By Cynthia Zordich
Engagement Insider
6/25/13
Mini camps are over and players are heading home for a five week "vacation".
Five weeks off sounds like a dream job - but for some players - they'll never work harder than right now.
For players and coaches alike, it is a rare five weeks of real life, uninterrupted.
Family time, daddy time, charity events, clinics and local camps… It is the only time of year that player families feel somewhat traditional. What flows in and out of this 'rare normal' is the nagging ache of anticipation and the possibility of change - as in roster change.
The life cycle of a player varies. For every player there are those certain camps (and he'll remember them fondly) where he is in the clear, his spot is solid. These are the guys that can stick in a chew in the middle of meetings and throw on a ball cap after the first quarter of a pre-season game.
If this is you this year - soak it in.
For others, it is time to hit the hills, the weight room, the old high school track and the playbook.
For fans and sports writers, training camp is feasting time. They lay their bets on who makes the cut, which top draft choice was a bust, which UDFA was a steal. They are passionate about which vet is washed up and irate about which head coaches should be axed. Like axing, this time is sport in itself for them and your life is game.
This is a good time to read Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea. This is not the time to read NFL forums, tweets, predictions or player evaluations.
"The Old Man and the Sea speaks to the universal truths of a man’s existence within this world, where pride, respect, tenacity, and dreams fuel a man in his quest to thrive in the face of struggle. It is a story about the indomitable spirit of man." Brian Schatz www.artofmanliness.com/2011/07/12/lessons-in-manliness-from-the-old-man-and-the-sea/
A man does not except defeat.
A man does not depend on luck.
A man does not boast.
A man finds inspiration from others.
A man goes down swinging no matter his age.
A man's legacy comes from maintaining his integrity.
When you have finished, you will have a deep respect for the tenacity of the player in your life. You will understand that no battle is in vain. That in truth, this is not a sport. It is a battle of will, integrity, passion and purpose. That the game is a forever changing current and securing a spot requires skill, precision of mind, body and spirit.
When you are finished, throw your copy in his duffle bag, right next to his can of chew and his ball cap. "Then when luck comes you are ready."
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