First Practice!!!

Football season is once again up us. As I head for practice there is the excitement in the air of a first day of school. It has been 6 long years since I played a down and 1 year since I went to a practice.

Since I joined the Tokorozawa Outlaws last year, I figured I better try and get through one season with them. Last year, my TV work just took far too much of my schedule and this season I want to play football.

I got to the practice field which is not much more than just a small field in the corner of Kokukoen (Airplane Museum Park) in Tokorozawa. But I won't complain because we practice every week on nice grass where most teams here in Japan don't even play their games on grass.

Unfortunately, only 8 people showed up for the practice. It is Obon week and many of the guys are off to their home towns for the week. But that is ok as I am a full 116kg (255lbs) and out of shape. It is 105 degrees and just plain humid. But that is good as it makes me sweat.

The whole practice went ok for me but it was light. We only had a little bit of light contact drills, mostly blocking drills as personnel are not available for the full practice drills.

My body feels like it has been through a grinder. I lost 4.5 lbs at practice and feel like a wet rag that has been used too much. My mind keeps asking, Do I really want to do this? But my pride and ego keeps saying yes. What do I do? Play on as they say.