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MARQUETTE — Thursday was a day for younger kids during Upper Peninsula Football All-Star Game week at the Superior Dome in Marquette.

Players and coaches taking part in today’s game hosted a youth camp on Thursday evening.

Split into groups based on age and ability, campers were put through the same warm-up routine that the all-stars have performed throughout this week.

Gladstone's Hunter Potier, left, of the Black team let himself get run over by a young camper during the U.P. Football All-Star Game youth camp held on the floor of the Superior Dome on Thursday. (Journal photo by Travis Nelson)

Stations were set up around the field as players got to coach the youngsters, and those stations included punting, kicking, throwing, catching, running and tackling a large padded wheel, according to a news release about the evening’s activities.

These “player coaches” were an exciting feature for the younger campers to interact with their high school football heroes, which could be seen in the campers’ beaming smiles, the release stated. And the all-stars had a chance to work with the next generation of football players who could be just like them.

Campers could run an electronically timed 40-yard dash just like all-star did at the previous day’s Skills Challenge and NFL prospects do at their scouting combines.

Another station had a large foam pad where campers would dive to catch a ball, while other stations allowed campers to work on agility and cutting while running with a ball through a gauntlet of all-star players holding up pads.

This is all leading up to today’s 1 p.m. kickoff of the U.P. Football All-Star Game at the Northern Michigan University indoor facility. Doors open at noon.

Superior Central Zachary Frusti of the Red team, right, works with a young camper during the U.P. Football All-Star Game youth camp held on the floor of the Superior Dome on Thursday. (Journal photo by Travis Nelson)

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.

Westwood's Zach Beckman, left, and Marquette's Austin Ridl chat during the U.P. Football All-Star Game youth camp held on the floor of the Superior Dome on Thursday. Beckman will play on the Black team in today's game, while Ridl will be with the Red team. (Journal photo by Travis Nelson)