Posted: Aug. 22, 2010
Jon Jansen
BY JON JANSEN
FREE PRESS SPECIAL WRITER
Time management is the key to improving camp life. This year's training camp will last about a month. In my career, I've spent well over a year's worth of time in training camp.
If I have learned anything during that time, it's that I had to learn to take advantage of every minute of my day. If I didn't, my responsibilities such as watching film, getting treatment and reviewing my playbook would pile up on me and become overwhelming. If you add all of that to your everyday responsibilities like paying bills, being a husband and dad, or writing an article for the local paper, you have a lot to keep up with.
I am a very schedule-oriented person. I need to know what time everything is going to happen in advance so I can plan my days. Lucky for me, football coaches live by a schedule as well.
Our daily schedule is as follows: We get a wake-up call at 6 a.m., followed by practice at 9. In between waking up and practice, I have to eat breakfast, receive treatment for any bumps and bruises, go through a weight workout, then get taped and dressed for practice. Practice will last for about 2 hours.
When practice is finished, we get a few hours to get iced down, cleaned up, fed and rested before we are back on the field by 3 for our afternoon practice. Practice again lasts for couple of hours, followed by the same post-practice routine, before meetings start at 7 p.m. Meetings and our day end at about 9:30.
My team responsibilities are very well mapped out. I know where I need to be and when I need to be there. My personal responsibilities are another matter. I have to fit everything I need to do, personal and professional, into my downtime.
This is where time management becomes very important. My first priority is to call home and stay in touch with my wife and kids. My next priority is to take care of my body. Treatment of any injuries -- major or minor -- is extremely important. So much so, that if you don't report them or take care of them appropriately, you can be fined by the team.
Anybody who wants to make a career in professional sports has to understand the importance of recovery. If I can't perform at a high level every time I step on the field, I can't compete and help the Lions win.
My next priority during my free time is to study. I have to spend time understanding our playbook and studying our opponents. We do have a lot of meeting time, but most of that time is spent reviewing our practice film or installing new plays.
Being a professional means being able to handle all the responsibilities needed to be successful. The only way to have a successful camp is to stay focused and understand the importance of every minute of every day.
From freep.com published on Sunday August 22, 2010