David Jenkins/SEMO News Service Photo Dexter's Ben Mills (above) attempts a pass against the Perryville Pirates, while Bearcats running back Nick Hessling (below) tries to break a tackle against the Jackson Indians during Friday's action at the first-ever Southeast Missouri Coaches Association's football camp staged at Sikeston High School.

SIKESTON -- There was a general consensus out on the practice field between most of the head coaches at rainy Sikeston High School on Friday afternoon, that the first-ever Southeast Missouri Area Football Coaches Association full contact football camp was way, way overdue.

This camp is the first opportunity that local Southeast Missouri football teams could get together and scrimmage against each other. Sikeston, New Madrid County Central, Dexter, East Prairie, Jackson, Caruthersville, Chaffee and Perryville where all present in the SEMO football camps first year of existence.

"You get tired of hitting on each other and finally we can go practice against other people," Sikeston head coach Kent Gibbs said. "It's a chance for us to evaluate kids and it's a chance for the kids to evaluate themselves. They can take what they do here and learn from it and get better."

David Jenkins/SEMO News Service photo An unidentified Bearcat receiver is separated from the ball by a Jackson defender during Friday's action at the SEMO Coaches Association's first-ever full contact football camp held at Sikeston High School.

The same sentiment could be heard from both Arlen Pixley and Aaron Pixley from NMCC and Dexter.

"I think it's awesome," NMCC head coach Arlen Pixley said. "Our part of the state has been behind and we're finally getting to the point where we're catching up with everybody. There's over 320 kids here that's interested in this and involved. I'm glad that the SEMO Football Coaches Association has finally gotten our heads together and we're finally doing something positive like this."

"I think this has been a long time coming," Dexter head coach Aaron Pixley said. "It's way overdue for Southeast Missouri and I think this is just the beginning. We have eight teams here this year and this could get really huge. I'm real glad we're doing it."

The camp consisted off 16 different scrimmages between the teams that included junior varsity as well. Each team ran eight plays from the 40 yard line, four plays from the 20 yard line and four plays from the 10 yard line. Both teams ran offense and defense.

"It gets the kids nose focused on football," Arlen Pixley said about the scrimmages. "It sharpens up coaches early and it definitely sharpens up players."

The only disadvantage to the full contact camp that Gibbs could think of is running the risk of injury to a player. But, having it early in June, gives plenty of recovery time until the season starts.

"The only drawback is if you end up getting a young man hurt, obviously," said Gibbs "That's why we have it in June. If a kid does get hurt, he has a long time to recuperate and get better."

As far as the early evaluations of their respective teams, all three head coaches had an idea of their team as well.

"I think we're going to be an improved football team," Gibbs said. "I think that when it's all said and done, we got a shot to surprise some people. A lot of what we're going to be able to accomplish as a team is going to depends on what we do in the weight room and in our camps. We're just looking forward towards the rest of the Summer."

For the Bearcats, Pixley said that inexperience will be something that Dexter will have to overcome.

"We have a lot of question marks," Pixley said of his Bearcats. "Half of the varsity is experienced and the other half isn't. We're going to have kids out on varsity that have never played varsity football before. But at the same time, we've done some good things. We just want to make sure that we get physical, fly around the football on defense and try to execute some plays on offense."

Quickness is what stuck out in Arlen Pixley's mind. As well as, concentrating more on the fundamentals of his players and coaching staff.

"We're fast," Pixley said of his Eagles. "We're really fast. We're not very physical at the point of attack. I didn't like the way some teams came right at us and we didn't step up and take it on but, I like the way when teams got stretches they didn't go anywhere either."

"Fundamentally, we still have to work some technique," he added. "Your on a four-day notice before you come to this thing, so your really putting in plays. We haven't done a good job this week as a coaching staff as far as working on technique and doing those little things thats going to put us over the top."

The camp continued on Saturday where all teams were expected to return.