When the “Spartans of the Arena” take the field it’s after punishing days of practice rivaling Hell Week, making Friday Night Lights “look like a cakewalk.”
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Turning boys into men is a tricky business, especially when it comes to football. The Trona High School’s football team’s training practices illuminates the need to define what’s reasonable when it comes to coaching kids. Yes, they are bound for a stellar year, after strapping on a beast-mode mentality, but at what cost? One kid screams, “What time is it?” in a voice hoarse with constant hollering; his team replies, “Game time!” their response reminiscent of soldiers shouting back to their sergeant.
The Sandman from Diego Contreras on Vimeo.
“It’s kind of ironic how as a society we seem to be fawning all over ‘Bad Ass’ women like Rhonda Roussey while at the same time trying to make young males more ‘soft and emotional’!” I don’t feel the need to judge other guys for being “soft.” If a guy is “soft,” so what? I’ve worked with personal trainers on a bodybuilding program for years. If I notice a guy who is scrawny or fat, I don’t feel compelled to denigrate him. What guys do or don’t do with their bodies is their own business and nobody else’s. Besides, I… Read more »
You’re missing my point Bill. No, being athletic and involved in sports in itself does not make you a better person, more of a man ,or any such thing. As I said, it’s all voluntary , but my take of this video was here’s a group of young men who are ,by this intense training, are challenging THEMSELVES , pushing up against their own pre conceived limits to see ‘if there’s any more’ within, and that opportunity should not be denied them. Not even by those who feel their somehow ‘saving them from emotional damage’. I just find it Ironic… Read more »
The biggest issue I have with that video is that the coach doesn’t have a good idea of how to train for football.
They are doing way too much strength-endurance work when football favors power athletes.
If you are in high school, it’s a good time to really train and start to push past where your mind wants to quit. Your mind will always want to quit before your body wants to.
“They are doing war too much strength-endurance work when football favors power athletes.” Depends on the size of the team. My high school (about 4,800 students) has a football team of about 80 players. My friends high school (about 400 students) has a team of about 23 players. Most play ‘Iron Man’ or offense and defense so endurance is a factor. Other than that, let me say that Football is voluntary, no matter what the size of the school. These young men signed up for this, just like some adults sign up for those ‘Boot Camp’ or other extreme training… Read more »