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FOOTBALL CAMP: 'Sugar Bear' ready for Waterville return
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BY TRAVIS LAZARCZYK, Staff Writer Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel 06/25/2009

WATERVILLE -- Now in his 13th year as an instructor at the Central Maine Youth Football Clinic, Ray "Sugar Bear" Hamilton said he's starting to recognize faces year after year.

"We see a lot of repeat faces. Kids who have come back, parents too," said Hamilton, who played defensive tackle for the New England Patriots from 1973-81 and is currently the defensive line coach for the Atlanta Falcons. "We've had a couple kids who came to the camp when they were younger come back and help us out when they were older."

Hamilton and Patriots linebacker Eric Alexander are expected to coach at the camp, which begins on at 6 p.m. Friday. All three sessions will be held at the Alfond Youth Center fields on North Street. The non-contact clinic is open to boys and girls in grades 1-8. The other sessions run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and 9-11 a.m. Sunday.

The cost is $50 for all three days and includes a barbecue with Hamilton and Alexander on Saturday. One other current Patriot could also attend, Hamilton said.

As the defensive line coach for the Atlanta Falcons, Hamilton helped the team improve from 4-12 in 2007 to 11-5 and a playoff team last season. After ranking 30th in the league with just 25 sacks in 2007, the Falcons had 34 sacks in 2008, seventh best in the NFL.

"We were good in some categories, not good at others," Hamilton said. "(This season), we're going to be younger. We're going to be faster. We'll go through some growing pains, but you expect that with rookies."

The Falcons looked to improve on the defensive line in the draft. Atlanta's first-round selection was Peria Jerry, a defensive tackle from Ole Miss. The Falcons chose defensive end Lawrence Sidbury of Richmond in the fourth round and added defensive tackle Vance Walker from Georgia Tech in the seventh round.

In the short time he's had to work with the rookies, Hamilton has been impressed.

"Jerry, he's a big strong guy. He'll be a Warren Sapp-type," Hamilton said, referring to the former Tampa Bay-Oakland defensive line All-Pro. "I've seen a lot of good stuff from these guys. As much as you can see without pads."

Last season's success has brought expectations to Atlanta, for both the Falcons and their fans.

"You know how fans are, you go to the playoffs and they expect you to go every year," Hamilton said. "Last season was good. This year, we know we're better and we expect to win games."

Hamilton's coaching career began in 1985 with the Patriots and has included stops with Jacksonville, Cleveland, the New York Jets, Los Angeles Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL, as well as the University of Tennessee.

Hamilton's 54 career sacks place him fifth all-time with the Patriots.

Travis Lazarczyk -- 861-9242

tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com

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