Your Best Ability is Availability

As we enter the summer phase of football, athletes across the country are entering a new chapter.

Some are moving from middle school to high school. Others are making the jump from high school to college. College players are preparing for training camp, and professional athletes are wrapping up minicamps and OTAs.

No matter what level you're at, one of the greatest lessons football has taught me is this:

Your best ability is availability.

What does that mean?

It means that the more consistently you can be on the field, the more valuable you become. The more opportunities you have to help your team win. The more chances coaches have to evaluate you. The more film you create. The more growth you experience.

Talent matters.

Work ethic matters.

But none of it matters if you're standing on the sideline injured.

The Summer Trap

As I write this, we're currently in our CIF dead period at JSerra. For two weeks, we have no contact with our players, no organized workouts, and no football activities.

When we return, summer football begins in full force.

For many athletes, this is where the challenge starts.

Summer means more free time. More camps. More trainers. More opportunities.

And while those opportunities can be valuable, they can also become overwhelming.

Every college hosts a camp. Every trainer has a program. Every social media feed is telling athletes they need to do more.

More speed work.

More lifting.

More position training.

More exposure.

More, more, more.

But very few people are talking about what athletes need most:

Recovery.

Trust the Process

My dad recently sent me a picture from a football camp I attended before my sophomore year of high school.

Looking at that picture today, nobody would have pointed to that kid and confidently said, "That's going to be an NFL linebacker."

I wasn't physically mature.

I wasn't fully developed.

I still had years of growth ahead of me.

And that's okay.

If you're a sophomore, it's okay to look like a sophomore.

If you're a freshman, it's okay to look like a freshman.

You don't need to look like a college junior or an NFL player at 15 years old.

You need to eat.

You need to sleep.

You need to grow.

You need to trust the process.

One of the biggest mistakes athletes make is comparing their current stage to someone else's finished product.

Development takes time.

Strength takes time.

Speed takes time.

Confidence takes time.

Football rewards patience.

The Hidden Danger of Overtraining

One of the biggest challenges athletes face today is overtraining.

Many players are balancing:

• Team workouts  

• Strength and conditioning programs  

• Position training  

• Speed training  

• Camps  

• Private coaching

None of these things are bad.

The problem happens when nobody is communicating.

If you're working with a private strength coach, they should know exactly what you're doing in your school's weight room.

If your football program is already squatting, cleaning, sprinting, and conditioning, your outside trainer shouldn't be blindly adding more volume on top of that.

Too much work without proper recovery creates problems:

• Muscle strains  

• Tendon issues  

• Shin splints  

• Fatigue  

• Burnout  

• Increased injury risk

Hard work is very important for success in this game but so is strategy. Come up with a plan that will promote the most growth and return on investment. 

The most important football development program you'll ever be a part of is your team.

Be at team workouts.

Be at practice.

Be around your coaches and teammates.

Those activities should be the foundation.

If you identify a weakness that needs extra attention, then find a qualified trainer who can help fill that gap.

Supplement your program.

Don't replace it.

Sleep Is a Performance Enhancer

If I could give young athletes one recovery tool that costs nothing, it would be sleep.

Put the video games down.

Put the phone away.

Turn off Instagram.

Parents, consider having your athlete leave their phone outside their room at night.

Growing teenagers need approximately 8-10 hours of sleep each night.

That's when recovery happens.

That's when hormones are released.

That's when the body grows.

That's when the work you've already done begins to pay off.

You don't get stronger during the workout.

You get stronger recovering from the workout.

Mobility Matters

Another area that gets overlooked is mobility.

Stretch.

Do yoga.

Try Pilates.

Move your body through a full range of motion.

When I reached the professional level, Pilates became one of the best things I ever added to my training routine.

It improved my athleticism, core strength, balance, and movement efficiency.

The stronger and more mobile your body becomes, the more resilient you become on the field.

What My Summer Schedule Looked Like

Monday

• Morning 2-3 mile run  

• Breakfast and recovery  

• Team workout/practice  

• Lift and conditioning  

• Dinner  

• Stretch  

• Sleep

Tuesday

• Similar structure  

• Team workout  

• Recovery focus afterward

Wednesday

• Recovery day  

• Yoga  

• Light run  

• Boxing  

• Bike ride  

• Mobility work

Thursday

• Team workout  

• Strength training  

• Football activities

Friday

• Team workout  

• Recovery afterward

Saturday

• Skill work  

• Mobility  

• Recovery

Sunday

• Yoga  

• Stretching  

• Recovery preparation for the upcoming week

As I got older and had more resources, I also prioritized body maintenance:

• Massage therapy  

• Chiropractic care  

• Acupuncture  

• Stretch therapy  

• Recovery sessions

Fuel the Machine

Recovery isn't only about rest.

It's also about nutrition.

Eat quality protein.

Eat fruits and vegetables.

Eat rice, potatoes, and other quality carbohydrates.

Hydrate.

Limit fast food and highly processed foods.

Everything you put into your body affects your ability to recover, perform, and stay healthy.

Nutrition helps control inflammation.

Recovery keeps you available.

Availability creates opportunity.

Final Thoughts

As camp season approaches, I understand the pressure athletes feel.

Everyone wants an offer.

Everyone wants recognition.

Everyone wants results right now.

But don't let urgency cause you to ignore recovery.

Recovery is not weakness.

Recovery is not laziness.

Recovery is part of the training process.

The athletes who stay healthy, stay disciplined, and stay consistent are usually the ones who are still standing when it matters most.

Trust the process.

Trust your development.

Take care of your body.

Because at every level of football, your best ability is availability.