2008 Woodie Awards
Behind the blue and white: Halftime in the Charger locker room
Brandon Muri
Issue date: 9/20/07 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 1
4:00 p.m. Except for the primal, thumping bass of the rap music, the Charger football locker room was silent at halftime. The Chargers exerted complete control over Ashland Univerity during the first half, but cheering and backslapping were absent from the scene.
After filing in, the sweat soaked players allowed themselves to sit but not loose focus.
Senior Mark Nicolet, the team's co-captain, roared the first words heard over the booming music:
"Come on boys; we got this; lock it down, baby," he said, as he stalked by the rows of players like an army general.
The players gave no reaction, their heads nodding in cadence with the beat, their eyes intense, predatory.
4:05 p.m. After a quick energy boost of fruit and protein bars, the players removed their pads for a restroom break. They were relaxed but still silent and intense.
4:10 p.m. Offense and defense broke into groups to make minute improvements to their strategy, regroup and visualize their adjustments.
4:20 p.m. "Alright boys, you've still got time - focus on your deep breathing," head coach Keith Otterbein said.
Nicolet lay on the floor. He practiced a deep breathing and positive meditation technique the team learned this year. He visualized every move the defense will make and his
correct response in retaliation.
4:25 p.m. The players piled in front of the stadium entrance like racehorses, stepping side-to-side anxious, ready. Like a moving organism, the line, undulating with energy waited to be released.
"Let's bury 'em boys, this is our time," co-captain Tom Korte, a junior, boomed.
Nicolet started to sweat inside his helmet. Someone shouted the call for captains and his heart began to pound.
Korte and Nicolet stepped to the front, prepared to lead their team to victory.
After filing in, the sweat soaked players allowed themselves to sit but not loose focus.
Senior Mark Nicolet, the team's co-captain, roared the first words heard over the booming music:
"Come on boys; we got this; lock it down, baby," he said, as he stalked by the rows of players like an army general.
The players gave no reaction, their heads nodding in cadence with the beat, their eyes intense, predatory.
4:05 p.m. After a quick energy boost of fruit and protein bars, the players removed their pads for a restroom break. They were relaxed but still silent and intense.
4:10 p.m. Offense and defense broke into groups to make minute improvements to their strategy, regroup and visualize their adjustments.
4:20 p.m. "Alright boys, you've still got time - focus on your deep breathing," head coach Keith Otterbein said.
Nicolet lay on the floor. He practiced a deep breathing and positive meditation technique the team learned this year. He visualized every move the defense will make and his
correct response in retaliation.
4:25 p.m. The players piled in front of the stadium entrance like racehorses, stepping side-to-side anxious, ready. Like a moving organism, the line, undulating with energy waited to be released.
"Let's bury 'em boys, this is our time," co-captain Tom Korte, a junior, boomed.
Nicolet started to sweat inside his helmet. Someone shouted the call for captains and his heart began to pound.
Korte and Nicolet stepped to the front, prepared to lead their team to victory.
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