By Blessing 
Each summer, young football players in Eastern Iowa gear up for one of the season’s biggest events — the Big Cat Lineman Camp. The camp has grown into a cornerstone for youth development, and this year, it drew eight NFL athletes eager to give back, including Detroit Lions linebackers Jack Campbell and Trevor Nowaske.
For Campbell, returning to Cedar Falls — where his football journey began — made the experience even more meaningful.
“I remember in middle and elementary school watching Ike Boettger and Ross Pierschbacher,” Campbell shared. “I thought they were the coolest things ever, which they are. Growing up, I wanted to be like them. Then when I was in high school, they were off in college doing amazing things, starting games, and winning national championships.”
Both Campbell and Nowaske saw significant playing time with the Lions last season, partly due to a long list of injuries that sidelined over 20 of their teammates. That experience gave Nowaske a deeper message to pass along to the next generation.
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“The best thing that could’ve happened to me was getting my feet to the fire,” he explained.
“You kind of don’t know what to expect, and you get thrown into this bigger role. The biggest advice I gave to them today was to be consistent. You never know when your name is going to be called in all aspects of life.”
Adding another layer to the local connection, Campbell’s younger brother Drew — now a defensive lineman at Iowa — served as one of the camp’s counselors. Like many of the kids attending now, he once stood in their shoes.
“It’s pretty crazy,” Drew said. “You don’t know until you graduate and come back that it’s kind of cool what everyone does for the community and the kids that are coming up. It’s definitely a cool experience.”
Open to students from 5th through 12th grade, the Big Cat Camp continues to inspire and shape young athletes — with help from those who once walked the same path.