I had the privilege of sitting down with Cam Ward for a 30-minute, wide-ranging interview on his journey to Miami. This is part of a series called “Storm Sessions,” which will be running every Wednesday with some of the top student-athletes at Miami. I appreciate all who have supported us by tuning in. You can subscribe by clicking on the following links:
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One topic that we discussed is Cam’s multisport background and how it impacted him as a QB. Excerpts from that discussion are below:
On baseball: I played shortstop, pitcher, third base, I was in the outfield a couple of times. I played catcher a little bit, too. I liked the infield better. There's just more action in it than being in the outfield.
On what he took from baseball to the football field: That every throw can be from a different angle, but you just got to know the velocity that you have to put on it. I think that's why we can hit our screen game so well. We had a big change from Week One to now, our screen game got way better. That’s me being more accurate on the touch and velocity of the screen game on the ball.
On throwing the discus: I really only threw the discus just so I could get out of school (laughs). In seventh grade, I did 400 and stuff on the track. But that 400 is a man's race. You run that 400, that's the hardest race it is.
In high school, my sister [Chanel] threw discus. She went to state. She got a scholarship to Houston Baptist, then she transferred to San Jose State. So I joined. I was good before COVID happened my senior year. I had won first at the first track meet. Then after that, [it ended].
On how throwing the discus helped him: I would say balance. Discus is more about technique than strength. That's why some smaller kids are throwing it [far], just because they have good technique. So I would say it helped me with my balance.
On playing golf: It's kind of like baseball. I still play now sometimes, too. Me and the other quarterbacks, we went this summer. Coach Dawson, he took us out. Coach Dawson’s good. Reese is the best one in our quarterback room. Emory, he claims he's up there, but he's not up there. If I'm on, I'm on. If I'm not on that day, I'm just there for the vibe.
I started taking it serious in seventh, eighth grade. I was in junior high. I really just like hitting it and getting outside. I've never really stayed in the house [and played video games]. Like, it's cool, but I’ve got to get outside the house. That was really the main reason for me doing that.
It was fun. I feel like I play golf better now because I'm not competitive at it. I'm out there just playing. I’ve got a long way to go on my golf game, but I don't got my own clubs here. I’ve got some in the crib, but I know when I get my own clubs where I'm at, that's when I’ll really take it serious.
My golf plan is in the spring to get active, especially down here. That weather we had this spring was good. So I'm planning to get active this spring, probably around February and March.
On the best golfer on the team: Kiko [Mauigoa]. I’ve seen him at Wazzu. He’s the best on the team.
On basketball: I always wanted to be a professional athlete, no matter whether it was basketball or baseball. I grew up with basketball, because my sister [Aaliyah], that's all she played. My dad and mom played basketball. It's really just a family sport. That’s where they first started their organization, having an AAU team. So that's just always been around me.
My favorite player is Kobe. So I just wanted to play basketball. I played that all my life. I got a chance to play in the EYBL circuit my freshman year of high school. I switched to the Adidas Gauntlet after that. I got a chance to play against Cade Cunningham. He was the number one draft pick a couple years ago. He's like that. Played against R.J. Hampton.
So it really sets in the different type of athlete you’ve got to be to play basketball, especially at my height. There’s only one position somebody 6'2, 6'3 can play, as guard. You’ve got to be able to move, move. Basketball will always be my first love, though, because I feel like I was made to be a basketball player. I try to translate that to the football field a little.
I'm the best hooper on the team. I'd probably say [Anez Cooper] is number two. [Jacoolby George], he’s probably top 10, but he’s like eight, seven. I’m a walking bucket. Cooper can shoot, but if he can’t shoot that day, he ain’t making one. That’s why I say he is number two. We play King of the Court. I played Zay [Horton] and JG. They all know who won.
On how basketball helps him in football: Just moving your body different ways. Football is more about angles and a lot of stuff outside the pocket. If someone takes a bad angle, they've already lost. Speed is a big thing, but people who have track speed can't translate to football speed. It's different. So I would say it’s the way I can get my body in a certain way, then also being being able to throw from different angles. That's why I think the baseball helped me. Every sport that I played growing up led me to being a good athlete.
