Winston spent a few hours walking around the hotel, waiting for the ten AM training session. He was greatly unsettled by what he had just heard, not realizing the problem had escalated while he was away. People gave him stares and whispers. It seems bets were placed on both Winston and Maximilian, with Maximilian being the favored winner. Despite Dumi giving him the day off, Winston still went to the training ground for warm-ups. In actuality, the popularity of this match started to get to him, and those murmurs bothered him so much that he couldn't enjoy the hotel tour he was embarking on.
Despite that, he kept warming up until the training session was due to restart. The ground fence had a familiar black SUV parked beside it. The car with darkly tinted windows stayed there for a long time, watching Winston from a distance.
"Ma'am, he seems to have improved from earlier. I think he is ready."
"It's not enough, he still needs more time. Let's just keep an eye on him from this distance. We will see how far he has improved in the next upcoming match."
Winston rested on the concrete stairs, enjoying the gentle morning sun after completing his warm-up exercises. The training ground was exclusively for him; Dumi arranged for them to have the entire space at specific times.
I hope Dumi has some more advanced training for shooting. I need to ask him about the dead-ball. Maybe he can help me master the technique.
"You done with the warm-ups," said Dumi, casting a shadow over Winston, who was seated down.
His head jerked up in alarm as he sprang to his feet. "Um, yes," he responded, promptly standing to confront Dumi, who was signaling disapproval. Winston found himself rubbing the back of his head, as he had not anticipated Dumi making an appearance at the training ground today. After being granted a day off, Winston found himself looking downwards and struggling to formulate an excuse, ultimately releasing a heavy sigh before telling his coach, "I apologize, Coach. I understand I was scheduled to take the day off, however, the word about the approaching match has already gotten out."
"Didn't you at least get some sleep, still nervous about the upcoming match, ehm.. It's okay to be nervous, but don't let it take over?" Dumi continued, "Oh yeah, your match is now popular around the hotel and outside too."
"..."
"C'mon, let's continue with our training—what are we focusing on this week? Oh yeah, let's do some physical drills."
"Coach, can you please teach me about the dead-ball kick?" said Winston, following Dumi who was placing some training equipment on the training ground.
"Not now, we have to first—we have to build your physical form. There are three styles of the dead-ball: dip, knuckle, power—knuckle shots. Right now, your form is too basic, during the match against Arlesey was actually terrible. I should have started with your physicality, to be honest, but your ball control, dribbling and passing really bothered me." Dumi added, "Anyway, let's resume training. We will start with your stamina."
The initial training exercise involved the strategic placement of eight cones, forming a perfectly straight line with an exact one-meter interval separating each cone from the next. Winston successfully navigated the initial four cones with a perfect zig-zag motion, ensuring he did not make contact with any of them, and then proceeded to zig-zag around a fifth cone, requiring him to lightly tap the ball as he maneuvered. He executed this drill about twenty times, going back and forth—this speed training helps with explosive acceleration.
The sequence of drills continued with shuffle runs and a triangle dash, wherein the shuffle run drill specifically entails the arrangement of cones in a straight line, with each cone positioned a few meters apart from its neighbor. The point of these drills is to stay low, balanced, and light on the feet, and one has to avoid crossing their legs while moving sideways. Winston darted between the cones, feet skimming the grass in sharp, balanced slides. He executed the same maneuvers as on the first drill. The shuffle run helps with reaction speed, body control, and acceleration. It helps with body balance, too.
Following a brief intermission, he proceeded to the subsequent drill, which involved a triangle dash exercise, alternatively referred to as the triangle agility dash. This particular drill has been specifically designed to enhance both agility and speed, and it involves the strategic placement of six cones arranged in a diagonal formation. Winston needed to sprint between these cones in a specific pattern in order to improve his acceleration, sharp turns, and ball control. Winston sprinted from one cone to another cone, dashing back and forth on the cones one at a time with precision. Again he executed the drill about the same twenty times as the last two drills. The drill improved Winston's explosive acceleration, balance, and body control.
