Cowboys training camp location history

As training camp 2024 approaches, I had some fun doing some research of all the locations of Cowboys training camps over its six decade plus history. The Cowboys have held camp in 9 different locations in 6 different states.

Here is a list in chronological order of the Cowboys training camp locations:

• 1960: Pacific University, Forest Grove, Oregon and St. John’s Military Academy, Delafield, Wisconsin. The Cowboys inaugural season saw training camp conditions so bad they held it in two different places because the first location at Pacific University had bats, rats and toilets that didn’t always work. Cowboys were 0-11-1 in their first season.
• 1961: St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota. After a winless first season, the Cowboys hoped that finding a better camp location would help improve their record. In a new 14 game format, the Cowboys did improve to 4-9-1.
• 1962: Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Mich. The 4th camp location in three years, over 4 states. Although the facilities were nicer than previous locations, Coach Landry didn’t like the cool summer temperatures because he felt it did not prepare them for the early season heat of Texas.
• 1963-1989: Cal Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, Calif. Starting in 1963, the Cowboys began a 26 year relationship with Cal Lutheran University and Thousand Oaks, Calif as the longest training camp home in team history. This included Jerry and Jimmy Johnson’s first year.
• 1990-97: St. Edwards University, Austin, TX. Jimmy Johnson was a big fan of having his players train in the heat of Texas and the Cowboys had 8 straight training camps at St. Edward’s in Austin. Jerry liked the opportunities of reaching out to the South Texas market. TC stayed in Austin during all the 90s SB years.
• 1998- 2001: Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls, TX. One of the weirdest places ever picked to host training camp was only two hours away from Cowboys headquarters. And scene of the biggest training camp scandal, “scissorgate”. (Look it up)
• 2002-2003, 2007, 2009-11 Alamodome, San Antonio, TX. A multi-year year marketing tour chosen by Jerry during the Dave Campo and Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett coaching years. Has to be another really strange choice.
• 2004-2006- River Ridge Playing Fields, Oxnard, Calif. The last 3 seasons under Bill Parcells found the Cowboys starting a long training camp relationship with Oxnard, California at the River Ridge Playing Fields.
• 2008, 2012-19, 2021-24: River Ridge Playing Fields, Oxnard, Calif. With the exception of 2020, when there was officially no training camp, since 2012, the Cowboys have remained in Oxnard.

When you contrast the spartan 1960 training camp at Pacifica University in Oregon to the 2024 trading camp in Oxnard, Ca, the first thing that jumps out at me is how training camp is marketed now. It’s officially called “Training Camp 2024, presented by American Airlines”. Here’s a link to the team’s ad: https://www.dallascowboys.com/training-camp/

Let the Cowboys 65th training camp begin!