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Hello Tryouts for the Pain Train 2006!
There are a few things I'd like to communicate to you guys. This is important stuff, so do read it
all when you get the chance.
First of all, look at the names on this list. 33 guys, all deserving of one of the 15-20
A-team spots. And we are likely to
get at least a couple (if not a few) '09s who will roll with the A-team as
well. What does that mean? It means this team will be a tough team
to crack, even tougher in my opinion than last year's team. Everyone right now is on an even playing
field, and we will likely hold some kind of tryouts in the fall. For better or worse, in order to make
this team, ultimate will have to rise high on your list of priorities. The fact of the matter is that there will
be 15-20 athletic guys who will work their tails off to play with this
team. If you do not envision
yourself dedicating 10-15 hours per week to improving yourself as an
ultimate player, then you may want to reconsider trying out for this
team. We are looking for guys who
love ulitmate--guys who love playing and love to work hard on
improving. You may not be this type
of person right now in your life, and there is no shame in that. But do not expect to make this team if
you do not have the dedication. I
ask you to think hard about whether you are ready to commit yourself as
such. Yi and I are not your
baby-sitters. Know yourself and know
whether you have the love and the ethic to roll with the Pain Train.
If you do, great! Take the summer
and make it yours.
Yi and I met and talked about each one of you guys and what kinds of
things you individually need to work on.
(We will meet with each of you Sunday night in Collis to talk about
your game. Just come by for 10-15
minutes between the hours of 6:30
and 10:00) Generally, our weaknesses fall into three
main categories. First, almost all
of us need to work on your disc skills--deep throws, break throws, dumps,
etc. PLAY ULTIMATE AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE. Come to every practice,
join a summer league, toss whenever you can. (When you toss, toss with marks that
simulate game situations. Talk to me
if you'd like suggestions on throwing drills. Work on getting down and around on you
throws and releasing quickly.
Challenge yourself to throw farther than your comfort zone. If all of your throws are perfect, than
you are not challenging yourself enough.)
Mike Zargham '07 had pretty swilly throws on the team before he left
for the summer, and now he has some of the better break throws on the
team. All of you guys with the right
amount of work are capable of doing the same.
Secondly: Get in shape. Kevin "The Fist" Garrity '05
was one of the slower guys on the team before his sophomore summer. People would mark up on him when they
wanted a rest. He worked hard all
summer, coming to every practice and hitting the gym routinely and now, as
you know, is a horse. A number of us
can also certainly get in better shape.
There is no need to start running sprints and plyos, but do stay
active and try to break a hard sweat every day. What will help immensely is to get in the
gym 2-3 times a week, working all of the major muscle areas, especially the
core. Try to do 50 sit-ups and
push-ups every day. Focus and push
yourselves. Lift a little more each
week than you did the last. Wats and
I are lifting on a regular basis now.
If you'd like to join us, let me know. Treat your body well--sleep 8 hours a
night, avoid sugar and fried foods and eat lots of carbs and protein, and
practice moderation in your night life.
(Although since we are out of season, you can practice moderation in
moderation without too much damage...but don't overdue it...) I know many other tips on nutrition and
the healthy lifestyle. Ask me
sometime if you are interested.
Lastly, there is the mental game, which is an issue for some of us. On this team we will work harder than any
other team out there. But we are not
like Black Tide or Brown--We do not take ourselves that seriously. Instead, we try to create a rare blend of
diligence and light-heartedness, hard work and general goofiness. You will feel pain at times, but you
should always enjoy it. Even when
you fail--when your muscles give way or when you fall short of victory--you
should enjoy it. You will surely
often hear me say that there is honor in every failure, and I believe
strongly in the paradox that when you learn to love to fail you will
subsequently fail less often. This
team will relish the challenge of competition with humility and respect. The mental game is important. Feel free to check out the following
books over the summer for help:
1. What Reall Matters by Tony
Schwartz (just read the chapter on sports psychology)
2. Sacred Hoops by Phil Jackson
(my personal role model as a coach)
3. Zen and the Art of Motorcyle
Maintenance or Zen and the Art of Archery (solid lessons on focus and
attitude)
There are also a couple of shorter pieces that I will scan and send to
you. More ways to cultivate the mind
for both joy and success exist, but for the sake of not crossing the line
into proselytizing, I will not go into them here. I am always up for talking about it,
however, if any of you are interested.
Good luck and happy ultimating,
Seigs
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