"It doesn't matter where you're from. It matters where you're going."

Cordell Volson, a small town North Dakota man and Cincinnati Bengals left guard, is the brains and, most importantly, the heart behind the Small Towns, Big Dreams Foundation. Along with his fianceé Gracee, Volson made the foundation an official non-profit organization this spring. This is the second year the camp has been running under this foundation name. It was held on June 21st and 22nd in Harvey, ND.

This camp didn't just happen with little effort; it has been a dream in the making for 15 years. Bret Dockter, head coach for the Harvey-Wells County Hornets, has been hosting summer football camps that started out having only around 20 attendees. The camp has significantly grown with 530 kids 3rd-12th grade in attendance this year.

Coach Dockter has known the Volson family for years, and their help with the camp over the years has made it successful. "I knew Cordell and his family. I reached out to talk to Cordell and Tanner, who were playing at NDSU at the time. We worked around their schedule, and they came here and it was awesome." Besides the Volson brothers, many NDSU Bison offered to come help each summer.

Volson had talked with Coach Dockter a few years ago and asked if he'd consider changing the name of the camp. "I would be the stupidest person in the world to let this opportunity go. It's been a great transition and it means so much to me because the camp grew. It's been pretty special," Coach said.

Coach Dockter knows how important and rare it is to have this type of experience. "We've always had good people. In the last couple years through getting to know Cordell and having him bring his teammates and friends...those are the right people. They tell us every year when they walk out that they are coming back. That is such a great thing. You can see a passion when they are working with kids."

He also encourages his own Hornets to take advantage of the lessons professionals can teach them. "It's been special for my players to be around NFL guys. I tell them that you're not going to get this chance anywhere else."

Cordell Volson's experience and vision has helped shape the Small Towns, Big Dreams Foundation's summer football program. "Our mission is to provide opportunities and resources to kids in rural communities. We understand how much need there is in small communities for different extracurricular activities. We wanted to be able to provide kids the same opportunities as kids in bigger cities. Small towns are important to us."

His favorite part of hosting this camp is simply the kids. "My favorite part about camp is seeing the kids smile and run and just be happy. You never know what kids are going through at home or wherever, but when you can see a kid happy and having fun for two hours, you know that two hours of their day were great."

Among the high-caliber coaches were Bo Belquist, Madden Thorson, and Cam Miller, all small town boys and current college football players.

Bo Belquist, a New-Rockford native and UND wide receiver, came to camp on the second day and helped teach kids about wide receiver skills. He enjoyed working with kids from 3rd grade all the way up to seniors. "It's so cool to see the different skill levels that they have and to be able to coach them and to see them out here having fun. I can think back to when I was this age and coming to these camps. I have so many great memories. Props to Cordell for getting all these great guys out here. To meet NFL players and high-level college athletes at such a young age can be so inspirational for them. It's really cool to see. I'm just glad to be a part of it."

Belquist's advice to young athletes is all about how you approach the activities you're involved in. "Just have a great mindset. Don't be negative all the time, but come into things with a positive mindset."

Madden Thorson graduated from Harvey High School in 2022 and currently plays wide receiver at Minnesota State University Moorhead. Having been a successful athlete in high school and now in college, his word of encouragement to students is, "Do all the extra work. Ask questions. Hard work goes a long way. Even if you are in the off season, make sure you are running routes with your buddies, throwing the football around, and going into the weight room. Do the extra stuff that not a lot of kids like to do. That will take you a long way."

Cam Miller, the current NDSU quarterback, looks up to Volson and is thankful for the opportunity to teach kids about being a quarterback. What he loves most about camp is, "Giving back to the community and helping Cordell out. I would do anything for Cordell, and I am just blessed that he asked me to come out here and help. I was one of these kids from a small town. Just to be able to interact with these kids and share some wisdom is crucial."

When asked what his advice was to kids who want to go on to play in college or professionally, Miller's words were similar to many other coaches. "Just have fun and play each and every sport. Don't just play football. Play them all. Enjoy the time with your teammates and the rest will take care of itself."

Volson wasn't the only successful NFL player at the football camp this year. Cody Mauch, Spencer Waege, and Tanner Volson all contributed their time and knowledge.

Cody Mauch, a former NDSU left tackle and current right guard for the Tampa Buccaneers, said the best part of camp is giving back to the kids, growing the game of football, and seeing his former teammates and friends. He encourages kids to play as many sports as possible. "Play every sport you can. Not only does it make you a better player, but it is fun! You're playing games with your friends. How much better does it get?"

Spencer Waege played for six years at NDSU. He plays defensive line for the Green Bay Packers and is living the life he wanted, which he said is the best part of playing in the NFL. "I am living out my childhood dream. I've wanted to play in the NFL since I was in elementary school." Waege says the hardest part about playing professionally is all the time he travels and has to spend away from his family. His favorite part of camp is seeing the kids grow. "I remember when I would do camps like this when I was younger. I just wish I had people there who were NFL experienced or guys who were former NFL players who I could look up to."

Cordell's older brother Tanner also played at NDSU, and later went on to play for the Los Angeles Chargers and New York Giants. "I like just teaching kids the talents that I learned throughout my career and passing that knowledge on and seeing them progress and learn during two days of camp. It's a good feeling seeing them taking something home."

Cordell Volson loves being part of the Cincinnati Bengals. "My favorite part of playing for the Bengals is the culture that our head coach has established. All of our guys are good dudes. They care about winning and putting the team first. This allows you to have really great relationships with your teammates." For anyone who may be wondering, he did say that Joe Burrow is the best and takes care of his teammates.

Cordell has always looked up to his brother Tanner as his biggest source of inspiration and motivation. "It takes a village. I know that's a cliche, but it takes a lot of people to inspire you to continue to do what you do. I look up to my brother. My whole life I wanted to be better than he is because that's the way a little brother is. He is a huge inspiration of mine."

The foundation and football camp sessions could not have happened without others sacrificing their time and energy. "I'm gonna be called corny, but I want to thank my fiance Gracee. She has been a rockstar in getting our foundation started. A huge thank you to all the coaches and volunteers. I know how many summer weekends they have and to give one of them up to be here means a lot to me. A huge thank you goes to parents for bringing their kids here and letting them experience this."

Volson and Coach Dockter both know that the program is going to grow and continue for many years. "I would like to see us continue to grow. This year I brought in 10 more coaches and we had about 100 more kids. Every year we try to find something we can be better at and to give kids a true hands-on experience. We want to make sure the player-coach ratio is good," said Volson. Coach Dockter agrees. "It's a win-win for these kids, our team, and the community. I don't see it quitting any time soon."

Volson's last word of advice is applicable to all of us. "My advice isn't sports related. It's for anything in life. Don't let people tell you you can't do something. My whole life it was like 'you're from Drake, North Dakota. You're not gonna even play in college.' Don't let people tell you that stuff. If they do, use it as fuel or let it go. Know what you are capable of and show up every day and find ways to get better."