You can watch the full interview here (which discusses growing up, going from FCS to Wazzu to Miami, and so much more) or listen on any podcast platform:
YouTube
Apple Music
Spotify
One topic that we discussed is Cam’s multisport background and how it impacted him as a QB. Excerpts from that discussion are below:
On baseball: I played shortstop, pitcher, third base, I was in the outfield a couple of times. I played catcher a little bit, too. I liked the infield better. There's just more action in it than being in the outfield.
On what he took from baseball to the football field: That every throw can be from a different angle, but you just got to know the velocity that you have to put on it. I think that's why we can hit our screen game so well. We had a big change from Week One to now, our screen game got way better. That’s me being more accurate on the touch and velocity of the screen game on the ball.
On throwing the discus: I really only threw the discus just so I could get out of school (laughs). In seventh grade, I did 400 and stuff on the track. But that 400 is a man's race. You run that 400, that's the hardest race it is.
In high school, my sister [Chanel] threw discus. She went to state. She got a scholarship to Houston Baptist, then she transferred to San Jose State. So I joined. I was good before COVID happened my senior year. I had won first at the first track meet. Then after that, [it ended].
On how throwing the discus helped him: I would say balance. Discus is more about technique than strength. That's why some smaller kids are throwing it [far], just because they have good technique. So I would say it helped me with my balance.
On playing golf: It's kind of like baseball. I still play now sometimes, too. Me and the other quarterbacks, we went this summer. Coach Dawson, he took us out. Coach Dawson’s good. Reese is the best one in our quarterback room. Emory, he claims he's up there, but he's not up there. If I'm on, I'm on. If I'm not on that day, I'm just there for the vibe.
I started taking it serious in seventh, eighth grade. I was in junior high. I really just like hitting it and getting outside. I've never really stayed in the house [and played video games]. Like, it's cool, but I’ve got to get outside the house. That was really the main reason for me doing that.
It was fun. I feel like I play golf better now because I'm not competitive at it. I'm out there just playing. I’ve got a long way to go on my golf game, but I don't got my own clubs here. I’ve got some in the crib, but I know when I get my own clubs where I'm at, that's when I’ll really take it serious.
My golf plan is in the spring to get active, especially down here. That weather we had this spring was good. So I'm planning to get active this spring, probably around February and March.
On the best golfer on the team: Kiko [Mauigoa]. I’ve seen him at Wazzu. He’s the best on the team.
On basketball: I always wanted to be a professional athlete, no matter whether it was basketball or baseball. I grew up with basketball, because my sister [Aaliyah], that's all she played. My dad and mom played basketball. It's really just a family sport. That’s where they first started their organization, having an AAU team. So that's just always been around me.
My favorite player is Kobe. So I just wanted to play basketball. I played that all my life. I got a chance to play in the EYBL circuit my freshman year of high school. I switched to the Adidas Gauntlet after that. I got a chance to play against Cade Cunningham. He was the number one draft pick a couple years ago. He's like that. Played against R.J. Hampton.
So it really sets in the different type of athlete you’ve got to be to play basketball, especially at my height. There’s only one position somebody 6'2, 6'3 can play, as guard. You’ve got to be able to move, move. Basketball will always be my first love, though, because I feel like I was made to be a basketball player. I try to translate that to the football field a little.
I'm the best hooper on the team. I'd probably say [Anez Cooper] is number two. [Jacoolby George], he’s probably top 10, but he’s like eight, seven. I’m a walking bucket. Cooper can shoot, but if he can’t shoot that day, he ain’t making one. That’s why I say he is number two. We play King of the Court. I played Zay [Horton] and JG. They all know who won.
On how basketball helps him in football: Just moving your body different ways. Football is more about angles and a lot of stuff outside the pocket. If someone takes a bad angle, they've already lost. Speed is a big thing, but people who have track speed can't translate to football speed. It's different. So I would say it’s the way I can get my body in a certain way, then also being being able to throw from different angles. That's why I think the baseball helped me. Every sport that I played growing up led me to being a good athlete.
You can watch the full interview here (which discusses growing up, going from FCS to Wazzu to Miami, and so much more) or listen on any podcast platform:
