Simpleton

Slightly under the weather, I headed out to the BSB with Kevin and Colin for our usual Thursday night slot. Kevin talks alot, so much so that you soon tune out and as a result I can't remember much of the conversation content. I do recall however the story of his Dad calling him every Sunday to tell him the local GAA results. Kev takes great pleasure in rolling them off before his father gets a chance and filling in numerous other blanks in the information. A ridiculously undertandable habit.

I had a sense that the session would not go so smoothly when the ballbag was a little lighter than usual and the cones were forgotten in Adrian's car. Biggest concern however was Rochey. There is this childish giddiness which grabs a hold of him every now and then. Last night he was kicking the balls off the walls, the roof and his unsighted teammates before training even started. Each kick punctuated with his head bobing grin.

We went through our usual warm up and followed that with somes ladders and sprinting. Then moved into the kicking drills. Of course, we could just kick the ball up and down the hall giving it no further thought. However, to try and develop some level of concentration in everyone and so throw in a few cones and some basic instructions. Having explained the first drill, demonstrated it twice and not received any request for clarification, we got underway. Cue chaos with men and balls going everywhere they shouldn't be going. In this particular drill, a guy (A) comes short looking to receive a handpass from (B) i.e. he is on the same team as the man with the ball. However the ball is kicked over his head to the man behind him (C). (A) then turns quickly following the path of the ball and receiving a handpass off (C). There is more to be done after that but it is out of the scope of this story. I stress at the beginning that (A) is with (B) and not defending him. Yet, the first three times Deccie goes to receive from (B) he blocks him down like an angry corner back. Deep breath.

The next drill goes along similiar lines except this time its our contrary Chairman Olof that is making a balls of things. I ask him calmly what the fcuk is he doing? He says yeah yeah, I have it now. He then makes a balls of his next two goes. At this stage I'm getting so hot and bothered about everyone making a balls of things that I'm beginning to make a balls of it myself. Proceedings are brought to a temporary halt whilst I ask the lads to please concentrate a little harder. At least that was what I meant to say but I'm not sure if there was any sense to be made from all the fcuking and blinding that actually came out. I could see our new Corkman Eoghan trying to hold back the laughter whilst the other lads just waited for me to shut up! I have done well to remain calm this year, it remains a development point.

The final agitator came with a drill involving ladders and cones. I do not understand how, if you demonstrate the way to run through the ladder or go around the cones, lads still fcuk it up. Micky and Colin are especially good at this, skipping numerous steps on the ladders and disregarding the presence of cones. Ollie isn't bad either, he tends to do everything in reverse!Out of all the things which can annoy me, not going around cones has the greatest impact on my blood pressure. I believe these simple disciplined actions all add up and contribute to a general discipline and concentration level in a player and team. Colin's justification about the ladders cock up was that he was tired :-(. Micky's justification was....actually there was none. He can't look at me in the eye at training these days such is the heap he is in at the moment. However, in fairness, he is only just back after a barbaric 4 months of drinking. He still has some money in the bank from last year's exploits so we will stay patient for a few more weeks!

This weekend, attention turns to the small ball as we welcome Na Fianna of Dublin to Fortress Parc50. We played a mini tournament last summer against themselves and Whitehall. As we were short of numbers I had to rope in a few buddies from home. I think we won by a point but it was tight. Saturday will be a scrappy affair, neither team having much done and we are missing a good few. With many of us due to travel to Dublin on Paddys weekend to play for 'Europe' in the Leinster Junior Club Final, it will be important match practice.