Shark Tryouts
he football player hopefuls came early on Saturday morning to Cow Meadow Park in Freeport, Long Island. They followed the signs to what they hope would get them a spot the 2002 New York Sharks roster. Click on the image to the right to watch a video of the tryouts.
It was a clear and cool day, with a bit of wind in the air. Actually a perfect day to run around a field trying to impress the Sharks’ braintrust.
After registration, the hopefuls were put through a series of drills. These drills were designed to show what basic talents (like speed, coordination, and strength) they had. The players had to do push-ups, sit-ups, run the 40 yard dash, and run through obstacles. All the while, Sharks’ staff were watching and timing the players trials.
After evaluating each players based on their raw talents, the staff looked at football specific skills, such as passing receiving, and kicking. In some instances, it was the very first time a player had tired to punt a football. Sometimes the player would be surprised by their ability and sometimes not.
After the tryouts, the Sharks’ owner, Andra Douglas addressed the hopefuls. Decisions on who will make the team would not be made until after the other 2 tryouts are held over the next 2 months. Those that make the cut will be invited to a mini-camp in February. Until then, they should all continue to work out and brush up on the finer points of football. All were also invited to join the New York Sharks Red-Shirt Team which is an open practice each week, where players can work on their football skills supervised by Sharks staff. If you would be interested in joing the Red-Shirt team, contact Crystal Turpin.
Among the players trying out was one who came all the way from Ohio and two players who are professional boxers. Pictured to the right are middleweight Veronica “Vicious” Simmons, ranked #3 and heavyweight Keisha Snow, ranked #2. Both players love the sport of football, but more importantly to them, they loved facing another challenge. Click on the image to the right to watch a video of these boxers.
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