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+---- Thread: *Declan Harp - after draft talk! (/showthread.php?tid=8936)
*Declan Harp - after draft talk! - OBESE - 05-28-2018
[div align=\\\"justify\\\"]It has finally been done! It has been a rollercoaster but the plan has been fulfilled and now it is time to move on and continue the road to the next checkpoint in Declan’s career. The DSFL draft was important, but not as important as the next seasons NSFL draft. Of course it makes sense as DSFL is the starting point of your professional career, that is the jump-pad for your flight and you have to use it correctly or you won’t fly high or far enough. Declan was nice enough to give us the exclusive interview about him leaving rugby and joining the American Football scene, so we managed to get another exclusive from him after the draft. Here is what he had to say to us and the people that are reading this.
-Hi Declan! Congratulations on being drafted! Honestly I had a feeling you would go higher but 6th overall is not that bad either. How are you feeling about this draft and your draft position?
Hey! Thank you very much! Yeah, I mean it is always nice to be on top, but not always it will happen, especially when you are in sports, surrounded with other great athletes that are aiming to be on top as well. That is just life for you! Haha! I mean the draft was great, I had only positive experience and I loved every moment of it! True, I did go only in the second round as a second pick, but again, this is DSFL, and not to say that DSFL does not matter, as it really does, but next year will be the draft that I will be more excited about, more nervous, more worried about my overall pick and other stuff.
-So, soon after our first interview was published, you did the presser in the states. Right after that, you got picked up by the San Antonio Marshalls and played with them the last few remaining games. Talk about that?
Yes, that is correct and I am really appreciative to the San Antonio Marshalls organization for giving me this chance to play, not many, but few games, including the playoff game, and getting the taste of what to expect this season and being able to experience the talent, the skill level and the aura around this game and league. Of course as a newcomer, at the end of the season, I was not that much trusted as I still had to prove myself, but I did manage to receive some balls and fight my way through defence for few extra yards. Unfortunately that was not enough and did not help, but I learned a lot for my future so this experience that San Antonio Marshalls gave me is invaluable!
-How did it feel there? It was your first organization in this sport, sort of!
Oh, they were great! Even I played just a little bit with them, they were really supportive and forthcoming, and always ready to help! Both GM and Co-GM were great help when it came to figuring out what to do best to become better in my position. I received some great advice and was able to better myself as a player and as a person. Unfortunately I also experienced the step-down of the GM, but Ramero becoming the GM and stepping up from Co-GM spot was not that bad. I mean, the team still is in capable hands and I have no worries that it will do great! I mean look at the people they drafted!
-Talking about the people they drafted – they could have picked you up as number one overall and then again at number five overall, but they did not. Were you expecting that or were you hoping to be picked by them at one of those slots?
Well, to be honest, I was. I mean, I knew I am not going to be picked as number one overall, although I was one of the top prospects in this draft class, but American Football is a different type of game, there are more pieces and steps to be taken during the game, so my position is not quite well known of being the number one overall picks in the history of this game. So I knew that most likely it will be Fitzpatrick who will go as number one overall. Deep inside I guess I did want to go back to Marshalls and be there officially, because like I said I enjoyed the stay there and I appreciated the organization and the help they provided for me, but I thought that it was not going to happen as I did expect to go high in the draft, definitely first round. When it did not happen and we were at the second round first pick, fifth overall pick, that belonged to Marshalls, I got my hopes up, I was totally in the mind-set that I have to go at five, but that did not happen either, Bucky was picked instead of me and the next thing I knew I was picked by Kansas Coyotes at number six. Don’t get me wrong, it is understandable to hope for something and it is understandable for someone to do something else than what you were hoping for. Fitzpatrick and Bucky are great guys! They got to Marshalls around the same time and same way as I did and we bonded quickly. Fitzpatrick is a leader, you can tell it by his presence, while Bucky is more like this shy guy, who snoops around at first and then becomes active. That will change though and he will be a big part of any team he will play with. So I understand why Ramero picked those two and I am not mad about it. Actually now sitting back and thinking about it, maybe it is even better as now I am on a different team, so new experience again, new people, new talent and that will just help me grow. And I am still in touch with Fitzpatrick, so we all good! Haha!
