Comment: Walsall pre-season camp has built fitness and friendships

The gruelling Cassius Camps, in the Lake District, is how the Saddlers spent the first part of this week ramping up their preparations for the new season.

Three relentless days in Cumbria saw each and every player pushed to their physical and mental limits in a series of endurance based fitness challenges.

But this camp was about so much more than simply getting the players in shape ahead of the new campaign.

The aim of Cassius – according to founder Philip Ercolano – is to build relationships and team bonds that usually take years to form.

It is all about working together to overcome mental barriers and achieve things you never thought were possible.

And it really is amazing to see.

On the first night the players were eased in gently with series of complex puzzles designed to improve communication.

It was the perfect way to allow the new signings and younger players to integrate into the group.

And then on Monday, the ante was upped as the players were pushed to breaking point in military style boot camp.

After a gruelling ‘warm-up’ the squad was split into groups of defenders, midfielders and strikers – with the goalkeepers joining the forwards. Placed in front of them was an obstacle course designed to brutally target every area of the body.

Whether it was lifting logs, tipping tyres or carrying bags of stand – the course’s aim was to push you to the point where you simply had to stop.

Then once you were there, it was up to your team mates to keep you going and get you over the finishing line.

Competing in their groups, each player raced against a squad rival while being roared on by a team mate. And the camaraderie it created was incredible.

When Adam Chambers was struggling, the entire squad came together to encourage their skipper over the line.

When Erhun Oztumer was screaming in pain because he couldn’t lift a tyre twice his body weight, his fellow professionals gave him so much encouragement he completed what, on paper, looked impossible.

Alongside the rallying, successes were also celebrated. Joe Edwards set a record time by smashing through the obstacle course.

But he was closely followed by Simeon Jackson, Luke Leahy and Flo Cuvelier who all look ready to hit the ground running when the new season gets underway.

Equally fascinating was the impact Walsall’s new signings made on the group.

In Mark Gillespie, Jon Guthrie, Nicky Devlin and Leahy it is clear Jon Whitney has added leaders to his squad with all four vocal and happy to take charge.

It was important they did because even after the obstacle course, Walsall’s players were not done.

After running up a mountain carry logs they were then dumped in the middle of Lake Windermere and told to swim back.

That challenge was particularly tough for Jackson – who has a fear of water – and Kory Roberty who cannot swim.

But with the help of their team mates they got back to dry land before embarking on a long run back to the camp.

That was followed by an evening around the fire discussing aims for the season.

On Tuesday though it was back to concurring fears with the task to abseil down a gigantic rock face. There were anxious faces throughout the entire group - with Milan Butterfield particularly nervous.

But with his team mates right behind him, the Bermudian got himself over the steep ledge and down the mountain.

It was an incredible effort from the players who had all pushed themselves further than they ever thought possible.

And that was shown in the tweets they posted upon their return home.

“By far the hardest but most enjoyable couple of days I've ever done. Definitely pushed us to our limits,” said Leahy.

“An incredible experience. Took me somewhere I have never ever been mentally. Fear conquered and mind widened,” said Gillespie.

While Oztumer simply added: “A life changing experience.”

Now they can take that new found belief into the season – because whatever League One throws up, the players have already shown they can better it.