Finally I get to join the team at practice. I went to see a doctor to get a new physical. This time it was accepted by the medical staff.
When I say 'staff', it ain't just two medics connected to the team. At UWLAX we have a team of 10 people handling everything from massages, ice baths, taping and physical evaluating. It is so different from Denmark. Everything is taken care of, so that the players can actually focus on playing football.
This day was spend doing 40 yard dash, verticals and the pro agility shuttle. UWLAX has a set of standards for each position. Here are the numbers for receiver in these three categories:
40 yard: 5.00
Vertical: 27
Pro Agility: 4.32
I have been working with my 40 and the Pro A, since I am not the fastest guy around. Today I finished the Pro A in 4.35, which the coaching staff was satisfied with. My 40, however, was worse than expected. Coach Miller, Copenhagen Towers, had me in at 4.85 a couple of weeks ago, so I really wanted to come in under 5. Today, I made it in 5.1. I am not satisfied with that, but many receiver came in over 5. We were measuring with a laser, so it should be very precise. However, the players have been discussing that 40 ever since.
On the vertical I did made the 27, which was required of me – so I won't spend time complaining about that.
Later that day we had regular practice. It is truly great to be a part of the team and I really enjoy it. However, I feel that, have a hard time proving my talent with the limited reps I get. Today I have 3 total reps in pass schelly. I must say, that it can be frustrating at times, but I try to get as much out of practice as possible.
I sprained one of my middle fingers at practice. To tell you the truth I didn't think much of it at first, so I just tapped it up. However, when I removed the tape... Let's just say I didn't look good. I have to wear a iron splint for now and will tape the finger up for practice, but the medical staff has informed me, that it could very likely have suffered a fracture or be broken. I look at it from the bright side – It could have been my leg :)
After practice I took my first ice bath in a Whirlpool. Some of the guys here can barely sit through it. I thought it would be pretty awful too, but I actually really enjoy it. Today the pool was open later, so I stayed in for an extra 5 minutes. I will definitely be coming down here every day from now on.