The college football offseason is perhaps one of the most important time frames in the college football calendar year. While coaches cannot have contact with players in any organized team setting, the players generally workout on campus with the Strength & Conditioning staff to stay in shape and to continue to develop their physical traits. This is how the bulk of D1 programs operate during this time of year. Barton College will have something similar and the players will be working to continue to improve their physical fitness and technique during the summer. If players are unable to be on campus they will be in touch with the S&C staff members to ensure they are following plans and such. The goal is when it comes time for them to report back at the end of the summer in an official capacity, they will be ready for Fall camp to start up.
The Bulldog Insiders reached out to someone who could speak on how important this time is for players, especially a team as young as Barton is. I'm pretty sure most football fans will recognize this gentleman and know the fierce mindset he brought to the field while he was one of the top players at his position in the NFL...
Former Carolina Panthers & Baltimore Ravens WR Steve Smith Sr.
I had the opportunity to speak with Steve Smith Sr when I made this request, and we spoke on the phone for roughly five minutes about messaging and what it takes for the players to really dig deep to take the next steps in their maturation and development. I believe Smith Sr really nailed this theme in his message.
Smith Sr really went above and beyond with this process, one that not many athletes and stars do during the Cameo booking process. He could have just brushed the booking request off or ignored it. However, he took the extra steps to reach out to me to discuss this request. It's a real testament to the type of person he is. He will be getting updates on how Barton College performs in the upcoming 2021 Fall season to show the message was well received. Maybe we can make a Bulldog fan out of him at the end of the day?
Regardless, he has shared an important message with our team and I'm willing to bet our players will take it to heart and put the work in to make a difference next season. Bold and uncommon traits are not easy to come by, and I know our team is filled with individuals who share these traits.
We will all need a #BulldogMentality to prepare for this next season and hopefully have a full Truist Stadium on Barton's campus to cheer our beloved team on to many victories.
