You will likely come across highlights of the 7-on-7 A7FL (American 7s Football League) with full contact. Unsurprisingly, you've likely questioned the sanity of a player willing to take such devastating hits without the protection of a helmet.
What cannot be questioned about the men qualified for the league is their love of the game. Corey "CP3" Price will launch his sixth campaign when season eight of the A7FL kicks off on April 11th on FITE. One of the standout players in the league at quarterback, Price, like all players, has had his own unique journey that brought him to the A7.
A high school standout at wide receiver, cornerback and kick / punt returner, wide receiver and cornerback, Price had to turn down a college scholarship so that he could help his mother and sister, who was pregnant at the time, his nephew. Price never suspected the decision, but when he found out about the A7 in 2015, he knew it was something that would give him the euphoria of serious competition that would help alleviate the pressures of the times he found himself asked: "What if?"
"This league saved me from a lot of depression," said Price. "Being out there doing what I love gives me a sense of accomplishment and excitement that I can't really explain. Before this league, I really wasn't that happy. I feel like I was missing an opportunity because I didn't go to school and playing football in this league gave something back. "
Price hasn't played since last August, and since he was the father of two year-old boys, Liam and Logan, and worked in customs at Newark Airport, he didn't think he'd have the time to play this season. As the A7 continues to grow and gain popularity, it was determined to continue to help raise the bar and return the favor of a league that gave it so much joy.
Once his mother was able to take care of the boys while he and their mother worked, he was thrilled that he could do what he loves again. This season he will do it with the New Jersey B.I.C. whom he led to a title in 2016 - after spending the last two seasons with the New Jersey Savage.
"I'm so excited," said Price. "I've been to the gym a lot since the season was so short, I've seen a lot of movies and thought about a few things over the past few weeks."
His typical schedule sees him at work from 9 p.m. Monday to Friday until 6 a.m. He will come home and spend time with his sons until they lie down to take a nap around 10am. They wake him up after about an hour, and the next time he sleeps, it will be about three to four hours before he has to wake up for work.
Since his mother is now helping with his boys, he has prepared for the two-day season from Wednesday to Saturday. After getting home from work, he takes a shower and goes straight to his Planet Fitness neighborhood to work out. Then he either goes back to the gym with his friends or goes to the field in the late afternoon for a second workout.
Before starting, Price typically stretches 10 to 15 minutes before hitting the treadmill to get an incline and stretch his calf muscles. Price says the league is all about perseverance and perseverance. At 5 & # 39; 8 and about 150 lbs. Does he rely on his speed and athleticism to get around guys. After the treadmill. He then runs through his body for 30 minutes, concentrating on the legs, stomach, chest and arms. Four sets of 25 are executed on each machine.
"Whenever I go to the gym, I like to maximize everything for 100 reps to get an even balance for my whole body," says Price. "After that I go up, bench press. The steps are usually at the end and I like to end my workout by feeling sore. I will always finish with ladders and legs because I feel like my legs are on most important because I crawl a lot. "
If Price makes it out on the field later in the day, he'll do some QB exercises with guys to improve his timing and footwork. When alone, he runs off to improve his stamina and endurance, finishing off the workout with end zone to end zone sprints until he's ready to vomit.
Those hits that you see in the highlights, damn it, they hurt. Price says he and the players referred to the day after the games as "A7 Monday" because they are all in pain when they have to go to work. Making recovery even more important for him this season is the fact that he will be working on Sunday, match days.
"This is going to be interesting," laughed Price. “The pain is a combination of not being in the way I should be and I need to gain some weight and muscle to take the hits. I honestly don't feel like I'm healed until Thursday. This year I'd like to take the extra initiative to take an Epsom salt bath before work or make sure I have an icy hot spot if my back is sore. "
It may sound crazy to most, but if you speak to a league player you won't hear any complaints. Price says he's never seen anyone have a serious or serious injury, even without protective gear. He believes players who have no gear and have to go to work the next day will have to be less reckless with their bodies - even if the highlights show otherwise.
So keep thinking, these guys are crazy and shy away from the volatility of hits. But watch a game. Check out the camaraderie, hustle and bustle and skill on the field and you will see what matters why one of us starts playing a particular sport. Then ask yourself: If you had the chance to relive the euphoria you got from competing at a high level, wouldn't you?
You will then find that these guys are not that crazy at all.
"Even when I'm not playing, I watch movies or past games at home," says Price. “This league is an important part of my life now and means a lot to me. I'm just a normal guy who loves to play soccer. "
