Putting together the latest episode of the Eat Soccer! radio program felt like an offensive attack in the last third of the field. You know how that feels. You got the ball at your feet, a player coming down both wings and a defender quickly coming to make that last minute slide tackle. You have 5 million ways to play the ball and less than 5 seconds to react. No margin for error lest it be off to the bench for you.
Well, it was the week of the American holiday (Thanksgiving), I had agreed to do a speaking engagement on Thanksgiving morning and I still needed to put together an amazing show to hit the airwaves. It wasn't your typical week, but as we footballers know, there is nothing typical on the pitch.
While thinking about some previous training sessions, I thought about a fun drill that many of you have done in the course of your training days. I don't know the name of it, but the coach has you to lay on the ground. Sometimes you are on your stomach. Other times you are on your back. The drill goes through a variety of postions, but the purpose of the drill is to help you improve your response time when you get knocked down on the field.
This drill caused me to think of one guy who I think is the ultimate "comeback kid." Ahmad Carroll was selected by the Greenbay Packers in the 1st round of the National Football League draft. Since becoming a professional American football player, he has experienced a number of setbacks that would've caused lesser athletes to call it quits.
Since we train at the same gym in Atlanta, I have had the opportunity to witness Ahmad's resilience-to disregard the naysayers and get back up when he's been down. It is an amazing story that is still unfolding. In case you missed our interview on Thursday, you can listen to it on the radio player above or at Podbean.
To continue following Ahmad Carroll NFL journey and his Humble Grind Foundation efforts, become his friend on Facebook or Myspace.
