The change in practice atmosphere in training camp from last year was immediately noticeable. With players flying around, people chirpin’ and players making plays, it has been a great 20 days of practice.
Almost all football players dread two-a-days but the point of a camp is to turn a group of athletes into a football team. Since our camp was so physically hard, we saw quite a few players develop a “camp body.” It basically means you’re hurting all over. Some people play through their issues while others can’t. Such is the reality of camp.
For the rookies coming in, it was a brutal endeavour. They faced 23 days till the first day off. Understandably then, many fell. A few shined though, the ones that put earnest effort into their off-season training. For me at least, I feel a strong off-season is absolutely required to have a great season and it also makes training camp that much easier.
Between that and knowing how long a CFL season really is. you’re able to pace yourself just fast enough to look good and just slow enough to not get super sore. I give these tips to you for free!
You’ll hear players cheering for their team louder than you’ve ever heard before. With a changing of the guard in our team’s leadership, we’ve had players like Juwan Simpson and Joe Lobendahn on the defence and vets like Nik Lewis and Ken-Yon Rambo on offence step up.
Practice and games have a noticeably different energy. With the leadership and players this team has now, I have little doubt our opponents will be hesitant about playing the Stamps. They might see us as a young team but we’ve seen how our former teammates got us a cup. All we have to do is realize the goals of a single person are insignificant compared to holding the Grey Cup.
Entering my sixth year of CFL training camp, I believed I knew what training camp would be like. Very quickly into camp though, I was surprised how it felt to be shifted into the spot formerly occupied by two future Hall of Famers.
I went from being the silly geek Canadian running back to a starter in what had felt like an instant. I will always be a silly geek Canadian but now I seek to set myself apart at running back. I wish to be a player that helped his team to a Grey Cup, first and foremost, but I seek to do that by being the best running back I can be. The team comes first, after all.
I shared in my transition to a starting job with my fellow teammate Drew Tate, who also took the place of a future Hall of Famer. He is a born leader though and it is easy to see.
It is understandable then, why there is so much fervour in Calgary for this upcoming season. With the new jerseys and a brand new backfield, we will both look and play radically different. Different in a good way, I assure you.
Jon Cornish, #9
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