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Another training camp and tune-up tournament, this time in the States.  Bo, Bear, Joey and I left Frankfurt Monday afternoon and arrived in Birmingham, Alabama Monday night.  Our bags and chairs struggled to keep up with our blistering pace however, and decided to stop for a breather in Chicago.   As a result, a few of us had to sit out the first practice on Tuesday.  Eventually our gear began to trickle in – a chair here, a guitar there – and by the afternoon session, we were back on court with the rest of the team.  I’d like to say that the extra rest sent us flying out of the gate, but to put it positively, the quality of our training improved as the week went on.  

Monday June 16 – travel

Tuesday June 17 – 3 hr cheerleading practice – 3 hr afternoon session

Wednesday June 18 – 3 hr morning session – 3 hr afternoon session

Thursday June 19 – 3 hr (early) morning session – 3 hr evening session

Friday June 20 – 73-60 win vs Australia – 61-47 win win vs Great Britain

Saturday June 21 – 62-50 win vs USA – ditto vs GB in semifinal

Sunday June 22 – 63-58 loss vs USA in final

Still in Giessen last week.  Just Bo, Bear, Joey and I were left, but we were able to link up with the Germans again for a few evening sessions.  Looked for ways to shake up chair skills (ie. speed/quickness training), to avoid monotony.  Played lots of shooting games to add pressure and variability.  Shot free throws with consequences ie. sprints.

Monday June 9 – shooting 2 hrs (chair skills)

Tuesday June 10 – lifting – shooting 2 hrs

Wednesday June 11 – shooting 2 hrs (chair skills) – evening practice with German national team members (scrimmage and shooting)

Thursday June 12 – light lift, stretching – shooting 1 hr

Friday June 13 – shooting 2 hrs – evening scrimmage vs German National team 90 min

Saturday June 14 – lifting

Sunday June 15 – lifting

Sitting at a cafe in Giessen with Bo, finishing a smoothie and watching soccer out of the corner of my eye. The European Championship is taking place this month in Austria and Switzerland.  Germany won their first game last night versus Poland, which was terribly exciting for everyone except the guy who scored both German goals.  He looked liked he’d just run over someone’s cat.  Turns out he was born in Poland, but moved to Germany as a kid.  I guess that would make for some mixed feelings.

Last week started with a day off Monday following the Osnabrueck tournament.  Everyone but Jaimie and Stouty were here in Giessen/Wetzlar for the week for an unofficial players only training camp.  This is what went down…

Monday June 2 – day off, dinner at a local castle

Tuesday June 3 – 2 hr practice (chair skills, scrimmage, shooting) – lifting –  Licher brewery tour

Wednesday June 4 – 2 hr practice (free throw pyramids, shooting) – 2 hr evening scrimmage

Thursday June 5 – 2 hr shooting – lifting – 2 hr evening scrimmage

Friday June 6 – 2 hr practice (shooting, Deng’s chair skills dice game) – evening friendly game vs German national team

Saturday June 7 – most guys back to Canada – 90 min scrimmage vs German National team and shooting

Sunday June 8 – day off

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Back in Germany, my home away from home (away from home). I don’t remember ever being in Osnabrueck but Joey tells me that we played there during our first season with LahnDill.  I have no choice but to believe him.  I have a bad memory for that sort of thing.  Let me rephrase that; I have a bad memory.

3 day training camp leading into a 3 day tournament with Germany, Great Britain, and the Aussies.  It was a challenging week.  The little General conspired with nature to produce an itinerary that skillfully combined the pleasures of high intensity with high humidity.  More to come on the tournament…

Monday May 26 – AM flight to Muenster via Montreal and Frankfurt

Tuesday May 27 – noonish arrival in Osnabrueck – 2 hr evening training

Wednesday May 28 – 3 hr morning session – lifting – 3 hr afternoon session

Thursday May 29 – 3 hr morning session – 3 hr afternoon session

Friday May 30 – 1 point OT win vs. Australia – 1 point win vs. Germany

Saturday May 31 – 7 point win vs. GB – semifinal win vs. GB

Sunday June 1 – 15 point win vs. Australia

My last week in Kits.  Packed up the bachelor pad and rented a room in Langley, since I’ll be away almost the entire summer.  I decided that paying Kitsilano rent is only defensible on the grounds that you actually live there, and not out of a suitcase.

Not my best week in terms of volume, but I managed to be efficient when I was in the gym.

Monday May 19 – lifting

Tuesday May 20 – lifting, shooting 45 min

Wednesday May 21 – evening practice 2 hrs – scrimmage, chair skills, shooting

Thursday May 22 – 90 min shooting with Bear using the Gun

Friday May 23 – 1 hr shooting

Weekend – 1 hr shooting – packing – moving – sleeping?