Aug. 22, 2008
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The Lafayette Athletic Communications staff caught up with senior defensive back Marvin Clecidor to talk about preseason and the upcoming 2008 campaign, which begins Sept. 6 at Marist.
You spent your summer working in Easton. Where did you work and what did you do? "I had an internship down at City Hall in Easton with the Planning and Development Department. The job involved learning and understanding what goes on behind the scenes in the making of a city as far as the development of urban parts of the city. I got a hands-on opportunity to look at blueprints and the different types of things they were building, and to see the different types of people living in certain parts of the city. It was interesting and I definitely learned a lot."
How has preseason been going so far? "Preseason has gone great. I feel like we've gotten a lot work done, especially with the younger guys. We're trying to develop depth on the team and we have a lot of guys back who have been performing well and I think the younger guys have done a great job of learning the plays and becoming better role players on this team."
Do you like the different preseason schedule this year with two weeks of preseason camp and two weeks of classes before the first game? "It's two-sided. It's a good thing because the fewer weeks in camp is better for us players because we'll be fresher when it comes time to play football in an actual game. The downside, though, is that as a football player we're eager to play right now and we have to wait an extra week to see some action."
Have you approached preseason differently this year knowing it's your final one? "I've approached it entirely differently. Coming in as a freshman, sophomore, and even my junior year, I was just putting in the work and getting ready but I wasn't as excited during the preseason. Now I'm taking it all in stride and having fun while I'm out here with the guys. I feel like this team has a special bond--we're like a family out here and I'm enjoying this preseason more."
Do you feel any pressure to continue the successes you had individually last season or do you look at this season as a new start? "I approach it like it's a clean slate. Last year was last year and we have different guys out there now. As a member of this team, I just have to make sure I go out there and do my job and take care of what I need to take care of. I'm not putting pressure on myself. I'm out there to have fun and be ready to play."
Which game are you most excited about this season? I'm excited for the first one just because it's the first actual game. Of course we lost to Colgate and Fordham last year and those are two of our Patriot League foes, so I'm excited to play those two teams again because I want to go out on top as a senior. I don't want to lose to them two years in a row."
What's one thing that fans may not realize about preseason? "Fans may not realize the amount of time we spend with each other. From about eight in the morning to 10 at night, we're in and out of this building. We get to build a strong bond during preseason because we're around each other so much."
What's the worst part and the best part about preseason? "The worst part is being out here--it's grueling, it's hot. We constantly practice and work hard to get better which is good but grueling. The best part of preseason is the last practice and it's actually over."
