Hayes: Training Camp Memories
When I was in training camps growing up, water was not allowed more than once per practice.....
The night before training camp is like Christmas Eve for every local high school football player and coach. The anticipation for the start of training camp is one of a kind. Few coaches and players will tell you that they sleep well the night before, and for good reason. The start of a new season is refreshing. Everyone is undefeated, and every coach tells their team that this is the year they will win the championship. Team morale is at an all time high; that is until the first practice ends.
While coaches and players most likely tossed and turned the night before camp, they sleep like babies after the first day of practice. I participated in 6 training camps as a middle school and high school football player, and the memories I have still resonate.
As a seventh grader, I can remember playing quarterback for A&M Consolidated Junior High for the first time. My coach put me in to run an option play to the left, but what he failed to do was tell me that I was going to run toward our biggest kid on the team. He plastered me and gave me my first concussion, and that day I will never forget.
In ninth grade, my coach's name was Butch Gee from Norman, Oklahoma. He came up with the bright idea that we needed to run 2,000 yards after every morning practice of our two-a-days. I could barely walk the next day, and for that matter, the rest of training camp. Back then, coaches were reluctant to allow players to drink water during practice. We were allowed just one water break during practice, and the water was about 80 degrees, not to mention it was hose water. If a player requested water, we all ran because it was a sign of weakness. In today's era, my coach would have been canned for putting players in harm's way, and we were lucky that none of our players dropped dead due to lack of hydration or heat exhaustion.
In high school, I can remember my first scrimmage in training camp. Our coaching staff moved from 2 practices a day to one 5 hour long practice with 20 minute breaks in between each period. That was much better for me since I hated to have to go home and then come back later in the day.
As a sophomore at Norman High School, I played free safety against the first team offense, led by former Baltimore Raven linebacker and OU standout Tyrell Peters. Sophomores didn't usually play in scrimmages against the 1st team offense, but in our first scrimmage, the senior ahead of me on the depth chart got hurt. My coach yelled, "Hayes, get in there!" I ran out on the field with the aspirations of making a big play, but instead I was just a small part of a big play.
Tyrell Peters, who was about 6'1 220lbs caught a screen pass and took off down the sideline with blockers in front. Every player on the defense was blocked perfectly except for me at the free safety position. I can still visualize the #23 coming at me, knowing that a collision was going to happen. Like a young player would do, I decided to try to deliver a hit up high on the state of Oklahoma's premier tailback. I threw every bit of my 190lb frame at Peters, and when we collided, I thought I had knocked him out. When I hit the ground I turned to see if he was still breathing, but quickly realized that he was still running down the sideline for a 65 yard touchdown.
When I got to my feet, I heard my coach yelling, "Hayes, wrap him up, wrap him up!" I thought to myself, "Yeah, ok coach!" It was a defining experience for me as a young player though, because after practice Tyrell came up to me and said, "Nice hit tonight rookie." His acknowledgment that I had actually registered a decent hit gave me confidence moving forward.
Later in that training camp, our head coach Cotton Wade decided to do the Oklahoma Drill. With one ball carrier, one blocker, and just one defender trying to stop the runner from scoring in a five yard space, it was awesome. The entire team was huddled around as we all went after it.
It was one of the best moments of my high school career as we learned to compete. I can recall watching guys like Peters and the other seniors in this drill, and thinking to myself, we are going to be good. We eventually were as we won the 6A state championship, finishing 12-2.
As a junior and senior, our training camps were just as tough, but things changed. I enjoyed the experience much more because I had already been through it a few times. It was still tiring, but it was fun.
As your 2008 training camps get under way, I'll leave you with this. The one thing that I remember most about my training camp experience was the team camaraderie. Everyone had to tough it out, and when a guy was struggling to finish his sprints after practice, we all yelled with encouragement. We became a team in camp, and it was the first part of becoming successful during the season. We all had blisters, sore legs, and tired minds, but most of all; we had each other to lean on. And that is what training camp is all about!
My advice to the young players entering training camp for the first time is this. Ice your legs after each practice, drink lots of fluids, and go to bed early. Your body will need every bit of this by the end of the week. Good luck!
