Probation Camp Football Team Honored

Camp Kilpatrick, a Los Angeles County Probation Department camp for juvenile offenders, was honored by Supervisor Deane Dana and his fellow supervisors last week.

Camp Kilpatrick, located in the Malibu mountains, won the championship of the CIF-Southern Section’s Freedom League in the team’s first season of 11-man football team. The Mustangs advanced to the Division X championship game, where they lost to Montclair Prep, 13-7. Camp Kilpatrick finished 9-4-1.

Camp Kilpatrick won numerous league honors. Nineteen players were named to all-league first and second teams, one of its running backs was named the league’s top offensive player and one of its linebackers was named the best defensive player in the league. Mustang Coach Sean Porter shared honors as league coach of the year.

“What the Mustangs and their coach, Sean Porter, achieved in one short season is truly remarkable,” Dana said.

“Winning is never easy, but when you add to the Mustangs’ situation the fact that team lineups change often during the year as some court wards are released back into the community and new faces arrive, what the players and Coach Porter achieved can only be described as fantastic.

“It also provides a glimpse of an even more important success story being accomplished at Camp Kilpatrick by a dedicated staff of teachers and a rigorous homework/study hall program and tutoring provided by volunteer college students.”

Dana said that 60% of the team’s players have been named to the camp’s academic honor roll.