May 30, 2006

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EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - Ben Kotwica, the defensive coordinator at the United States Military Academy Preparatory School and a decorated officer who spent seven years in the Army after graduating from West Point, will be the guest speaker at Lauren's First and Goal Football Camp on Sunday, June 4.

Kotwica was a three-year starter at linebacker and captain of the winningest team in Army football history, leading the Black Knights to a 10-2 record, an appearance in the Independence Bowl and the Commander-in-Chief Trophy in 1996. Army was sixth in the nation in rushing defense that season while facing Ohio, Syracuse, Air Force and Navy, each of which finished in the top six in the country in rushing yards per game. Kotwica's teams went 4-0 against Navy in his career in which he was a member of the Dean's List as a Systems Engineer major.

Lafayette defensive coordinator John Loose, the director of Lauren's First and Goal Football Camp, served as the linebackers coach at Army for eight seasons prior to coming to Lafayette in 2000.

"Ben is the most competitive player I've coached in 20 years," Loose said. "As a speaker, he will demonstrate real leadership which he exhibited during his military career, as a player at Army and now as he's beginning his coaching career."

Following his distinguished service in the Army, Kotwica accepted an offer from head football coach Bobby Ross to become the defensive coordinator at the USMA Preparatory School in Fort Monmouth, N.J. in June 2005.

Kotwica was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Aviation Branch of the Army and was selected to fly the AH-64 Apache Longbow, the world's best attack helicopter. He was an Attack Helicopter Platoon Leader in support of the 82nd Airborne Division from 1998-2001, where he was responsible for the health and welfare of 20 soldiers. In 2000, Kotwica was deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina for eight months before returning to the states to attend the Aviation Captain Career course. He completed the course in the top 10 percent of his class.

In 2002, Kotwica returned overseas to Camp Page Korea where he served as the Military Intelligence Officer for six months. In early 2003, he was selected to serve as the Battalion Executive Officer for a unit comprised of over 300 soldiers, 24 attack helicopters and more than $400 million worth of equipment. In January 2004, Kotwica made a brief return to Fort Hood, Texas to serve as the Training Officer for the 1st Calvary Division. Two months later, he was deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II.

While in Iraq, Kotwica served as a Combat Attack Helicopter Commander and flew over 1,000 combat hours in support of five maneuver Brigades within the 1st Calvary Division. His missions included convoy security operations, VIP escorts for President Bush, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and search and destroy missions to suppress insurgent activities.

In March 2005, CPT. Kotwica returned to Fort Hood, where he decided to depart the Military with over seven years of service. His awards include the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Bronze Star.

Lauren's First and Goal Football Camp is a one-day, non-contact clinic open to students entering grades 8-12 in the fall of 2006. The registration fee is $25, with all of the proceeds from the camp directly benefiting Lauren's First and Goal Foundation. The foundation supports pediatric brain tumor research and pediatric cancer services. More than 160 college football coaches from approximately 100 schools from NCAA Divisions I, II and III have committed their time to staff the clinic.

The second annual camp in 2005 yielded nearly $75,000, after the inaugural camp raised over $20,000 to benefit pediatric cancer services. More than 1,000 high school football players have attended the camp over the last two seasons, with almost 200 college coaches volunteering their time and energy.

John Harbaugh, special teams coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles, and Army head football coach Bobby Ross were the camp's first two guest speakers.

Camp registration forms are available on Lafayette's athletics website, www.goleopards.com, and at www.laurensfirstandgoal.org. For more information, call the Lafayette football office at 610-330-5485 or 610-330-5838, or email firstandgoal@rcn.com. Registration will be accepted via fax at 610-330-5497, and payment will be accepted on the day of the camp.