Training Camp Highs and Lows
Written by Antonio Smith, Wednesday July 29 2009
Right now, I am putting the finishing touches on getting in shape for training camp. Because camp starts this weekend, I am trying to spend as much time as I can with my family right now, because once training camp starts, I won’t get to see them much, if at all, for five weeks.
Training camp can get to be a pain after a while because it is so long. Banging heads with your teammates for five long weeks before the season starts without seeing your family on a regular basis can get to you after a while. Five weeks is a long time to be away from your family, but it is part of the business and I understand it has to be done in order to get the team ready for the season.
I do keep in shape during the offseason and I do the best that I can to be prepared for training camp. But once training camp actually starts, the vigorous workouts designed specifically for the game gets your body into true football shape pretty fast. Two-a-days in the heat along with multiple exercises will do that to you. Sometimes it just seems to get a bit unnecessary after a while. Two-a-days are not much fun either, but in the end, it is all worth it for the opportunity to play football on this level for a living.
The best part of training camp that I enjoy the most is creating new relationships with my teammates, making new friends, and bonding together as both a team and as people.
I look forward to learning a new defensive scheme with the Texans and everyone jelling together as a unit. I am looking very forward to the season, and I want to get in there with my boys and learn with them as well as them learning from me.
My favorite part of training camp is the hazing of the rookies, I really enjoy that. Nothing too severe or anything that would hurt anyone, just the basic stuff like making them get up on a table after dinner and sing a song. And I don’t mean singing their school fight song either. I like to make them sing a popular song of their choice.
I remember when I was a rookie, I had to sing a song, and I also had to carry four or five veteran’s pads back to the locker room after every practice. And trust me, I remember it, it is not as easy as you think after a day of practice to carry all of that stuff back to the locker room. I also got stuck with the bill a few times when a bunch of the veteran players and me were at a restaurant having dinner.
You do all of that stuff as a rookie, and you look forward to doing it to new rookies every year at camp. No harm, just all in good fun.
Well, the time is almost here, I report to training camp this Friday and we will hit the field on Saturday. It should be fun…for a while anyway. I just want the season to start.
Antonio Smith is a defensive end for the Houston Texans. His blog for www.playerpress.com runs at www.antoniosmith94.com. Follow him on Twitter as antoniosmith94.
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3 comments
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Thanks for the update Antonio! We are so looking forward to your contributions to a very promising defensive unit. Have a great camp and remember to take it easy on our QB.
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Hey Antonio... Longtime Texan season ticket holder here.....I saw your ride on youtube ....nice ride.... I got a 2008 mustang gt dark blue myself....looking forward to seeing you and Mario do that bookend thing to opposing qbs.....I am so glad you joined this team....you are one of the missing pieces this team needed....good luck....
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Nice entry. I'm looking forward to seeing great things from you and the rest of the d-line this year.