DBroncos4life
06-09-2005, 04:17 PM
Thursday, June 9, 2005
Camp Ends, But the Work Continues
With a Break Coming, Wilson Advises Rookies to Study
By Andrew Mason
DenverBroncos.com
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- For rookies, now is where the real work begins.
BRONCOS TV: JACKSON MOVES TO TIGHT END | WEEK 1 TEAM CAMP WRAP-UP | RICE'S FIRST PRACTICE
When you're at team headquarters and sticking to a routine, it's easy to stay the course in preparing for training camp and absorbing a massive professional playbook.
"You need a backpack for it," second-round pick Darrent Williams said.
But when a break arrives? At that point, a rookie has to will himself to continue growing, to spend some time with one's nose buried in the dictionary-thick playbook. It's why linebacker Al Wilson has but one piece of advice for the newest Broncos as a week-long break approaches.
"Study. Study," Wilson said. "Just because after tomorrow, if you don't study your playbook, and you don't go over it again until mini-camp, you're basically going to lose everything you've learned up until this point."
Thursday's end to the six-practice team camp brings this four-week phase of organized team activities to a close; the team will take a week off and then recommence its voluntary conditioning workouts on June 20. But even after that, the rookies will spend time away from the team at the annual Rookie Symposium, and they won't have another chance to practice until mini-camp begins on July 6.
"Now they have a chance to study (the playbook) for about three or four weeks before we get together again," Head Coach Mike Shanahan said. "They have to go back and do their homework and at the same time get in shape."
Doing that was easy for rookie tight end Wesley Duke, who arrived at Dove Valley fresh off completing his senior basketball season at Mercer. Just six and a half weeks before the start of quarterback camp on May 16, he'd participated in a slam-dunk contest that aired on ESPN, and then spent the weeks that followed getting into even better shape as the draft approached.
But the mental work that Duke will put himself through between now and the July mini-camp will help just as much as he continues his hoops-to-helmets transition.
"Physically, playing basketball kept me in pretty good shape," Duke said. "But now, when you have to think on your feet, it's a whole different element, so what I'm trying to do is get it to where I can just react to the plays when they're called; I will just know what to do and what the reads are. You really have to get into the playbook and study, study, study."
And do so every day, according to Williams.
"You have to look at it at least once a day -- especially me," he said. "I’m a young guy and don’t really don’t know a lot. I try to look at it at least once a day and also go over my notes."
Daily work isn't necessary in Wilson's eyes -- but keeping to a routine and maintaining mental focus is.
"I'm not saying you're going to have to study it every day, but just go through it, pick out a few things here and there daily or every few days that you feel are going to help you out, and just keep your skills sharp," Wilson said. "That's pretty much all you need to do."
Sorry if this is a repost. Didn't see it.
Camp Ends, But the Work Continues
With a Break Coming, Wilson Advises Rookies to Study
By Andrew Mason
DenverBroncos.com
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- For rookies, now is where the real work begins.
BRONCOS TV: JACKSON MOVES TO TIGHT END | WEEK 1 TEAM CAMP WRAP-UP | RICE'S FIRST PRACTICE
When you're at team headquarters and sticking to a routine, it's easy to stay the course in preparing for training camp and absorbing a massive professional playbook.
"You need a backpack for it," second-round pick Darrent Williams said.
But when a break arrives? At that point, a rookie has to will himself to continue growing, to spend some time with one's nose buried in the dictionary-thick playbook. It's why linebacker Al Wilson has but one piece of advice for the newest Broncos as a week-long break approaches.
"Study. Study," Wilson said. "Just because after tomorrow, if you don't study your playbook, and you don't go over it again until mini-camp, you're basically going to lose everything you've learned up until this point."
Thursday's end to the six-practice team camp brings this four-week phase of organized team activities to a close; the team will take a week off and then recommence its voluntary conditioning workouts on June 20. But even after that, the rookies will spend time away from the team at the annual Rookie Symposium, and they won't have another chance to practice until mini-camp begins on July 6.
"Now they have a chance to study (the playbook) for about three or four weeks before we get together again," Head Coach Mike Shanahan said. "They have to go back and do their homework and at the same time get in shape."
Doing that was easy for rookie tight end Wesley Duke, who arrived at Dove Valley fresh off completing his senior basketball season at Mercer. Just six and a half weeks before the start of quarterback camp on May 16, he'd participated in a slam-dunk contest that aired on ESPN, and then spent the weeks that followed getting into even better shape as the draft approached.
But the mental work that Duke will put himself through between now and the July mini-camp will help just as much as he continues his hoops-to-helmets transition.
"Physically, playing basketball kept me in pretty good shape," Duke said. "But now, when you have to think on your feet, it's a whole different element, so what I'm trying to do is get it to where I can just react to the plays when they're called; I will just know what to do and what the reads are. You really have to get into the playbook and study, study, study."
And do so every day, according to Williams.
"You have to look at it at least once a day -- especially me," he said. "I’m a young guy and don’t really don’t know a lot. I try to look at it at least once a day and also go over my notes."
Daily work isn't necessary in Wilson's eyes -- but keeping to a routine and maintaining mental focus is.
"I'm not saying you're going to have to study it every day, but just go through it, pick out a few things here and there daily or every few days that you feel are going to help you out, and just keep your skills sharp," Wilson said. "That's pretty much all you need to do."
Sorry if this is a repost. Didn't see it.