Sept. 24, 2007
TCU head coach Darryl Anderson sat down with GoFrogs.com this past week as he prepares for his fourth season with the Flyin' Frogs.
Coach Anderson will give readers an inside look at what each week of practice has been like through a weekly journal. Below is the second installment of the journal.
Darryl Anderson
Second Installment
I think one of the positives is that we made it through the first few weeks of training in pretty good shape. The kids have done what we have asked of them and they are picking things up really well. I can tell the kids are excited about the possibilities and the chance they have to be pretty good. There is a buzz around practice.
On the track, we are working on speed development and trying to get the kids to work on their body position and technical areas. I think the kids are adjusting and adapting well to all of the areas that we have put on their plate up to this point.
From a conditioning standpoint, we are lifting three days a week and trying to develop general strenghth so that we can prepare ourselves for the long season. We are doing a lot of mobility work and core work, which has gone really well. The kids have been very patient with us and have really been getting through the workouts quickly.
I really believe we have a lot of talented incoming kids that the adjustment from high school to college has been hard for. I think a couple of the upperclassmen have had a difficult time adjusting to their new roles of being in the forefront as well, but that will come with time.
As far as newcomers, Jessica Young, Jessica Clarke, Shekila Wilkinson and LaQuinta Ross have been trying to listen and take in everything on the women's side, while Andon Mitchell, Mychal Dungey, Jordan Pitts and Matt Love have been eager and willing to take the steps to get better.
First Installment
Well, we are two weeks into practice and right now we are working on our conditioning and lifting. I think overall the kids are adjusting to the heat so that they can train effectively each day. We are trying to get them to understand the importance of hydration and drinking plenty of water these first two weeks.
We have spent a lot of our time working on their flexibility and really giving them an orientation into how to train properly.
The leadership has been good so far and really Otis has been taking the reins on the men's side. On the women's side, we have to grow in our leadership because we are so young, but I think it will help when Virgil gets back from being out after competing in the World Championships two weeks ago.
Overall, I think things are moving in the right direction. I saw a change in the team on Monday as far as work ethic and drive to do well at this point in time that I haven't seen in my time here at TCU.
