Trained my ass off, never really got around to working with the miscellaneous coaches that I had contact, but I did work with some guys on the track team which helped my forty time. Mind you this was only a month or two before the actual tryouts.
I went in there with NO idea of what to expect… I felt freakin lost…
We stretched and did some warmups, they were watching us closely to see our flexibility… The coaches already gave us nicknames (I was JT, because I apparently look like JT Toliver).
We then went to run our forties…I never got to break in my cleats, but I still ran a 4.56 on my second try (first time was a 4.8, and I KNOW that was wrong) I think I was overstriding even on my second run but I was quite satisfied with it, considering I only started sprinting a few weeks b4 tryouts. My mechanics felt funny, like i was trying too hard, to put 1 foot in front of the other, but I’m not complaining better than running a 5.
We jogged over to the bags, which I’ve never run around bags and shit before, thats harder than I gave it credit for… I got the gist of it on our second run (basically just stay REALLY low and lean over your toes, but don’t bend your hips). I did pretty well till the guy in front of me kicked one of the bags directly into my way and I stumbled a bit. That threw me off ever since, cause I was watching him more than focusing on just burning through the course.
I did fairly well but I obviously wasn’t the best…
Where I did excel was the cone drills, cause I actually have done those before, never with cleats though so it was interesting. But my backpedal technique is apparently horrible and I had to make adjustments, which I did and performed fairly well… my lateral speed and forward sprinting was great, as well as my carioca cause I’m definitely flexible (Hooray for OH squats and gymnastics haha). They liked that I could keep a large percentage of my speed even when I had to make the corners…
We ran some drills with the coaches and thats where I sucked… I wasn’t used to the things they were calling out. Post, curl, inside foot out…wtf. Just tell me run over there or hit so and so… anyway I have a lot to learn there. They coach was like, jeez where have you played football before didn’t they teach you anything. I informed him that I’ve never actually played organized football and he then paused and explained what he meant and I subsequently performed well, just took too much time.
I did make the spring practice team (Barely), but I told the coaches afterwards that I had a problem…
I was in SO MUCH PAIN everytime I hit top speed… They said I have a physical after spring break to find out what it is specifically and if I can practice with the team.
The pain is along my shins and my ankles… They thought it might be shin splints but I informed them that I had only been running 2-3x a week for about 4-5 weeks. (total of at the most 15 running sessions, and never over 35minutes)
I told them that I’ve had stress fractures before, but that was in high school so if anything they should be healed…someone made a joke about it being arthritis in my ankles
and I’ve yet to see the doctor but unfortunately I think that may be the cause of it.
I’m going to start taking superb care of my joints and what not, and try out next year if they don’t allow me to play.
I’m 5’9 3/4…183lbs… most of the corners and free safeties at the school are 5’10, 190… I’m not that far off from there size. The guy who’s spot I’m trying to take (basically) is 5’8, 180.
With broken in shoes and a lot more sprinting mechanics and practice with just moving in general I believe I’m as fast (if not faster) than they are and I know I’m stronger.
I believe I have a fair chance at playing on the actual TEAM not just the spring team.
But hopefully my body doesn’t betray me first :-/
If I do get to practice with the team in spring, I have 15 practices to hit enough goddamn people to make my way onto the main roster.
If I’m healthy… I’m positive I can do that.
If not… MMA and Powerlifting
