National Football League Training Camp

In the National Football League, NFL Training Camp refers to the time before the season commences. During this time, teams will sometimes congregate at an outside location, usually a university, to conduct training camp for at least the first few weeks. This is similar to baseball's spring training.

Recently the NFL has let teams have off-season training sessions, officially called Organized Team Activities (OTA's). Many teams use the OTA's to help develop players and make them better. These training sessions are in late April, early May. The OTA's are the only practices between the end of the previous season and the start of training camp. New players to the NFL attend seminars and lectures organized by the NFL from mid-June to mid-July. For veteran players, they use the off-time to sponsor football camps for children, golf outings for charity, or even some family time.

Training camp is used in several different ways. New players and coaches use it to acclimate themselves to new teammates, new systems, and weather since training camps begin in the hot days of summer. Young players use the time to prove that they can become starters. Veterans use the time to prove they can still handle the workload.

Training camp is divided into several different components. The first is scrimmages. These are pseudo-games where teams run nearly full games' worth of plays. Sometimes, two practice sessions are held on the same day. This concept is referred to as "two-a-days". Other parts of training camp include drills, meetings with coaches and other players at one's position, weight training, and pre-season games.

The latter half of training camp leads directly into the exhibition season.

College, high school, and junior leagues (e.g municipal) also have training camps too. At a college or university level, the NCAA regulates the start of collegiate football training camps. At most US high schools with football, the state's high school athletic association or commission regulates the start of training camps. For junior leagues they are regulated by different bodies. The start of football training camp varies from state to state. The NCAA teams start practices in early-August. Like the NFL, NCAA and high school football teams have the same type of practice schedules. Often a morning, afternoon, and evening practices are scheduled. The only difference is in high schools there are no weekend practices. In addition in high schools, players need time to acclimate to weather conditions, so usually the first couple practices are not done in pads.

In some high schools, athletic associations or commissions have even intergrated scrimmage games similar to the NFL preseason games. These games do not count for any standings.

With NFL training camps starting in late-July, the biggest concern has been dehydration. In 2001, Minnesota Vikings player Korey Stringer died from medical condition based from dehydration and heatstroke. The death of Stringer, prompted the NFL to change their training policies. At each practice, every team must have the team doctor and trainers on the field, also an ambulance must be present during practices. Many players are encouraged to drink lots of water and fluids.

Weather can play havoc with training camp too. With NFL training camps beginning in late-July, severe weather can affect practice and exhibition games. In 2002, a Cleveland Browns exhibition game ended due to lightning near Cleveland Browns Stadium and severe storms have been known to disrupt training camps of some of the Southern teams. Weather can affect the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game too.

Training camp sites by team

Difference with baseball

Unlike Major League Baseball teams, which congregate at locations in two states, NFL teams train all over the United States. And an increasing number of teams do so in the same facilities at which they practice all year long - 15 teams in 2007. Most of these teams departed distant locations to "come home" for training camp. For example, the Lions' camp was long held at Saginaw Valley State College, the Broncos trained at the University of Northern Colorado, and the Redskins moved in from Dickinson College, ironically the former site of Carlisle Indian School.

External links

* [http://www.nfl.com/trainingcamp NFL Training Camp Information] from NFL.com