Ding!
[Nethen Essence: 60%]
[Voltage Core: 60%]
"Okay, that's enough for now, take a breather, we will resume later." said Dumi, analyzing Winston's movements from an observing distance. Rubbing his chin, Winston's quick improvement impressed Dumi. "I talked to your coach—we will be going on a trip after the shooting drill."
Glancing at Dumi, Winston, with a concerned expression he asked, "oh okay, is it related to training?"
Dumi turned over at Winston with a smile, he replied. "Yes, it is, but whether it will be fruitful will depend on you… Anyway, who is that kid who plays as the winger?"
"You mean Oswin Alexus," said Winston, brow furrowed
As he grasped the ball in his hands, a sudden realization seemed to strike him, causing him to point directly at Winston as if an idea had just materialized. "Yeah, him, in our next session, bring him along."
"Okay, will do."
"The last drills will mark the end of our current session, after which one of my buddies, the owner of a gym situated a short distance away, he will guide us through the upper body exercises at their establishment."
The last drill on the training ground was for Winston's footwork exercises. Agility ladder drills, which involve the utilization of flat ladders positioned on the ground, serve the purpose of enhancing an individual's footwork capabilities. Winston steps in and out of the ladder square in quick patterns, the same as before he performed the drill twenty times. This drill helps with fast feet, coordination, rhythm and timing, and acceleration and body control.
Ding!
[Nethen Essence: 61%]
[Voltage Core: 61%]
The training drills combination has helped Winston with both body control and his mind. Until now, Winston hasn't put much pressure on himself. Dumi assured him earlier that stressing over the upcoming match will only strain his muscles, and he will injure himself. So what he needed was to take it step by step, and these training drills helped his mind and body to focus and relax. Of course, Dumi taught him some techniques that helped him to focus on the task at hand, on the first week of training, Dumi suggested to Winston to visit the sauna for two hours. To relax his muscles, since all the intense training may tighten his muscles and coarse damage.
"Did you find it? The stuff,"
Maximilian, who was at that moment leaning over the iron hotel balcony, spoke the words. From a distance, Winston was training. With a malevolent gaze, he formed his index finger and thumb into a pincer-like gesture, mimicking a crushing action.
"Mmm, yeah, I got it. It's interesting seeing Dumi training that boy, the same basic training. But hey, everyone has their way of training, I guess," said a raspy, rugged voice, the figure leaning on the wall. He flicked a lighter and puffed smoke from his cigarette. He continued, "It will cost you more. It wasn't easy getting it—aren't you afraid that when they find out you will be forced out of the league and you will be arrested?"
"Striker coach, one problem at a time, once I win this upcoming match. I will go on a fasting ritual, and besides, I need to crush Winston. Someone who played terribly in the senior league can not outdo me. I need to go back, those bastard senior teammates used me and forced me to be kicked out."
Gripping his hands on the steel balcony with a malicious look. He continued, "He is being trained by one of the legendary striker. Even though I have been playing and training longer than him, he seems to be improving rapidly." Maximilian turned, facing the striker coach. Who had an indifferent expression, he puffed out cigarette smoke. Maximilian continued, "so I must not underestimate him, and I need to make an example out of him. I am thee best striker in this loser team."
Inhaling and exhaling cigarette smoke, the striker coach threw out the cigarette butt. And rifling through his pockets, a black plastic zipper-top poly bag. And handed it to Maximalian. As he watched Maximalian walking away with the plastic seal on his front pocket, he moved closer to the steel balcony and watched Winston with a sinister look and said, "Interesting, I can't wait to see this match."
The striker coach took out a pack of cigarette shook it, and one cigarette popped out. He placed it into his mouth, lit it, and inhaled and exhaled the smoke. He still fixed his gaze on Winston, watching him for a while.