Patrik Abeyta, 12, of Portales runs an agility drill Thursday during the Portales High School football camp at the Portales High School practice field. The camp ran until Thursday and was for grades 2-8.

Portales head football coach Mark McAfee discusses passing with Zachary Isaacs, 10, of Portales during Thursday's Portales football camp at the Portales High School practice field.

With temperatures hovering around the 100-degree mark this week, the Portales High football staff is trying to work through the heat to see the future in the Rams’ fundamentals camp at the PHS practice field.

About 20 boys in each of two groups — second through fifth grade in the morning, sixth through eighth in the afternoon — have been taking part in the camp, second-year coach Mark McAfee said. The four-day camp ended on Thursday.

Beyond the drills, coaches are careful to try to make sure no one gets in trouble from the heat.

“After every drill, we have the kids go get some water,” McAfee said. “We try to keep them hydrated.”

McAfee, also the athletic director at PHS, said its mainly a skills camp. Each two-hour session ends with what amounts to a 7-on-7 passing drill.

“We want the kids to learn, but at the same time we want to keep it fun,” said McAfee, a longtime member of the coaching staff who is in his second stint as head coach.

“For the older kids, it kind of lets them know what we’ll expect of them at some point (in the relatively near future). We’re just kind of exposing the younger kids to it, and let them have some fun.”