Today I start my 16th training camp as head coach for women's soccer at Concordia. I've looked forward to today since our winter season ended and while I haven't been on the field, recruiting, planning preparing have all lead to to today, PRESEASON!
Preseason. It's a word that for me is exciting, getting started, looking forward to seeing how new players integrate into the group, how returning players have prepared over the summer when anything and everything is possible no matter what last season might have been like. However, this one word will likely send many university student-athletes into a state of stress and apprehension. Why might some of you that have not gone through ask? It's a time before classes start when student-athletes can solely focus on the athlete part of the designation. Long days, two practices a day (maybe more), classroom sessions, fitness testing, the worry about making the team, earning playing time, fighting for a starting position, all things that are part of preseason. Preseason is the hardest time for university athletes to get through because it is the time they are often pushed the hardest physically to determine where an athlete might be at. Without classes, the athlete can focus on the sport but they are also in a bubble that sets them apart from other students who might be arriving early for the start of a a semester. This is mostly true for incoming first year student-athletes. While many of their peers are experiencing some form of frosh week meeting new people, exploring campus, partying , first year student-athletes are thrown into a group of returning athletes and expected to fit right in. While every training camp can be different and every student-athlete might face preseason differently, there are some definite "symptoms" that every athlete faces during preseason. If you're an athlete having gone through a preseason training camp, you can relate to each of these. If you never have, just imagine it. 1. You don't know what day of the week it is It could be Friday or it could be Tuesday, you actually have no idea because it doesn't matter either way. Every day of the week is a blur when you're doing absolutely nothing other than practicing, eating, and sleeping. 2. You usually have a couple of naps each day and feel no guilt doing so. Early morning training, lifting session, team meal, video session, more practice time.... and you try and fit in a power nap any chance you can. 3. Eating isn't about enjoying food but refueling for the next practice. You eat team meals, snack between sessions, double up on portions, and in many cases you might not really worry about taste or preferences, food is food and food is energy that helps you deal with the demands of practices. 4. You're feel pain in areas you might not usually. When you say you're sore you're not kidding. Muscles that you didn't even know you had have suddenly become painfully sore, and walking like a normal person just isn't an option at this point. Wobbling place to place might look stupid, but every other athlete at school is walking the same way so you don't feel as dumb. 5. You've become immune to the smell sweat, dirty equipment. Now this might apply more to men as during my time coaching female athletes, many tell me they don't sweat, they perspire but..... You've been basically all day every day so the smell of your own sweat doesn't even bother you anymore. Other people comment about how much your shoes/cleats smell, but you hardly even notice. Again though, every athlete on campus right now smells like sweat, so whatever. 6. You're really looking forward to school starting Sitting in class and doing homework sounds a lot more appealing to you right now than 2-a-days, so to say you're excited for classes to start is an understatement. Also, the number of practices and other related activities generally reduce once classes start so there's that to look forward to. You might actually also get to interact with other students who aren't athletes, which after 3 weeks of seeing teammates constantly might be a nice break. 7. You're in the best shape you will be for the while Every coach tells every athlete " whatever level of fitness you arrive at for training, it will just go downhill from there after all the practicing and training". It's true, as an athlete you have worked hard all summer preparing but after 3 weeks you feel gassed. Small injuries, soreness are realities you have to deal with throughout the season under the best of circumstances. 8. Your sport is the only thing on your mind right now Yes, you may be watching Netflix right now but what's really going through your head is the one play you messed up on during this morning's practice. Or, when you and your friends are all hanging out during your very limited free time all you talk about is your sport. You are literally living and breathing your sport right now; life outside of preseason just doesn't exist at the moment. 9. You are having the time of your life What for many is the longest, hardest, worst 3 weeks of your life is actually secretly the greatest. Being pushed to your limit both physically and mentally is more rewarding than you will ever be able to describe. Also, sharing and reminiscing on preseason with your teammates/best friends will always leave you with sore abs from laughing so hard. Even though you hate to love it, preseason is the best-worst time of any collegiate athlete's career. If you identify with the above, you have probably done through a preseason and experiencing the best and worst of what it means to be a university athlete.
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AuthorAfter many years of coaching at various levels and with different teams, I thought I would share some of my experiences and thoughts about coaching. Archives
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