William Campbell • Wellen Park Football

Wellen Park junior running back William Campbell, is loving being part of the Eagles’ inaugural football team and has an opportunity to help establish something that could last for years.

Campbell, a member of the Class of 2028, enters the season as one of the players looking to make an impact in Wellen Park’s young offensive program. The 5-foot-8, 170-pound running back transferred from Venice to become part of the Eagles’ first football team. Wellen Park opened its doors in August 2026 and immediately launched all of its varsity sports. 

The football program, led by head coach Sascha Hyer, has assembled a roster featuring players from several area programs, including Venice, North Port and Lemon Bay. Nearly 100 players participated in fall practice, giving the Eagles enough numbers to field both varsity and junior varsity teams. Campbell is one of the players expected to contribute to an offense that is still developing its identity. 

As a running back, Campbell brings an important element to the Eagles — the ability to help establish the ground game and give the offense balance. In a new program, that responsibility takes on even greater importance. Every carry, block and first down becomes part of the foundation being built for future Wellen Park teams.

The Eagles are competing in Class 3A and face a challenging schedule that includes programs such as DeSoto, Cardinal Mooney, Bayshore, Lemon Bay, Booker, Braden River, Southeast and East Lee County. The Eagles are not simply starting another season. They are establishing traditions, creating a team identity and laying the groundwork for a program that will have generations of players following in their footsteps.

And Campbell has a chance to be one of the players remembered as part of the beginning. "Someday I will probably think back on all the amazing things that have happened since Wellen Park opened, but right now I'm having fun just playing football."