Tips to Prepare for Training Camp

Indianapolis Colts Linebackers Darius Leonard and Bobby Okereke

Football season is on the horizon! After most players potentially missing out on a full 2020 fall season all signs are looking promising for 2021. Everyone should be excited to play again, making big plays, and competing for championships. However, before the games and championships everyone must go through training camp. Training camp can be grueling both physically and mentally. Here are tips to properly prepare for training camp. ​

• Get your rest

Rest is key. For some players your camp will be either early in the morning, late at night, or both. It is key to make sure you are getting the rest you need at night. Getting the proper rest helps your body and mind be fueled for practice. This means no staying up all night watching tv, playing video games, or on your phone. Put the phone down and go to sleep so you can wake up charged for the next day.
   

• Take care of your body

As an athlete your body is your most important investment, make sure you are protecting your investment. Stretch, ice, rollout on a pvc, get soft-tissue massages, etc. Make sure you are getting your body %100 ready to compete everyday.
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• Set aside time to study

Training Camp is when for some players the playbook is first introduced. Make sure you are taking time to study your plays and formations each day. Do not wait until 10 minutes before practice to look at your plays for the first time. Make sure you study and know your job description first. If you already know your job then take time to study different positions to understand how the offense/defense/ST is built.
 

• Find a relaxing hobby on your off-time

Training Camp can be stressful. On your off-time sometimes it's good to take your mind off football. Find a relaxing hobby that helps you decompress. This hobby can be fun or relaxing such as reading, listening to music, hanging out with your teammates, video games (just not playing all night), or whatever you deem relaxing and non-football related. 

For those players getting ready for the season, continue to prepare yourself mentally and physically for the grind of a long season. Hopefully the loss/shortening of the fall 2020 football season has given everyone a deeper appreciation for the game of football. Enjoy every opportunity you get to take the field with your teammates and approach everyplay like it is your last. 

For High School athletes, lookout for the Perfect Performance Virtual High School Hudl Film Review. Our Coaches will offer a 30 minutes- 1 hour Virtual Zoom game film review. We will use this session to assess strengths and weaknesses of athletes and provide feedback for them to improve. Additionally, our coaches will use our knowledge of recruiting to help identify key plays for athletes to include in their highlight film to send to colleges.