Willie Thrower QB Camp gives young players a chance to hone skills, honor a local legend

By: Josh Rizzo
Saturday, May 10, 2025 | 4:13 PM

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Jaden Wall has the same routine every Saturday morning. He heads down to Valley High School to lift weights to get ready for football season.

When Wall saw the Willie Thrower Award Foundation Quarterback Camp was going on Saturday morning, he took the opportunity to do a different type of workout. Wall, who has spent a majority of his career in the trenches, stepped in and caught some passes.

“I’m trying to go out for tight end this year,” Wall said. “I thought it’d be a good opportunity to get work in.”

More than 50 quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs attended the camp.

The camp was first held in 2022 to honor Thrower, who has a statue outside of the school’s football stadium. Thrower led New Kensington High School to WPIAL championships in 1946 and 1947.

Thrower went on to become the first Black quarterback in Big Ten history while playing at Michigan State. Thrower was on the 1952 Spartans squad that finished 9-0 and was voted national champion by the Associated Press and Coaches’ polls.

Thrower played in one game with the Chicago Bears, making him the first Black quarterback to take a snap in the modern NFL.

Wall said he has learned a lot about Thrower.

“Coach (Mark) Adams talked about it when he came here, and I’ve learned a lot about him since,” Wall said.

Thrower’s history was a big reason Cal (Pa.) offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Chad Salisbury said he wanted to be an instructor at the camp. Former Valley and Greensburg Central Catholic coach Muzzy Colosimo had talked to Salisbury about attending the event.

Salisbury played quarterback collegiately at New Mexico State and Buffalo. He passed for 7,277 yards during his career. Salisbury spent seven years bouncing around the Arena Football League, passing for 12,109 yards and 217 touchdowns.

Salisbury’s best professional season came when he threw for 3,239 yards and 58 touchdowns playing with the Grand Rapids Rampage in 2006.

“I’ve worked a lot of different camps throughout my career, but coach Colosimo reached out to me about this a couple of months ago, and I did some research on Mr. Thrower,” Salisbury said. “I was so impressed and thought what an opportunity for me to help some kids and honor a guy like that. To break barriers as a quarterback and being a Korean War veteran and a long-time business owner, hopefully, we honored him with some good work today.”

Riverview quarterback Connor Kmetz came to the camp at the advice of Raiders coach Trevor George, who was there as a volunteer coach.

Kmetz missed three games last season and is eager to try and play a full season as a junior.

“I believe it’s all about effort,” Kmetz said. “I’m lifting three days a week and going down to the field at least three time’s a week now that the weather’s better. I’m working on footwork specifically. My dad records videos for me, so I get to see how my arm path looks. I think it all starts on the feet.”