Alabama learning from top-end guest speakers during fall camp
TUSCALOOSA Ala. — Along with the position battles, the meeting and installing the playbook, Alabama has carved out time to hear from some top-end quest speakers during fall camp.
Through the 10 days, the Crimson Tide has heard from four guest speakers: Michael Phelps, Larry Fitzgerald, C. L. “Shep” Sheppard and Maria Taylor. From top athletes to media personalities, Alabama has had its fair share of heralded guest speakers during the Nick Saban era, all with the purpose of helping mold the players for the future.
“It’s all about messaging,” Saban said on Aug. 7. “You’ve heard me say this many times before. We're trying to help our players be more successful in life in terms of sort of the psychological disposition, the mindset that they can create for themselves in terms of the habits that they create that's going to contribute to them being successful in whatever they choose to do. And realizing what they do on the field and off the field are things that I think a lot of lessons can be learned from those things that can carry over in their life.”
Along with different messages, each speaker has had a theme during this year’s fall camp. Phelps kicked off the circuit by talking about how every athlete has a finite time period to perform at the top of their game. It’s something the former Olympic swimmer knows a thing or two about as he’s heralded as one of the most decorated swimmers of all time, winning 23 gold medals.
The team has also heard from some of the best NFL players such as Fitzgerald who has tallied more than 17,000 receiving yards during his 17-year career. His message about loving the process struck a chord with Saban when he spoke to reporters on Wednesday.
“One of the players asked (Fitzgerald), ‘How did you stay motivated when you had so much success for so long?” He said, ‘I love the process. I love watching film, I love to practice. I caught extra balls before practice, I ran routes with the quarterback after practice. I love the process. Then when the game came, it was really, really easy,’” Saban said. “That’s kind of interesting. Some of our best players, some of our really good players we’ve had here, traditionally in the past, that’s exactly how they were. That’s exactly how a lot of the guys on our team right now who are really good players, that’s how they are. But we need to have everybody be that way.”
Every message does not revolve around becoming a better football player, some speakers have also stressed the importance of moving forward.
Throughout fall camp, it has been hard for Alabama players to move on from the team’s 33-18 loss to Georgia at the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship. Case and point, the team has placed what Emil Ekiyor Jr. called the “participation trophy” in the cafeteria to serve as a reminder of what the goal is for this season.
Along with that added motivation, the players were also reminded to not dwell in the past which stuck with Henry To’o To’o.
“We just had a guest speaker yesterday who said your (windshield) is bigger than your rearview mirror. Last year is last year,” To’o To’o said on Aug. 5. “Fall camp started yesterday, first practice is exciting. We've got a lot of things to work on, but we’re super excited about the players we have, the opportunities that we have to live the Alabama standard and create identities that we want.”
Sometimes the guest speakers can spark new mantras for the team to rely on throughout the fall season. One that may catch is “Good, Better, Best” by Sheppard, who was Alabama’s most recent speaker and Jordan Battle’s favorite speaker so far in the series.
“He defined greatness as ‘dirty work in the dark,’” Battle said. “He’s been my favorite so far. Obviously, Michael Phelps was great. Maria Taylor, we had her yesterday, was great. Larry Fitzgerald as well just hearing his story of how he got to the (NFL) and how he can do better.”