WILLIE PILE
Ever since we were eliminated from playoff contention three weeks ago, I have fielded the same two questions from friends, family, and media every week. The first question is: “How does your team stay motivated to come to practice and play the game when your fate has been sealed?” and the other question is: “What’s next for you and the team?”
The answer to the first question is pretty easy, as we’ve established a practice tempo and work ethic that I haven’t been a part of in my previous two years in Toronto. We all realize that we’re paid to perform for the full 18-game schedule and nothing less is acceptable. Another reason is that before every season, I set team goals and individual statistical goals for myself.
To me, goals are very important and serve as a roadmap to determine if I’m going in the right direction. Furthermore, they provide tangible reminders that if I am off course, I can identify where it occurred and how I can get back on track. Honestly, most of the team goals have been shot down, but I do have a chance to reach the personal goals I’ve set, all of which won’t be as rewarding because of the overall team performance. The final reason is that we have a great group of professionals on the team that enjoy playing the game for one another and for our great fans.
The answer to the second question varies from player to player, however we all understand that after November 8, we have a responsibility to improve individually if we want to field a Grey Cup-contending team in 2010.
The most important part of the off-season will be each player, coach, and front-office person taking a long and critical look in the mirror and identifying their own strengths and weaknesses and how they can maximize the former and minimize the latter to facilitate the overall improvement of the team. This self-evaluation process will provide the foundation from which to build on in 2010.
I am aware that every off-season presents its own challenges including finding a seasonal job, withdrawal from playing the game, deciding when to begin your workouts and when to relax; and for some, deciding whether to re-sign with your team or test the free agency waters.
The great thing about our team, and probably all eight teams in the CFL, is that football doesn’t define who we are; rather it is our occupation that we happen to be very good at. We are also husbands, fathers, educators, mentors, personal trainers, business owners, students, and even coaches. The unfortunate thing is that based on the record we’ve earned this year in Toronto, we will be returning to those other occupations far too soon.
The same cannot be said for the members of the other seven teams in the CFL, all of whom still hold championship aspirations heading into the final week of the regular season. Teams are getting hot at the right time and, as I’ve said in previous articles, once you get into the playoffs, it’s anybody’s game. In what has shaped up to be an exciting finish to the 2009 regular season, fans of the CFL are in for a huge treat leading up to the Grey Cup in Calgary.
Although that game is played over the U.S. version of Thanksgiving weekend, I’ll make it a point to watch the Grey Cup on TSN and root for individual players, not necessarily the teams participating. In addition to taking on-line graduate courses in Sports Administration and possibly doing an internship at a university, I’ll be a house-dad, making the most of my time with my family and conducting my own self-evaluation before training camp in 2010.
I’d like to once again thank the CFL.ca website for allowing me to share my thoughts over the course of the season and a special thank you to the wonderful fans of the CFL for visiting this site for all of your CFL news, updates, and articles.
Good luck to the teams who make the playoffs and I look forward to competing against you next season in our quest for a championship ring. God bless you all!