yours here!
Wear light colored clothing to stay cooler
Wear comfortable shoes
Arrive early to get better parking
Contact the Visit Spartanburg SC | Visitors and Convention Bureau (Official Site) for information on restaurants, first-class accommodations, and other events and information if you’re planning an overnight visit to Spartanburg, SC. There is a lot of helpful information on this site.
I will be updating this article as I find out more information you need to know, so save it to your favorites and check back for additional information!
Sources: embedded within article
