Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-19
HOW THE FOOT BALL
PLAYERS ARE TRAINED

No one who is not brought into contact
various foot ball teams of this country can
reslize the. expense of time and money
necessary to secure first-ciass team and
put 1t In shape for "A hard season. For
two months, counting back from Thanks
giving day. the foot bali player Is trained
every day. AS early as possible in the
season he must be checked full of strength
speed and endurance. and. above all. know
all the scientific points of the game. 1t Is
the. trainers task to get him into good
physical shape for the season and the
coach's to attend to the scientific part.
At the beginning of the season the train
er. IL possible, gets all of the candidates
for the team together and each day takes
them to the training quarters, where they
are given good talk. and he and his four
or five assistants attend TO their wants.
The trainers word is rule In their training
quarters. and each player answers to his
call without questioning his authority. as
he Is responsible for the physical condition
of his charges. From the start of training
begins daily routine OF work that would
prove disastrous to any person not imbued
with a grim purpose
In most Of the larger universities the
tioiHcIS get the men OF the squad out OF
their beds an hour earlier than the other
students and give them a stiff practice be-
fore their morning meal After this brisk
work they are taken back to their training
quarters. where, after good rubbing down
with rough towel, they dress for their
morning meal, which is served at the same
time each morning. The morning practice
consists chiefly of signal work, drop kick
ing and puntng.
4
AT the head of the dining, or training
table. the head trainer sits. In another
room there is another table for the scrub"
team, at the head of which sits one of the
trainers assistants. Each trainer serves
to the players as much food as he thinks
he ought to have. Three times a day the
players food is thus doled out to him
the portions being determined by the trair.-
er careful study of the players needs for
his physical development. Thus many a
player is kept from eating too much: and
on the other hand, il a trainer sees n play
er not eating as much as he should steps
are taken to remedy this, by giving him
little more rest, instead of so much hard
exercise. In a short time he is capable of
putting away as much as is given him.
The breakfast generally consists of fruit
with laxative properties; a cereal with
cream; chop soft-boiled eggs and a cup
of coffee apiece for those men who have
been used to drinking it. II any man has
the appearance or nOt having slept well q
mental note is made of it, and after the
meal the matter is taken up with him,
that sound sleep may be his portion there
after. The foot ball trainer studies his
men while at their meals as trainer would
a race horse. 1t would seem that the boys
spend very dreary time at the table, but
this is not so. as there is q healthful cheer
fulness around the training table which
cannot be seen at the tables in many
homes.
The boys attend school in the morning
and at noon partake of 4 light lunch,
which perhaps consists of cup of bouil-
Ion, cold roast beef, baked potatoes. apple
sauce, and sometimes a green vegetable.
No buildings or cake are ever given the
players. After the noon lunch they return
to their studies, and at 4 o'clock in the
afternoon report to the gymnasium. After
being weighed stripped and having donned
their foot ball toys. they proceed to the
field
During the preliminary season the train
er sees that the players are we'll padded.
AS their bodies become used to the rough
and tumble of the game the pads are re-
ouced in number, UNTIL with the coming
OF the big games, they are almost entirely
discarded which gives them better use of
their bodies and permits faster work. In
a brief time, by systematic training and
regular life, the bones and muscles of the
young athlete become hardened and can