JR On Saturday

Footy, family, chores rule in off-season

THIS year's NBL season has been in my rearview mirror for a few weeks now.
So when I am out and about around town I am often asked, `what do you do now?'
Like anyone else, I can find plenty of ways to fill my down- time.

First and foremost I look forward to spending some time with the family.
The hectic nature of our season means they get a little neglected over those months, especially when we leave town for up to a week at a time.

So, thanks to the people in the Mundingburra area who swerve to miss the `peleton' consisting of my two sons and me riding our bikes to and from school in the morning, which has become the norm.

Once we've returned home safely, the next order of business involves sitting down and enjoying a coffee with my wife.

I am gradually training her to make my latte with just the right amount of foam.
After a morning of coffee and quality time wraps up, it is time to attend to all those jobs I put off during the season.

Yard work, cleaning the car and general maintenance around the house are usually at the top of the list. About this time, I start thinking pre-season cannot come quickly enough.

Resting and refreshing the body and mind is paramount during this down-time. My body becomes mentally and physically fatigued by season's end. This is the time I allow myself to have a break so that I am ready to go again when we fire up for next season.

I give myself about a month's break from most types of physical activity before getting back into it. Trust me, too much time off makes everything that much harder when training for next season starts up again.

There are a few activities I look forward to during the off-season that keep me from moulding myself permanently into the couch.

Currently, I'm playing indoor cricket once a week and am quietly hoping the IPL scouts make an unexpected stop at Thuringowa in the near future.

Tennis is also a big off-season activity among the Crocs players. The Riverside Gardens Open is a must-see for all. Some of the highlights are likely to include Kelvin Robertson going to any length necessary to run around his backhand. I think Daniel Egan is hoping to become Lleyton Hewitt's training partner when Hewitt comes to town for the Davis Cup.

Last but not least, footy season takes over the house. Down come the Crocs posters and up go the Thurston and Bowen showpieces.

Much to the dismay of my wife, the transition from basketball to footy season is absolutely seamless this year. It is a sports fan's dream.

Oh, and speaking of my wife, she has just returned from the shops so I better lend a hand so that dinner can be ready just in time for the footy.

My article appears every Saturday in the Townsville Bulletin.