Time Getting Short!

Well it is less than 100 days until we will be in Athens, Greece for our great adventure.  We started in the fall of 2009 to prepare for the Canadian games had a month off, was invited to join Team Canada and have been training ever since.  It will be nice to finally get to Greece, enjoy the games and get back home here in good old P.E.I.  I am going to put my feet up, relax and enjoy myself with other projects that have been on the back burner.
Today I want to send a big thank-you to Tera who is teaching our athelets mental prepardness.  She meets with the boys occasionally either in a small group or one at a time to teach them how to prepare themselves mentally for the game.  Some need it more than others and you can see a change in their attitude since she join our training sessions.  Thanks again Tara, you can be sure that your hard work will make a big difference in our performance in Athens.
Well as I said before we are getting close to going to Athens.  Richard addressed the team at our last practice and stated our time is getting short so we will be in game mode from now on as the last push for the Games.  They are all starting to get quite exited about the Games so they all seem ready to put in the extra effort we will require from them.  We also gave them this Thursday off with no practice as a break for them before we pick up the intensity of our practices.  I don't know about the rest of the coaches but I am looking forward to the extra time off.  the practices are held inCharlottetown And three players and I live in Summerside.  It is a trip of 125 KM return and between last year and this year I will be making over 100 return trips to train.  
We have one more coach helping us get the team ready so I will mention him in my next column.

Things going great.

We had  two practices since my last post and both went very good, the boys are coming nicely and will be in terrific shape when we arrive in Athens for the games.  Most of the credit for their workouts goes to both Judy and Krista.  Judy in one of our regular coaches while Krista works out of our provincial office.  She is a qualified fitness instructor and has been a terrific help to us this winter.  She can be proud of what she has accomplished with the players this year.  I will do a little write-up on our mental preparedness next column.
Tomorrow we go to Stratford to work-out in the indoor soccer complex and another session of mental training.
Till next time.
Lew.

Training Camp

On Sunday Feb 27 we held our second training camp for the softball team that's going to Athens in June/July 2011 for the SO worlds Olympics.  our original training camp was held in October where we tested the athletes for their physical condition.  The purpose of the most recent tests were to see if they have made any progress on their fitness over the winter.
Boy did they ever, if they were a little down in one test they more than made it up in another.  There were personal bests in most tests by the athletes.  The results will be sent on to Toronto to Team Canada HQ for their info.  I can't see them not being happy with them.  Makes you feel good as a coach to see the results of your winters work come out so successful, most of the praise goes to the players for their hard work but it feels like you are doing something right.
After the boys were through with their hard days tests we all went to the Delta Prince Edward for  supper.  This was a reward for them for all the work they have done over the winter, we had a buffet of Greek food to get them in the mood, personally I think if that is what we have to look forward to for 18 days than I believe there is a good chance I will lose some weight in Greece, this would not be a bad thing.
Till next time
Lew.