What Parents Should Ask Before Paying for a QB Camp

Learn the 5 key questions parents must ask before paying for a QB camp. Get expert advice on coach ratios, film review, and recruiting exposure from CJ Bennett.

I remember sitting in the bleachers with a dad named Steve. His son Jake was a sophomore, strong arm, good feet. Steve had just dropped $600 on a weekend quarterback camp. He was proud. Jake was excited. But three weeks later, Jake couldn't tell me what he learned. No film. No feedback. Just a t shirt and a tired arm.

Steve looked at me and said, "I don't know if I got my money's worth."

I see this all the time. Parents want the best for their kid. They hear about a camp with a big name. They sign up. And then they hope.

Hope is not a strategy. If you are going to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a quarterback camp, you need to ask the right questions first. Here are the five I would ask before I ever hand over a credit card.

What is the coach to player ratio at this QB camp?

The answer you want is 8 to 1 or lower. Anything above that and your quarterback is just a number.

I have coached at camps where the ratio was 20 to 1. One coach, twenty kids. That coach is not watching your son's footwork. He is not correcting his release. He is just yelling general instructions at a crowd.

Here is what a good ratio looks like:

One coach for every six to eight quarterbacks

Each quarterback gets at least one individual coaching moment per drill

Coaches can see and correct every rep

Ask the camp director directly. If they hesitate or give you a vague answer like "we have plenty of coaches," that is a red flag. A great camp will proudly tell you their ratio because it is a selling point.

Does the camp focus on mechanics or just 7 on 7 reps?

The best camps teach you how to throw, not just where to throw. If a camp is mostly scrimmages and 7 on 7, your quarterback is practicing mistakes without anyone fixing them.

I want my quarterbacks to spend at least half the day on individual drills. Footwork. Throwing mechanics. Ball handling. Drop backs. Reading the defense from the pocket.

Here is a simple test. Ask the camp director: "What percentage of the day is dedicated to individual technique versus team play?" A good answer is 60% technique, 40% team. A bad answer is "we do a lot of competitive drills." That means they are running a game, not a camp.

Your quarterback can get 7 on 7 reps at any practice. He goes to a camp to get better at the things he cannot learn in a game.

Will my quarterback get film review and personalized feedback?

This is the most important question you can ask. If the answer is no, do not pay.

Film does not lie. A good camp will record at least one throwing session per quarterback. Then a coach sits down with him and breaks down the tape. They point out what is working and what needs to change. They give him a plan to take home.

I have seen camps where the only feedback is a group critique at the end. "Good job, keep your elbow up." That is not feedback. That is a greeting card.

What to look for:

Individual film review session (even if it is 10 minutes)

Written or digital notes on what to work on

A follow up plan for after camp

If a camp offers film review, they care about development. If they do not, they care about your money.

Are the camp instructors actually college or pro quarterbacks?

Not all instructors are created equal. A guy who played safety in college does not know how to fix a quarterback's throwing motion. A high school coach who never played the position can teach you scheme, but he cannot teach you the feel of the ball coming out of your hand.

I am not saying every instructor has to be a former NFL starter. But they should have played quarterback at a high level. College. Professional. Even a standout high school quarterback who went on to coach at a D1 program.

Ask for the staff bios. Look for these things:

Playing experience as a quarterback

Coaching experience specifically with quarterbacks

Number of years running a QB camp

If the camp is run by a former NFL quarterback, that is great. But also ask how much time he personally spends with each kid. Some big name camps have the star show up for a photo and then leave the teaching to assistants. That is not worth the price.

What is the camp's track record with recruiting exposure?

If your goal is to get your son noticed by college coaches, you need to ask this directly. Do not assume that because a camp has a big name, college coaches are watching.

Some camps are purely developmental. They do not invite college coaches. That is fine if that is what you want. But if you are paying for exposure, you need to know who is coming.

Ask these questions:

Which college coaches have attended in the past?

How many quarterbacks from this camp have received college offers?

Is there a showcase portion where quarterbacks compete in front of coaches?

I have seen camps that promise exposure but deliver nothing but a highlight video you could have made yourself. Do not fall for it. If a camp cannot name specific coaches who attend, it is not a recruiting camp. It is a practice with a price tag.

One more thing. Do not let a camp convince you that your son needs to pay extra for a "recruiting package" or "evaluation." That is often a upsell. A good camp includes exposure in the price.

Before you hand over your credit card, check Camp Finder. It is a free tool I built to help parents like you see what is really out there. You can compare camps by ratio, coaching staff, and what they actually teach. Don't guess. Know.