Steeler Ian Wild will head SFAS’ 6-week defensive football skills camp

PITTSBURGH - March 17, 2015 - PRLog -- Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Ian Wild will instruct a six-week camp on defensive football skills at Strength, Fitness and Speed (SFAS) in Pleasant Hills.

    Wild is a former Baldwin High School and Mercyhurst University standout who played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League (CFL) prior to signing a futures contract with the NFL’s Steelers this year.

    SFAS founder and Director Ed Wietholder believes Wild’s presence will benefit young athletes throughout the region. The six-week camp will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday each week. The first session was on March 10 at SFAS South in Pleasant Hills.

    The 60-minute sessions will focus on defensive skills, speed and agility with an athlete-to-coach ratio of 10:1. Total cost is $279. Should five players from one team sign up, the cost per individual is $249.

    “This camp is designed to actually create habits and improve strength, footwork and speed over a six-week period,” Wietholder said. “We will be working on total body strength, upper body power and hand quickness. We’ll work on short range acceleration, balance, capping power leaks, hit swivel coming out of breaks, and toughness.”

    Wild trained under Wietholder throughout his athletic career, which took him from Pittsburgh to Canada and back home. Wild had 73 tackles for Winnipeg last season in the CFL. He was a two-sport athlete at Mercyhurst, where he played football and lacrosse.

    Wild’s initial foray in the NFL came in 2012 when he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Buffalo Bills, but he didn’t play in a game.

    “Ian Wild is a great football player in every facet of what you look for, and we are not at all surprised he garnered interest from the National Football League,” Winnipeg General Manager Kyle Walters said after Wild signed with Pittsburgh.

    Wild is listed at 6-1, 220 pounds. He turns 25 on March 13.

    “Ian will be handling all of the skills aspects and some of the strength and footwork development,” Wietholder said, noting SFAS still is accepting late sign ups.