Click images for desktop size: "Untitled" by Eric BowmanI've been busy and wrapped up in dreaming.
I had my first training session of the season. It was great.
I have a little statistician who follows me around and worries me with her Dell notebook. She has some nice facts. The first is that its obvious that most of the kids paid attention to me and used the summer well. There was an average improvement of .34 seconds in 40 yard times, since no one turned in a worse time and the largest single improvement was .52 seconds that speaks well of the whole team, of all their efforts.
The College RB showed up. He's only a couple years older than my kids but years ahead of them in his athletic ability. It humbled them in a good way and gave them a yardstick to measure themselves against. The effort he put forth was welcome, at least by me.
None of my kids were slacking but watching him and my puppy dust the kids in the sprints and speed drills let them know how far they have to go while showing them that it is attainable.
On Sunday they went off to a week of football camp. I couldn't join them. I got to work, you know.
We went to say good luck. I find it interesting that I got a lot of, “Coach,” and a head nod, my puppy got a lot of, “Hey Coach Puppy! Thanks for coming!” with a lot of pats on her head and the occasional unsuccessful grab at her stuffed football that she insisted on bringing along.
The night before I had to go to the HC's house to run over the drills I want run and the grading system. All I want now is speed and footwork drills and for my big wide bodies on the OL I want them to work out on Speed Bags, the boxer drills.
What happens in the trenches in a football game is a lot like the last 10 seconds of the final round in a boxing match, except that football players have a better opportunity to get their weight and hips involved in the initial punch.
It is my axiom that the player who gets his hands on his opponent first always wins. When you get an opponent having to react to your initial contact you control the line and his motion.
That surprised the HC. He surprised me when he asked me which of the kids were, “on the bubble”. meaning which ones I thought may not make the team.
I told him what I feel and that its my job to make sure that all of them make the team. If they aren't good enough or motivated enough the fault lies with me and not with them.
I thought that was understood.
That she stood there with her stuffed football in her mouth just completed the image.
Next time I'm carrying the football.
The job hunt continues.
I'm still waiting for my housemate to move.
Life is in flux, but not bad.

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