- Im glad to hear that! So Coyotes now! How is it with them?
It is early to comment yet! I have not had the chance to get to know my new teammates as I only have spoken with numbers, our GM, and the guy that I will be playing with – Showbiz. So far they are giving me great vibes and I feel positive of what damage we can do this season. I only today moved to Kansas City as after the draft I still was dealing with the paper-works and living situation, so stayed in San Antonio for few extra days, but it is all good now and I expect to meet rest of the team pretty soon and have our first practice as well. Guys are now gathering up for the training camp so will see how well do we play together.
- You said that you have spoken only with your new GM and QB, kind of who were your main people to interact in San Antonio as well. Can you already feel difference between both GM’s and QB’s?
Haha, I guess so…yes definitely. If I said that Fitzpatrick is a strong leader, then Showbiz is bit more leaned back kind-of a guy. He still gives you that leader vibe and I think that will show during the season but he is chiller if you could say so. I really have to spend some more time with him to be able to tell you more but that is my first impression of him. Fitz was great, he is more “fist-down” type of leader and it is great when you need your team to be in line. When it comes to GM’s then again, they are different. I did work more with Roly at the beginning than with Ramero, but I can tell that what they want from me and how they see my position being used is different. I cannot say which of the ways is better, but it is bit different for sure. I do not mind as when I was working with Roly, I had some bits and pieces that I had to boost up quick in order to be good and he helped me in that. Now I am more rounded and now it is more about shaping me into a beast that I can be and numbers definitely have vision of that, after all I have been told that he’s the man when it comes to becoming and training to be a great Tight End. With Roly we briefly just touched the level where I am now, so you cannot count that as the end plan.
- So what is your focus right now? What are you aiming for?
When I joined the draft I was lacking several things. I was not that agile and needed to work on that, there were also some specifications that comes with the sport, like specific blocking that I was lacking a lot, I mean it is not that it would be my main job as tight end, but it definitely helps the team if you are able to, therefore the coach can use you in more versatile situations. So I needed that. I spoke with Roly about that and he agreed on it, so we were working mainly on those things as those seemed to be the areas that I was lacking the most. I already had good speed and hand, I could catch almost any ball thrown at me and my strength was okey as well. Short before the draft I got the a spot where I felt like I am good, I am happy with my growth in my agility and I also managed to get my strength up as well, just in case. After the draft when I spoke with numbers, he agreed that the things I was working on, were at great spot and he was happy with what he has seen. So we talked about what we going to do next, what we are going to work on next. At this moment my goal is to become faster, I want to be able to outrun anyone that is trying to chase me or anyone that I am chasing. But with being fast you have to also work on your balance and hand to eye connection so together with getting faster I will also work on my hand control, so I keep catching those balls coming my way and I hope there will be a lot of them coming my way! After I will reach satisfying level of speed and hand control, we will probably talk more about what I should do to be good for the big leagues as we all know that college football is not exactly the same level. But that is in future and I probably will have that discussion also with the GM of the team that I will be drafted to next season.
- Last question before we are done with this interview – what do you expect from this season and how important it is for you?
This season is really important for me and I expect it to be nothing but great! I am a positive guy and I like to be optimistic so you will not hear nothing else than that. Of course, not that I just want the season to be great, but I need it to be great as I am expecting to go higher in NSFL draft that I did in DSFL. Again, I do not expect to go first, as that most likely will not happen, but I will try to boost my chances to go high with everything that I have. So this season is super important to show the teams that are scouting me, who I am, what can I do and make them want me to play for them. Before the DSFL draft I did not have much chance to do it, but this time I have the whole season to show them.-This is my fight to lose and I do not intend to lose it!
- Well, great to hear that! We wish you all the good luck and hope you achieve what you are aiming for! We will be watching and supporting you, so show them hell!
Haha, thank you! I will do my best and hopefully make you all proud who are cheering for me from back home!
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Words 2092 (double pay)Mentioned people:
@Roly
@Ramero
@kckolbe
@Moosecop
@124715
@Molarpistols
*Declan Harp - after draft talk! - kckolbe - 05-29-2018
Damn, this was good.
*Declan Harp - after draft talk! - Roly - 05-29-2018
Great article man, excited to watch your DSFL season. Best of luck on the Coyotes