Preparing for Semi-pro Football Tryouts

An award-winning executive, Philip Calhoun is the former executive vice president of Total Quality Engineering in Farmington Hills, Michigan, and former vice president of Nissan’s Canton, Mississippi manufacturing plant. A graduate of the University of Michigan, he was a Division I athlete and played semi-pro football for two years with the Oakville Longhorns.

Here are some general tips to help you prepare for tryouts if you’re aiming for a position on a semi-pro football team.

Don’t wait to start your training. Even though it’s not the highest echelons of the sport, you’ll still need to be in exceptional physical condition and it’s a good idea to start training as early as September. Additionally, incorporate multiple types of training into your regimen. You’ll need to work on increasing strength as well as cardiovascular fitness and develop explosive speed and power through plyometric exercises.

A balanced diet should complement your training. Whether you need to gain or lose weight, doing so with a balanced diet will help maintain your fitness levels as you train. Also, find out if the team will provide gear for your tryouts. If not, you’ll need to invest in your own equipment, including a helmet, shoulder guards, and a mouthguard.