Question of the Day? Was Training Camp Worth It?

[Reginald Rutledge]

My team is off to a 2-0 start. We are the league champions and I feel like a hunted animal with 25 other hunters wanting to mount my head on their trophy case.

I went through a vigorous training camp, teaching my players to run a certain way and specialize in doing certain things. No need to help these great athletes in making plays because we did the necessary preparation at the start of the season. But I am humbled by knowing on any given day, I can lose so I must stay ahead of the game with after hours practice time.

I wonder sometimes, did my summer training camp make us better than the opposition? Or have I been tested yet to ensure I've got the right players in place. Do I have the necessary speed rushers, the safeties that zone and once the pass is thrown, dialed up to go straight? Do I have the right receivers able to take it the distance without my help after a catch is made? Does Marion Barber run as violently as he did as last year? Have I put in the necessary work with my TTQB to be able to throw pressure passes in game ending situations. Do I have capbale backups when my starters go down with injuries?

So far, with a team averaging over 35 points/game and yielding 9 points/game, things look pretty good? But as usual, no time to rest on my laurels because the season is long. I ask the question of my self and I ask it of you for your team. Was training camp worth it? Are the players performing like you wanted or you're making personnel changes?

Reg

[Norbert Revels]

I went through a vigorous training camp, teaching my players to run a certain way and specialize in doing certain things. No need to help these great athletes in making plays because we did the necessary preparation at the start of the season. But I am humbled by knowing on any given day, I can lose so I must stay ahead of the game with after hours practice time.
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I truly beleive training camps help bigtime, and talk about after hours practice time, after my league games here in the GLEFL (Win or Lose) I come home and work out because everything is fresh in my mind that I saw I didn't like, I won my game this sunday 41-14, as soon as I got in and got settled, I started practicing for a couple hours, I really beleive that preparation is the key, put the time in and your players will do what you coach them to do.

Norbert Revels
2005 Miggle Superbowl Champion
2006 Buzzball World Champion
2006 Michigan College National Champion
2007 MWEL College National Champion

[jeff]

I based my team up during pregame
I was extremely lucky winning my first game, and will practice as much as possible this week.

[Geno H]

Practice + Preparation = Performance. I have used this same philosphy in coaching Little League Baseball, Grade School Football, R/C Racing and now in Miniature Football. Many times games are won BEFORE gameday on the practice field. Each position on my squad gets reevaluated after every practice let alone after every game. Great topic Reginald.


Geno H

[Anthony D Burgess]

I love the training camp.

Coaching
This is were it all begins. Teaching, imparting knowledge, tutoring, training, educating, insrtucting. All are eliments of coaching. To put the players in the right position to make plays.

Practice, Preparation, Poise, Read, Recognize, React all are parts of playing the game. Intelligence of the player comes through the three P's and the three R's. All done through you. Testing you're knowledge of positions, and coaching. Adapt and improvise are a part of football without it you're just mindless drone with no heart beat, no soul .

They say that the team is a reflection of it's coach, so knowing that my players will be in the right position and have the chance to make a play. Sure they are program to run the way I want them to, but without the intelligence to guide them it means nothing.

Program: As the ability to do a few thing only. Unable to adjust to the changing environment and to anticipate your adversary next move and to counter it is an all important eliment of football that a program is unable to perform.

In checkers all the movements are the same until you get a king, but in chess, now you have to think because each piece is governed by it's ability to perform it's fuction, thus you must think 2-4 moves ahead. You must move them into position in order to execute your strategy and let thing develop from there.

So it is in football, and this is what I love about the game.

[artlax]

Opened my first season in the NYEFL this past Saturday. Won my opener against another "rookie" 21-10 and then dropped the second game to a seasoned vet 21-0. Happy with some aspects of our play - but we definitely need more work with guys in other areas. Training camp certainly helped us be prepared for many situations and I like the idea of working out right after a game - but was a bit tired after the long day and the 2 hour return trip.

[mantaraydre]

REG,


Traing camp involves alot, you can be driving in your car thinking how your receiivers run. A smile comes to your face when you see a back that turns the corner. For me camp is different, it involves alot of mental before actually hitting the field. When you work alot, you fing ways during the day to incorporate game plans etc. If your familiar with the NEW YORK CITY subway's, that's when im drawing plays in this little book i have. I often see people looking at me wondering what in the heck is doing. I color code the players with the multi sharpie pen sets i have. Its easier to read the directions of each player(routes). Somewhat like a road map (te's green, wr's red, rb's aqua. etc etc)

Playing electric football takes alot of time and you must be willing to make the sacrafice. just like an NFL coach. As i mentioned before i take my ttqb to work and pratice passing during lunch and sneak some more in when no one is looking. I guess i have a traveling training camp !

A SHIFT IN POWER IS FORTH COMING TO THE LONE STAR STATE
HERE COME THE TEXANS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MANTARAY- DRE

[mozeek]

Although training camp is an essential process...for me the most beneficial thing has been preseason games.... I learned during my little run at the Columbus Day Bash was that my "Special Teams" Stink and that i really need to work on this aspect ......because it almost cost me severely in one game......but the more board time against competitive opponents is the biggest "asset" of training camp and preseason games.......

But yes Training camps are definitely worth it.......

[O-schemer]

I have learned that training camp never stops. Last year was my first year in the league, and both my college and pro teams stunk it up.

This year I put in a lot more work, and we are still losing, but at least we're scoring points. All of my losses this year have been in overtime, so I feel like we are getting better. I practice every Friday night before my games on Saturday, and also on Saturday night and a little on Sunday after our games.

I'm scoring as much as 21 points per game, which is very good in our league, but my defense has taken a hit. Now I have to figure out my defense again, and we should be over the hump. Like I said, for me, training camp never stops.

P.S. Reggie's figures are a big part of my team getting better. Thanks Reg.

[joel_p1]

Training camp is a never ending season here because I still have so much to learn and get better at doing the simpliest tasks .
I tweak bases every day at some time or another to try to find a better base than one I already have for that one special player . No ones position is safe on my roster because there is always another figure or another base to take that ones place hopefully , maybe not today but very possibly tomorrow. I never get too satisfied with my roster because I know there is still lots of work to do.
I get more confident here practicing solitaire each day but its not the same as playing against a team and coach that makes you think and challenges you. Shows you your weakness and what you need to work on.
That helps me more than on my own to see where my squad and me as a coach need to be . So yes training is very important and pays off in this as with any thing in life , you cant get better if you dont put in the time and effort .