Tony Beltran’s thoughtful account of United States camp

Scanning for an insider look at how things operate past the velvet ropes of a U.S. national team camp? Specifically, how they are operating around Jurgen Klinsmann’s ongoing January camp?

Here ‘tis. It’s a thoughtful, personal account of the team’s camp from Real Salt Lake outside back Tony Beltran, from USSoccer.com.

It is absolutely jam-packed with fantastic detail. For instance, Beltran talks about the tricky psychology of the fitness testing, particularly the VO2 max test, a real talker among the group of Americans at the Home Depot Center training site. Consensus: players who can block out the “suffocating feeling of wearing a mask” were way ahead of the game.

Throughout the long, well-considered piece, you’ll see the word “business” a lot. I know some people refer to the January process as “Camp Cupcake,” and probably don’t mean it as disparaging as it sounds. But clearly, players understand what’s at stake personally, sensing the tug of opportunity right where it counteracts the weight of what it means to their careers.

There’s something else to be gleaned by Beltran’s account, too. Here’s a guy who is “getting it” – and he is new to the international-level, a first-timer to the national team environment. Still, he sees exactly what Klinsmann is getting at here, attempting to guide this mostly young assemble through a comprehensive approach to professional betterment.

At the same time, Beltran understands that it all points to the same place:

While performance on the field is how we are ultimately judged as soccer players, what is done in between trainings and games is highly contributive to performance. In our first week of camp most of our time would be spent in the gym with our fitness coach and in daily core workouts with a Pilates instructor. Players are kept busy with multiple workouts a day, but the necessary tools to take care of ourselves as athletes are always available and first-class. The environment is extremely professional and goal-oriented.”