TWIN FALLS, Idaho — For football players in south-central Idaho, Canyon Ridge High School was the place to be on Friday, as the Gridiron Dreams Football Camp took over Riverhawk Country.
A handful of current and former Boise State Broncos spent the afternoon helping local Magic Valley athletes hone their skills.
"Anytime I can get some football here at Canyon Ridge, I'll take it," said Juan Alvarado, head coach of Canyon Ridge Football.
WATCH: Boise State players help local Magic Valley athletes reach a new level
"By athletes, for athletes" is the mission of Gridiron Dreams.
For 16 years, Gridiron Dreams Football Camps have connected local Idaho football players with stars from the Boise State football program for some one-on-one training.
"This camp is exclusively coached by former and current Boise State football players. They all share a common bond and want to give back to the communities that have supported them," explained Gabe Linehan, VP of Gridiron Dreams Football Academy.
Based in Boise, the purpose of Gridiron Dreams Football Academy is to impact athletes across the state by promoting messages of on-field success and off-field commitment.
"We emphasize the details to help these kids understand where the standards lie, keeping them accountable to those standards. Our hope is that they can take these expectations back into their lives, not just in football, but in all aspects," Linehan added.
This marks the second consecutive year that Gridiron Dreams has held an event in Twin Falls. Organizers note that their experiences indicate that the values of Boise State resonate throughout Idaho.
"It's inspiring to see that as we travel outside of Boise, the Boise State culture is still strong," Linehan said.
For Coach Juan Alvarado, allowing his student-athletes to learn from some of the best players in the country is an invaluable experience that no coach would pass up.
As competition continues to rise in southern Idaho, camps like Gridiron Dreams represent a bright future for the sport.
"We have good football here in southern Idaho. Kimberly has a strong program, Twin Falls is improving, Buhl has shown great potential, and, of course, there are teams like Minico," said Alvarado.
"All of this brings more recognition, and hopefully, in the long run, it will benefit these kids."
This is the last camp of the 2025 season. To learn more about Gridiron Dreams and any upcoming events, click here.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
