KICKING OFF: Togetherness in Terras camp is uplifting

8:53am Saturday 5th July 2008

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WEYMOUTH returned to pre-season training this week and the atmosphere that surrounds the club at the moment can only be described as refreshing.

A wave of enthusiasm and optimism has been gathering pace throughout the summer at the Wessex Stadium and now Terras' fans are eagerly awaiting their side's first pre-season friendly, which will take place at Portland United next Friday night.

Thanks to an invitation from manager John Hollins and his assistant Alan Lewer, I was fortunate enough to go and watch their new-look squad being put through their paces by Sergeant Major Stef Collins and I could not help but be impressed.

The fitness levels displayed by the players were extremely high but the main mark the experience left on me was the incredible team spirit and togetherness throughout the whole camp.

Talk to any of the players and they will tell you just how hard the past five days have been but you will also see just how much they are buzzing from the sense of achievement.

Under Collins' supervision they have undertaken countless drills including obstacle courses, the bleep test, team games and upper body sessions all designed to push them to their limits and believe me they went there and more.

But the sessions were not just designed purely for physical fitness they also centred on strengthening mental toughness and the belief to succeed together and for each other.

Not only were the squad issued with army overalls that they had to iron and keep in pristine condition but they were also put on parade every day.

The slightest crease was punished with press-ups as was any physical sign of slouching. Hands on hips or arms folded at any stage during the day received the same treatment as I even found to my cost.

The sessions culminated with a gruelling challenge that saw the whole squad have to transport medicine balls and tyres from the Portland Heights Hotel to Chesil Beach where they then had to run up and over the pebbles with them for just over a mile.

They then had to carry them through the water off Chesil Beach car park and take them to the top of the hill on the other side before then making the return journey.

The character needed to complete a feat like that is huge and even Collins admitted that it was much harder than he thought it would be.

Hollins and Lewer are delighted with the core fitness that is already instilled in their squad and now they will go to work on the football side and they have built a balanced squad to work with.

This week's signings of Chris McPhee and Kevin Sandwith have added experience alongside the likes of Marcus Browning, Ryan Williams and Santos Gaia, and there is also a fine group of young talent that will no doubt be looking to prove their worth over the forthcoming campaign.

Fears that the squad is too heavily laden with youngsters are understandable but many of them have got a pedigree even if they are only in the early years of their careers.

If new boys like Josh Webb, Sam Cutler, Adam Bygrave, Pierre Joseph-Dubois and Cameron Mawer can have the same impact as Anton Robinson and Scott Doe did last season then the club will surely be on to a winner.

But do not be surprised if Hollins and Lewer keep a bit of their budget left over for possible loan deals.

A couple of gems of the same ilk as Stephen Henderson and Chris Blackburn, who had such a major impact towards the end of last term, would put the finishing touches on an already exciting squad.

*TWO days ago the Terras unveiled a partnership programme with Dorset children's hospice charity Julia's House.

The move could be seen as a gamble but for me it is further evidence of the club's increasing commitment to strengthen their links with the local community.

The increased emphasis on attracting families to the Wessex Stadium and the enthusiasm John Hollins and Alan Lewer have for the town are encouraging signs and I look forward to seeing the players visit local schools, hospitals and businesses throughout the campaign.

This latest link up and the club's motto 'Forward Together' can only be reinforced with that type of commitment and although the initial financial benefits may be slow in arriving at first it will hopefully lead to a sustainable community club in the future.

If that bigger picture is delivered then it will be worth its weight in gold.