Preparation for camp

I'll just be doing a quick weekender this year--local teams rather than nationwide AAU. It costs about 20% of what the other camp runs, and like many people in this country, I want to save money where I can in the current economy.

They're supposed to be checking me out for 3-man, which is fine--I've got enough experience with it that I think I can pass the test and get some good games in this year. But I'm faced with another test...my first boys' varsity-level game tomorrow. (I say "varsity-level" because, at camp, it can't technically be considered a varsity game, right?) It's not an official camp game, but a chance to cut my teeth on the faster competition so that, when I'm seen the next day, I'll have had four quarters to make some mental adjustments. I don't know one of the two partners, but the other is a damn strong varsity guy I worked with in one of my girls' varsity games last year, so it's a good way to get started. And, truthfully, I think that varsity boys may be easier in many ways than the many freshman boys' games I did last year. For starters, it's 3-man instead of 2-man. 'Nuff said. But the games will likely be cleaner and better.

Or maybe they'll be ragged. I mean, seriously. It's May.

Anyway, I've started work on one of the two things I promised myself I'd focus on this summer.

Stop the presses! I'm working out. Like four times in ten days! Whoa!

It's nothing huge...just dork-walking around the neighborhood and maybe running a half mile....or doing the same on the gym's treadmill. I do just enough to tell me that I'm desperately out of shape. Enough to perhaps break in the ref shoes I bought a couple weeks back.

But if I do this all summer long, I'll be in far better shape before the season. I did no preseason physical prep this season, and I wound up in a boot at the end of the year. Two seasons ago, I did some pretty intense workouts for a few weeks before my first game, and I made it through the year mostly unhurt (although some knee trouble arose, I blame that more on age than anything else.)

So I will. I don't think I'll ever be one of those people who actually enjoys working out, but it's something I should be doing anyway, reffing or no reffing.

Anyhoo, be ready for camp stories this weekend.