Former USC V-Baller Kelli Tennant Blogs about Pro-Day

This is a pretty decent take.

I like it that someone who has played sports at the D-1 level can offer some insights into the mind of a high level athlete.

Everyone always focuses on the performances at NFL Combines and Pro Days; how fast they ran, how strong they looked, their stats and times. That’s all very important, and I had a great time watching the guys out on the field at USC Wednesday, but I’m far more intrigued by the process, the feelings, and the mindset from the moment the guys step off the field at USC to the moment they step on the field of their new NFL team.

     So, in order to find out what it’s like for some of the most outstanding athletes to ever come through USC, I turned to USC’s Taylor Mays and former USC star and current Green Bay Packer, Clay Matthews. Interestingly enough, the two had very similar mindsets and thoughts about how to handle this crazy time in their lives.

     The biggest initial change was the lifestyle. In college, these players spend a significant amount of time at practice, in the weight room and in the classroom analyzing film. So post college, take that amount of time and translate it into a six-days-a-week schedule, without the rest of the team. It’s just one or two athletes and their personal trainers and agents. The focus turns to the individual and his specific needs at that moment. From lifting, to nutrition, to his social life, everything is tailored, analyzed and critiqued to create an in-sync, flowing lifestyle allowing for success on a daily basis.

Yeap...

This is the real world now. This is what pays the bills. It is what these guys have worked so hard for a good portion of their life.

This is for real.

Go give this a read!