Rams get to work at preseason camp

Fri Mar 13 2015

Last weekend saw the Yorkshire Rams spend a weekend at a “boot camp” style preseason training event. Returning players and rookies alike travelled to a camp on the outskirts of Sheffield, where they were put through their paces over a gruelling weekend of physical and mental learning.

With a lot of work to get through, the players met up on Friday evening and were straight into a playbook session that continued to install the new philosophy for the 2015 season, all areas of the game were covered and the coaches discovered they had a group of players willing to learn. The players were then up bright and early on both Saturday and Sunday for conditioning sessions before more playbook sessions and drills, with the camp being an ideal place to scrimmage properly for the first time, the improvement over the weekend was noticeable and commented on by various coaches supervising the training sessions.

Away from the training sessions, the camp was an opportunity for socialising and for the large number of rookies to meet each other, as well as to integrate with the returners. With lots of good work being done on the field, the players let their hair down and relaxed (read: nursed tired bodies) around a camp fire ready for the next day’s activities.

Head Coach, Dave Pawson saw great benefits in the weekend camp: “There are a lot of changes this year at the Rams, including new coaching staff and a signifiant increase in Rookies. The camp was also a new idea and has been found to be a great success, enabling players and coaches to come together as a team very quickly. As Head Coach, the structure of the weekend enabled me to see where individuals skills would be best utilised. Hard work was offset with great classroom sessions and the whole weekend acted as a bonding session. This year the heart of the team has been forged at the Sheffield Camp, we now go forward to the 2015 season full of confidence built on camaraderie”

With the season not too far in the future, the importance of getting a full weekends training was undeniable and the Rams will no doubt benefit from having the time to gel as a team and learn more about themselves, each other and the playbook.

General Manager, Adam Cowley (who was also involved as a player at the camp) was delighted with how the weekend went: “The camp exceeded expectations. The guys worked hard all weekend both mentally and physically. On and off the field the guys were great. People laying their bodies on the line during the day and then sat round a campfire roasting marshmallows at night. Great team bonding and team building. The progression of the team has taken a huge leap forward due to camp”

A few quotes from the players:

“The rookie camp was a great experience. Not only was it vital to run the reps and get more on field experience, but I felt that it was a great chance to get to know your teammates. I also got the sense that we all came away from the weekend really feeling part of the team, which will be of huge benefit come Sunday”

Rookie Linebacker, Alan “Stocky” Stockdale (pictured).

“Getting to know the team was the best part of it. We really became a band of brothers ready to face any team”

Rookie Lineman, Stephen Smith

“Food was good, training was great, the bruises are fantastic, the memories are perfect”

Rookie Safety, Charlie Vincent

“It was a good chance to get to know everyone you would be playing with this season”

Rookie Running Back, Daunte Wint-Angus

“I was only there for the Saturday but really glad I managed to make it down, toughest day’s training I’ve ever done but learnt a lot and a great chance to get to know my new team-mates”

Rookie Wide Receiver, Tom White

Thanks

The Rams would like to thank Kayleigh and Spencer Whybrow for their work in organising the camp, as well as running it for the whole weekend.