Sidelined by injury, our rookie Bomber blogger has to watch his ‘mates toil in the blazing heat.
Week 1 came and went and it was great to get a win as we beat Hamilton on the road.
The team came back and was welcomed by an excited Winnipeg city and myself. I didn't make the trip because of my knee injury, so I stayed in Winnipeg and continued with treatments and with my house hunt.
Despite the win, we went right back to work in order to fix a few mistakes and errors from the game. Throughout the week, the coaches reminded us that although we just won the first game of the season, it is only a step in the right direction and that there is more work to be done.
It was good to see that the team heard, understood and responded to that message. On Monday, the week started with by far the hottest day of practice since I've been in Winnipeg! Through the extreme heat and at times uncomfortable feeling under the helmets, the guys showed great effort and focus from the beginning until the end of practice. Still sidelined by my injury, I stood and watched the guys run, catch and hit without complaints. Defence and offence alike worked hard, play after play, and drill after drill. This view truly made me realize the amount of hard work and dedication that is needed to become champions.
Some of the guys were commenting about the gruelling practice and the heat. Others were trying to explain to me how they felt after the practice. The only thing that was running through my mind was how bad I wanted to be on that field with them and to be feeling as tired as they felt.
As easy as it might seem, another week without practice is not that simple. Watching from the sidelines is not as enjoyable as it may appear. However, I believe that God allows things to happen for a reason, whether we find out about that reason immediately or at a later time.
I still participate in every meeting, and constantly take mental reps at practices, too. I continually learn even though I don't suit up. I've come to the realization that learning really is a never-ending process, we just have to find different ways of doing just that.
As long as the will to continue to learn is there, no matter what obstacles we may face, life cannot stop our growth!
