Colleges swimmers in stitches after physio splashes out
OUR rehab physio, Steve Wright, appears to be on a one-man mission to get a daily mention in this column in unflattering terms.
But more on him later.
The lads reported to Cosumnes River College in the morning, refreshed from their day off, for the first of two training sessions.
While the fit boys worked away with the coaching staff under the blazing California sun, it was more jogging for me.
I really can’t stress how warm it’s been these past few days…and it’s getting hotter by the day.
Temperatures seem to range from the early to mid-30s and there were a few sun burnt faces, not to mention noses, by the end of play.
But the graft is worth it. It’s my understanding that training in such heat boosts your fitness levels more quickly than working in a cooler climate.
The highlight of my morning’s work involved physio Steve. I was finishing off some stability exercises, which will help strengthen my calf, on a two-feet deep platform in the outdoor pool.
Around ten-15 college swimmers were waiting for us to wrap up and they seemed somewhat intrigued by the resistance band – effectively a huge rubber band – wrapped around my legs.
But it was Steve who had their complete attention moments later. As he lifted himself out of the pool, he completely lost his footing and came head over heels back into the water.
Steve is nicknamed The Bear due to his, shall we say, big-boned frame and the splash he made was biblical. I laughed so much I almost drowned!
For the evening training session, the injured lads headed back for more rehab work at the college while the rest of the squad made the short walk from our hotel to a five-storey gym for a spin class.
This made complete sense. When the weather’s this warm, pitches become hard and the physios have been working around the clock to keep as many of the players on the training pitch as possible.
A spin class enables you to work just as hard physically but without putting unnecessary stress through your joints.
We had a welcome change of scenery at dinner when the gaffer and coaching staff led the squad past the State Capital Building to a steakhouse called Morton’s.
The food our hotel has laid on has been top notch but after a week of eating similar meals, it was good to go out and try something different.
It was a cracking choice of venue, with the 12oz fillet steak proving very popular.