Day 6 - Drug Testing, Other Teams, Down Time
So in yesterday's post, I forgot to mention the stressful drug testing aspect of this tournament. Even while we were in Minnesota, Doc and Alex Williams (forwards coach and former US player) went over what happens during a drug test if you're selected. From their description, this is serious business. Once the testing committee identifies you, you are required only to drink their beverages from that time on and will have a chaperone with you until you are able to pee. They also said that the chaperone will also watch you pee (talk about stage fright!).
Yesterday during lunch, two of our players (I don't think I'm allowed to say who because it's supposed to be confidential) were selected to take the drug test. Then after the game, the opposing team's manager can also select anyone who was on the field and have them tested after the game. I don't know why the drug testing stuff makes me feel so nervous - maybe because it's so official and has so many rules or maybe because my body goes into that ultra-focused "test/competition" mode with all the eustress that goes along with it.
Another added twist to this event is the fact that we're sharing a hotel with other teams. Thankfully, we're not staying with the teams we're directly playing against in pool play, but in the Delta Hotel there is the US team, France, and South Africa. We try to be friendly, but not too friendly because you might play down the road.
The elevator is the primary location for these awkward encounters. Hedwig bought us some points when we first arrived, because she chatted with them in french (they said it took them 24 hours to get to Edmonton!). Today a group of US players were in the pool at the same time as the South African women's team and they played some game with a nerf football together.
Today we had a lot of bite-sized free time to kill. We had breakfast, then about 30 min break, then a fwds meeting, then about 2 hrs break (pool time!), then lunch, then 45 min break (nap), then team meeting, then 2 hr break (email and blogging) and we're about to head over to the fields for a 45 min run-through. After that, we'll have dinner, then about 30 min break (shower), then the jersey ceremony at 8pm, then prep for bedtime (epsom salt bath, foam roller, visualizing, going through plays, etc).
During some of that downtime, Tina and I searched for some inspiring movie quotes online and really liked the ones from "On Any Given Sunday" and "Miracle". Check them out at http://www.americanrhetoric.com - look under movie speeches; they also have a bunch of historical and political speeches online that I think are cool (both transcripts and quicktime videos).
I can't wait for the jersey ceremony tonight...that's one of my favorite things of being on tour. I think all the jersey ceremonies for World Cup will be open to friends and family, which is great because then they get to be part of the pre-game excitement the night before.
Off to practice now! The fields will be really soft because it's been raining all day.
Yesterday during lunch, two of our players (I don't think I'm allowed to say who because it's supposed to be confidential) were selected to take the drug test. Then after the game, the opposing team's manager can also select anyone who was on the field and have them tested after the game. I don't know why the drug testing stuff makes me feel so nervous - maybe because it's so official and has so many rules or maybe because my body goes into that ultra-focused "test/competition" mode with all the eustress that goes along with it.
Another added twist to this event is the fact that we're sharing a hotel with other teams. Thankfully, we're not staying with the teams we're directly playing against in pool play, but in the Delta Hotel there is the US team, France, and South Africa. We try to be friendly, but not too friendly because you might play down the road.
The elevator is the primary location for these awkward encounters. Hedwig bought us some points when we first arrived, because she chatted with them in french (they said it took them 24 hours to get to Edmonton!). Today a group of US players were in the pool at the same time as the South African women's team and they played some game with a nerf football together.
Today we had a lot of bite-sized free time to kill. We had breakfast, then about 30 min break, then a fwds meeting, then about 2 hrs break (pool time!), then lunch, then 45 min break (nap), then team meeting, then 2 hr break (email and blogging) and we're about to head over to the fields for a 45 min run-through. After that, we'll have dinner, then about 30 min break (shower), then the jersey ceremony at 8pm, then prep for bedtime (epsom salt bath, foam roller, visualizing, going through plays, etc).
During some of that downtime, Tina and I searched for some inspiring movie quotes online and really liked the ones from "On Any Given Sunday" and "Miracle". Check them out at http://www.americanrhetoric.com - look under movie speeches; they also have a bunch of historical and political speeches online that I think are cool (both transcripts and quicktime videos).
I can't wait for the jersey ceremony tonight...that's one of my favorite things of being on tour. I think all the jersey ceremonies for World Cup will be open to friends and family, which is great because then they get to be part of the pre-game excitement the night before.
Off to practice now! The fields will be really soft because it's been raining all day.
posted by Lee Knight at 3:31 PM
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