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B O O T
C A M P
A staple of any Buzz Williams program before the
season begins is “Boot Camp.” It has become a mix
of anticipation, preparation, and intensity, all wrapped
into a series of sessions. The sessions focus on a set
of various workouts to help prepare the players to
become better teammates and battle through all the
obstacles placed before them.
The Boot Camp sessions, most coming early in the
morning before the sun rises, are only counted as
complete if every participating member finishes every
drill. The Hahn Hurst Basketball Practice Center is
transformed into a training ground that has little to
do with basketball after Coach Williams huddles the
team. The baskets and scoreboard simply became
part of drills that ultimately involve no real basketball,
but rather a football. Every single activity has a
purpose that, could, at some point, carry over to a
game situation. The court lines became mile markers
in a race to the finish and at times the baseline served
as a sanctuary of rest and relaxation … for what feels
like the shortest 48 seconds of a player’s life, until it is
time to line up and attack again.
Through all this activity, there truly is a progression of
the players during each session. Players witness who
can thrive in chaos, those who are willing to step up
and those who may need a little more attention. Most
importantly, players see the level of teamwork being
developed and the rewards of completing the session.
The players form a tighter bond, a new level of trust,
and a shared focus of the goal they are all trying to
achieve. When they cross the finish line for the last
time, it is a combination of gratitude and fulfillment.
Yes, they are thrilled to be done with the sessions that
are designed to push them to their physical and mental
limits, but now, each player has come out stronger then
ever before. Whatever obstacles are placed in front of
them from this point forward, become minimal
in regards to what they achieved together as
a team.
@VT_MBBall
@vthokiembb
VTMBBALL
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