Soccer Preseason Diary: Day 3
8/16/2006 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
The University of Alabama soccer team is gearing up for the 2006 season with preseason training camp this week in Orange Beach, Alabama. Throughout the week, www.rolltide.com will chronicle Alabama's preseason workouts through a series of diary entries from the Alabama players leading right up to the Tide's season-opening scrimmage at the UA Soccer Stadium on Saturday, August 19 against Samford at 7 p.m.
Preseason Diary: Day 3
Sleep, sleep, sleep.
That was the beginning of Day 3 for us here at the beach. Thankfully, Coach rewarded our hard work by giving us the morning session off. Needless to say, we took full advantage. We were able to enjoy some wonderful television programming including "Saved By the Bell", "Family Matters" and "Full House" that reminded us of days gone by. Cold sandwiches, mac and cheese, and other tasty treats highlighted our lunches at our individual condos. We then loaded up our three vans and made it back to our second home to work for the rest of the day.
Upon arrival at the practice fields, Coach Staley led us through a vast variety of stretches and calisthenics, several of which we decided were his personal inventions. Among our favorites were the "Swedish Mile", standing pushups and an intense abs workout. After working a little more on our fitness, we headed inside to get out of the heat for a video session.
While we watched the NCAA Rules Changes video and several game films, Coach Staley indulged us with two big bags of hamburgers and cheeseburgers. He told us that when he ordered 15 of each in the drive-thru, the cashier's reply was "Like, seriously?" As you might expect they didn't last long.
With the radar showing rain on the way, we cut the video session short and headed back out to the field to scrimmage. We went full throttle until the bottom dropped out. Unable to work any more, we headed up for dinner, where we were greeted by Preston Pooser, the Director of Orange Beach Parks and Recreations, who in spite of the rain grilled amazing steak and chicken for us. While we watched the 1992 Alabama vs. Miami National Championship game video, we also enjoyed salted potatoes, salad, bread, and amazing corn on the cob. In a feat that will surely become legendary, an unnamed staff member, not Coach Staley, consumed 11 pieces of corn on the cob, in addition to his steak, chicken, potato, and salad dinner.
Tired and stuffed once again, it was back to the condos to dream about what Coach Staley had us in store for tomorrow's beachfront workout.
Until tomorrow,
The Alabama Soccer Team
