Firestorm Diary with Will and Finn

Last year we managed to post most of the Firestorm training diary entries. We've been a bit behind this time around, but Will and Finn's reflections were too entertaining not to share more widely!


Let us start with Will (and more special blog news about Will to come):

Dear Diary,

DAMN!

This week was hard work and we worked HARD, I don't think anyone has come off that pitch not feeling shagged. Contrary to Chris' beliefs that "if you're not throwing up at the end of a session you haven't worked hard enough", I think it's showing ability to cope with high levels of intensity for longer durations without loosing your lunch is showing our improvement as a team (or his inability to make up new drills on the way over ;).

Tuesday I enjoyed a lot more since we got to get some game time under thebelts. Coming off the Christmas break and a few of the players I have spoken with (myself included) took last season off it as well so it was good to get in a decent chunk of game time. Followed up by MORE game time, which on reflection and discussion with some others was really a good thing. Funny how we think we aren't getting enough game time when for the next three months none of us are going to be doing much else.

The big thing for me this week was overcoming my obstacles. The first was throwing while tired. I can't say that while on the field my arms areas tired as my legs but after knocking out a circuit or working through the chase drill you're shagged all over and keeping control of your arms is essential. The disc is like your newborn baby, don't ever drop it! But so far we're terrible fathers.

My goal is maintaining composure and focus and nutting out what it takes to get that solid throw out when you're shagged. Chris has been talking about getting your step out on those throws. But what are we needing to change? Are you adjusting your body for your new posture? It's easy to throw when shagged and standing straight but whenyour knee is this close to the ground the game changes. You also need to collect feedback from yourself about what parts of your body are dragging because of you being tired and accommodate for them.

The second obstacle for me this week was 'head game'. It's always easy to give up. We can crash through the ceiling and get knocked out cold, but we don't quit. It's amazing to me how much reflection I manage to get done during the solitary drills we do. Every 5 second count down we are given another 4 to think about what needs to be done. But during those 4 seconds will always be the voice in your head telling you to quit, that it's easier to run at 85% because you won't hurt as much, that there are better things to be doing. That's your body being a BITCH!

Don't take crap from a bunch of organs and tissue that are there to serve you! Curb stomp those whiny voices with your ownretort. "This is good for me!" Every extra sprint, every extra pushup, every extra lunge is doing you good and come April you will show those pussy organs who's the boss and who knows best when you can play harder and longer. I had this epiphany about 3/4 through the circuit last week so if you everhear me grunting in pain I'm in my head calling my muscles a pussy for trying to con me into quitting!

Keep your heads tight, what we're doing now is well worth the reward so put in that extra effort and thou shalt receive.

To conclude I will leave off with a quote from a man who has never taken shit from his body and will make it damn well do what he demands because what you're doing is WORTH it!

“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”-Lance Armstrong

Will-i-am Firestorm #69

And now over to Finn (I'm sure our South Aussie readers will be interested in hearing what he's up to):

A warm Tuesday morning, I lay in my bed and noticed I was a little more tired than usual before I remember that the day before was Australia Day. A day for drinking, being out in the sun and celebration of our country, not to mention listening to the triple J hottest100. And I’m sorry but if your sex is on fire; you’re doing it wrong and you probably need some sort of cream.

This is significant because, I don’t know about you but, when Australia Day passes the year has truly started and the holidays are over. It can be a little depressing so as I turned up to training that night, the noise and the team atmosphere and getting to play some games of the sport we all love was a great upper and good kick into the real start of the year.

Tuesday we mostly focused onfield smarts and offence. This was based on a drill where the offensive teammust have at least 3 people in the middle corridor of the field at all times. It was a little taught to start with but as the drill went on we noticed thatif you kept to the drill you will have an open field to play with. When the disc swings across the field most of the time cutters were open. Towards the end of the night there was considerable noise coming from the sideline which only makes you work harder. It was a great session to run into some game practice and set up for a massive year to come. And I thought I should give a special mention to Jangles for his girl layout.

I left Tuesday night with a big smile on my face and that continues until Thursday night when we I realised that Chris was going to hurt us. And hurt us he did! We start with Chris’‘running technique drill’. I think he just likes us to look stupid around the girls so he looks better. There was also our standard circuit which was hard and I certainly felt the burn, it was such a deep burn! We followed this up with a fatigue throwing drill and that almost killed me but a great idea we need to still play good ulti when we are tired. To finish we were made to run a relay and that really got the voice going. Let’s lift this voice up a little! Even though I give shit to Chris and hate doing fitness training the results are obvious and when I get home I always feel better if I know I have pushed myself.

09 is upon us Firestormers andnow we have to hit our straps. We can be a massive force at Nationals! We can all help each other to get to a higher level by encouraging each other more and good hearted banter. Let’s not forget that league starts this week makesure that you are pushing each other all the way, that is the best way we can improve as a team! As I new player to the squad I have found the group very open and accepting and the banter is good and I’m really looking forward to the year ahead. F#CK Yeah Firestorm!!! Big thanks to Chris for running fitness and Al and Stu for Tuesday nights.

Finn.