9/22/2007 10:51:54 PM

The Road Monster

I used to travel all the time when I was young. For one sport, or another I seemed to always be away at some tournament, meet, tryout or camp. I remember friends asking me if it ever got lonely out there by myself on the road, or difficult in unfamiliar settings to compete at the highest level that I could. To be honest, I never found it very difficult to be away from home and compete. Some find that new cities pose new distractions, and the unfamiliarity of hotel rooms to be a nuisance at times. To me those only come into play if you allow them too. I think that part of the mystic about playing in cities like Montreal is the city itself.
While the Alouettes have been a very good team for as long as I’ve been in the league, I can’t help but think that city that they play in poses an advantage over each team due mainly to the newness of everything in it to non-French Canadians. It’s difficult to try to prepare new players for the Montreal trip in part because to walk down the street and get a meal ends up being somewhat of a geography and language lesson. The land can seem quite foreign all of the sudden with the language barrier suddenly introduced in full effect, as well as the bustling atmosphere of the city itself. It’s not at all the same feel as a Regina or Winnipeg road game. For many of our young Americans, this atmosphere may as well be Paris, France to them.
That being said, those of us in the know understand that regardless of where you’re playing, you should go through your regular routine. The routine may differ slightly from one’s normal routine at home, but it shouldn’t vary too greatly from what is comfortable to you. Often it seems that a Western team comes out to Toronto or Montreal and doesn’t bother to get off of the bus. One has to wonder how much of the lackadaisical approach to the game that shows up on the field is a result of the travel/ jetlag versus how much is a result of the city claiming victims prior to the game. Walking around, sightseeing, shopping, nightlife, etc. all of these things take their toll on a player and consequently a team’s chances at success.
Good teams find a way to avoid these pitfalls, and manage to show up regardless of where they are playing. To me it’s a matter of discipline, and understanding that the greater goal outweighs the moment. Our path to the play-offs seems to be one that would have us away from home virtually the entire way, as it looks thus far. It’s imperative for us to find a way to win on the road – big city or small, it can’t matter. We must take every field with the same passion and vigor that we do in Commonwealth, and the best way to do that is to lead up to the game the same way that we do at home. We cannot be blinded by the lights, and intoxicated by our surroundings – ours must be a clear, focused, concerted and collective effort.
Sleep well fellas, it’s an early start tomorrow. ©

KP8