What is "the off-season"? Does it exist in football? There of course are periods of time when players need to have completel...
What is "the off-season"? Does it exist in football?
There of course are periods of time when players need to have completely off and be able to recover, but the Off-Season in American Football should be used for Strength and Conditioning and individual player improvement in the beginning working up to more overall team improvement the closer you get to the season. American Football takes a full year commitment to be good at, it is not a sport that you can be good at and play as a hobby.
What are the main goals coaches work towards during this time?
I want my players to get stronger, faster, and improve at their individual positions, and not only become better athletes but become smarter football players as well!!
When do you start looking for imports? What things do you consider when sifting through options?
If you are looking for imports or know you are going to be you never stop. I am always checking out players if not for the current season maybe a future one.
First it depends on what the team needs and also what we can afford. Then I am going first to players that I know or may have coached before that might fill the need, then I am going to contact some of my coaching colleagues to see what players they might have, and then I start contacting some of the players from the different sites that I am interested in.
What things can an import do to increase their chances of gaining a teams interest?
Have good game film and good references.
What is the worst thing an athlete can do to hurt their chances?
Not have film and make things up or stretch the truth, or just outright lie.
Do you have any interesting off season stories?
We just had a wonderful Thanksgiving Party with my team in Denmark. We had all the Thanksgiving food you can think of, and I even made my first ever sweet potato pie for it, and of course we watched the football games.
Once you have narrowed it down, what factors go into furthering your selection process?
How well I feel he will fit in with the team, and what kind of person he seems to be.
What type of team building events do you do between seasons?
There are lots of things… Get together to watch games, the Thanksgiving party, a Christmas Party, play some games at conditioning practices, maybe go bowling as a team, go destroy a buffet together and then get asked not to come back, I am all for team building, so I am always looking for things to do with my teams.
Do you have any advice to players about how to approach their own off-season and recruiting seasons?
Get to the gym and hit the weights and work on speed development!! Never stop working to get stronger and faster!! You should also always keep watching all the game film and drill tape you can!!
Lance Kriesien
Mia Bajin
