Boot Camp

The rain was constantly hitting us in our faces, our cold, wet, squinty faces couldn?t take

it anymore. Our minds ready to quit and any moment, moans and grunts in the

background showing our pain and suffering. The constant yelling and disciplinary

punishment taken upon us, and all of us following their orders with no question. As we

stand in attention, the coach blows his whistle telling us to run as fast as we can to the

next station. Our bodies are being pushed as hard as they can be, and it feels as if we are

walking. Every step you take, you feel the pain and fatigue starting to take over you. Its

only the first station you think to yourself…you still need to go through two more. As you

go through each station, the numerous push-ups for each mistake we make. Feelings of

hatred and frustration begin to take over you, changing your own personality to almost a

?Mr. Hyde?. Instead of encouragements or patience you hear arguments and bickering

among the team, which a couple of weeks ago loved each other. When the first day is all

over, your arms feel as if they have been soaked in acid and are burned to the inner core.

Every muscle on your body is sore, you can?t move any which way without hurting, and

this is only the first day. This might sound like a sympathy case, or even an event that

someone wouldn?t want to remember, but its quite the opposite. This event that occurred

in my life, is one of the most memorable and joyous time of my life. We call this time of

hard work and team-manship ?BootCamp?.

I had heard all the rumors that the upperclassmen spread to try to scare you. I have to

admit that the time before BootCamp I was scared to death. You don?t know what to

expect, and all the rumors are considered to be true, all the torture and how the coaches

lose all remorse when dealing with you. The goal for our whole team was for everyone

to be in attendance, and no mistakes for the whole day. The goal alone of having

everyone there seemed unattainable, but then on top of that to have no mistakes,

impossible! Everyone of course had doubts, especially after the first day. All the pain

inflicted on our body, the feeling of exhaustion and then knowing you had to start all over

again the next day. As each day passes you grow more confident, less mistakes are made

and a relationship is growing between teammates. You go through weeks of hard

training, sweat, blood, even tears, and then one day it all ends. As the coaches scream ?A

perfect day?, you feel the weight lifted off of your shoulders and the only reaction you

can seem to do is that of screaming and celebration. What seemed impossible a couple

of weeks ago now has been accomplished. Working everyday, and giving it the

one-hundred ten percent that is demanded of everyone, you finally end what you began

weeks ago.

The experience of bootcamp has only given me the knowledge that anything is

possible with hard work and dedication. It shines light on your life, and demonstrates

that not only personal talent is needed in a team, but teamwork and patience is a key in

life. Football in general has helped me understand how to deal with hardships that may

set some back, but others might get back up and try even harder. I hope to believe that

football and bootcamp have instilled the idea of getting back off from the ground and

trying harder the next time, and not to give up.