Mini Camp Kicks Off..

Well, it’s one step closer to the season starting with the first preseason game versus the Baltimore Ravens at the Georgia Dome on August 9, and the regular season opener at the Kansas City Chiefs on September 9. Today kicks off Atlanta Falcons mini camp. All practices are open to the public free of charge, except for morning walkthroughs. See schedule times below.

All practices are held at the Falcons practice facilities at team headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga. At these practices, the team will be focusing on beefing up the drills at a faster pace as the completion of the new playbooks (offense/defense) are installed. This will be the first time that the coaches will be able to evaluate the team as a whole. OTA’s (organized team activities) were mainly optional and for the rookies. The rookies will now be put to the test to play with the veterans to see how they adjust to the faster pace.

There is much more to mini camp than what you might see on the field. It’s study time. Yes, players are on their own when they are home to look over the playbook and study the plays. But when the players  are not on the field, they are in the classroom going over different schemes with the coaches to get better acclimated with the plays. It’s on thing to learn the play in the classroom, then turn around and run that same play on the field. A lot of the learning process is on the field because that’s where they plays are run.

Here is a list of practices and times. (Courtesy atlantafalcons.com)
Tuesday, June 19

• Walkthrough 10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. (Closed to the public)
• Practice 3:30 p.m. – 5:20 p.m. (Open to the public; Gates open at 2:30 p.m.)

Wednesday, June 20

• Walkthrough 10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. (Closed to the public)
• Practice 3:30 p.m. – 5:20 p.m. (Open to the public; Gates open at 2:30 p.m.)

Thursday, June 21

Mark A. Kirkley: twitter @makirkley I am a loving husband, father.  God and family are #1 in my life. Kennesaw State Univ alum in Journalism.  Academic librarian/writer/blogger. “Your thoughts are better organized  when they are written.”

• Practice 10:30 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. (Open to the public; Gates open at 9:30 a.m.)

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Posted 2 minutes ago by mkirkley