God grant me patience ... and do it right now!

Interview with Sonny Weishaupt

Sonny Weishaupt:Football was practically in my blood. My father used to play himself and was active as an official and stadium announcer as long as I can remember. As a result, I regularly attended games as a young child and experienced the action up close. Additionally, in Babenhausen, the city where I grew up, there was a US military base where many US soldiers and their families were stationed until 2005. This meant that there were also a few American children in the neighborhood, so for me as a child, throwing and catching a football was just as normal as kicking a soccer ball for other kids.

At the age of eight, I played my first game of flag football, while also being quite successful in soccer on the side. However, since I was 13, my full attention has been on football, and from that point on, there was only this one sport for me. At the age of 14, I was granted a special permit to participate in A-youth games, real tackle football, even though this age group went up to 19 years old.

Sonny Weishaupt:Primarily, the team spirit, the interaction of all weight classes, and the intercultural and social interaction with boys of all ethnicities, social classes, etc. All this, combined with the imparting of values such as respect for authority and teammates, discipline, ambition, and the respect for hierarchies and a clear team structure. Of course, the attention and recognition one receives when they are "good" at something – and I was good back then. The realization that you are only as good as the team makes you humble and you learn that true success can only be achieved together. This conditional dependence and the associated learning of trust bring people together and create friendships that go far beyond the football field.

Sonny Weishaupt:The quarterback is the playmaker, he is the focus of the opposing defense. As a quarterback, you are in the spotlight, whether you want it or not. Therefore, you must find a way to deal with this attention.

Every football novice always recognizes the playmaker and can form an opinion about him. In an optimal setup, you act as an extended arm of the coach and take on the role of the "Field General." You are essentially the leader on the field. A healthy winning mentality is probably brought by every player who is successful in the 1st league, otherwise, they wouldn't be there. The difference between quarterbacks and other successful players probably lies simply in their approach. Of course, there are exceptions, and I can only speak for myself, but it can probably be said that quarterbacks have to spend more time preparing to better understand the game than others.

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Of course, one must also keep physically fit and healthy, which requires regular hours in the gym. However, the biggest difference is made by the theoretical preparation.

Furthermore, one also represents the team in a way, where my mentor Micah Brown once told me, one should never be "never too high and never too low." This refers to body language and overall expression. Even after a seemingly top game, one should not "lose composure" any more than after a complete disaster game where nothing seemed to work.

Sonny Weishaupt:He must embody the aforementioned things and put himself at the service of the team, whether as a starting QB or backup. It takes more than just a good quarterback to have a successful season. One must be self-assured, never stopping training and improving one's playing ability. One must never stop being open to new coaching points. One can imagine it like receiving a toolbox from their first coach. This toolbox is initially empty and must be filled over the course of one's career. One may receive all the necessary tools from a coach, sometimes bits from many different coaches, but one can never have enough tools in their imaginary toolbox. These tools must also be cared for and maintained. Even the best knife needs to be sharpened at some point to remain sharp. However, I do not only include the pure mechanics like footwork, throwing motion, or read progressions in these so-called tools, but also the character traits that need to be learned like virtues.

All of this also includes not always listening to the many critical voices around you and relying on yourself and concentrating on yourself. Seeing these critics as motivation, but never letting them belittle you. On the contrary, trying to grow from it. Of course, one should still remain open to criticism and take true criticism to heart. However, it is essential to pay attention to where this criticism comes from and how it is presented to you.

Sonny Weishaupt:Physical training is already known. Hours upon hours of training with weights, numerous running sessions, coordination exercises, as well as muscle building and speed training. Lots of sweat, dedication, and overcoming. But the body is our capital as athletes, and the muscles are the airbags of the bones. To play in a performance-oriented way, this is simply necessary.

To train my mind and prepare optimally, I use every free minute available to me for football to study plays, watch video tutorials, analyze players, and literally study football. In addition, I receive help from my close friend and mentor Micah Brown, who watches my training and game videos and coaches me based on them. Of course, I take advantage of every theory session that is offered. Just focus on football as much as possible and learn how I can gain more experience and knowledge to improve.

The optimal combination of both preparation methods is participation in camps. In camps, you constantly meet new people with different backgrounds and different game philosophies. This can only make you better, which brings us back to the tools and the toolbox.