Day 8, Monday August 12th- Training Day #1

Although our ride to the pool wasn't going to arrive until 530am for a 6am start, I had been up since 4am...just excited for the first day of real practice...We arrived at the Blue Flame Pool & Spa at about 5:50am, by 610am, we met with the athletes...about 25-30 of them on day #1, yes sir e bob.... I told them that the first day was more for me to see what they can already do, what knowledge they have...for them to not be so nervous and not try to impress me too much....first 15 minutes I watched them warm up on their own at about 80% effort, then some leg/treading exercises in the deep in to see how long they can stay up and how good of egg-beater technique they have or not ....I had scene enough .... we divided up teams and started to have a loose scrimmage just rotating players .... just so I can officiate and see what they already know and not know about a real water polo game/scrimmage/set up .... I was impressed, they knew/had more ability that I thought .... some were real athletes, others were very intelligent ....after 10 minutes I stopped the scrimmage and discussed a little about the important of picking the ball up from underneath when the wanted to control, pass or shoot (coach John Ivins would have been impressed) .... we talked about when to throw a direct pass to a teammate, when to throw a protected and wet outside pass, how the receiving teammate needed to also release for the ball, how to protect the ball with a defender against the offender.... talked about the slow players focusing more on defense and how the strongest shooters have to be good teammates and pass the ball and help set up other teammates....the second scrimmage looked a little cleaner, they learn quickly and got eager....after another 10-15 minutes we took another break.....Qhasem (the present of the Afghanistan water polo federation and team leader/organizer/coach) divided t he athletes up into 3 teams for a round robin scrimmage switching every 3 goals or 5-10 minutes, whichever came first ....the first 5- 10 minutes looked much better, but after a while things got sloppy ... primarily because they were all getting tired and fatigue was setting in.
-I AM TIRED RIGHT NOW, I WILL WRITE MORE ABOUT THIS DAY SOON AND POST SOME PICTURES AS WELL, OH AND DISCUSS HOW WE HAD BRUNCH AT A RESTAURANT THAT SERVED US LIVER SKEWERS...YUMMY !

here are some pics of this day

quick meeting with the guys before they jump in the water about my expectations

getting ready for an easy warm up

deep end treading water/eggbeater

some extra wall kicking exercises

teaching them how to put their practice caps on the first time, scrunchy part in the back, string goes through 2 loops and back through 1

early scrimmage just to see where they are at right now...a little bit of jungle ball

coordinating with Mr. Qhasem Hamidi on training tactic theories & philosophies

these small practice goals are made out of PVC piping...hope we get some standard cages soon

part of the group is taking a break in the Jacuzzi, they are not used to my discipline yet I guess

two good friends excited to be matched up against each other

one of our stronger athletes elevates himself for a shot over a great shot blocking defender

just a little team talk, break...discussing some strategy, attitude and explaining situations

team photo on first day, Mr. Qhasem in the middle, Scott and I to the sides....I know many of the players were cramping up on the first day