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Freakish goals, bursts of speed and executing impossible kicks are all in Patrick Veszpremi’s arsenal but in season 2013 the young forward is seeking a more elusive trait, consistency.
Such is the 23-year-old evolving maturity, Veszpremi has recognised a more disciplined lifestyle will help him become a more rounded and improved footballer.
“Key focuses for me were just getting fit running wise and getting my [skinfolds] down, which I did… I changed a few things outside of footy and got more consistent in life,” Veszpremi said.
“[The coaches] know I can kick goals and I can do all that other stuff, it’s just building the base.
“[My plan is]to be hard around the stoppages, just get my ten hard efforts a week – once I can do that consistently and show the coaches that, everything else comes together.”
Veszpremi is adamant he has plenty more to give at senior level and is determined to use the VFL as a platform to validate his worth - not only with his goal sense and natural flair but also his improved efforts off the ball.
“I do have a lot to show still. I think the last two years have been a really big learning curve for me and I have put a lot of time into my footy and I have invested a lot more,” he said.
“In the end it’s up to me. It’s just head down bum up work, really.”
Looking to Club veterans for motivation, Veszpremi has been pushing himself harder in the pre-season and learning to better deal with his own personal expectations.
“I definitely think this year has been better psychologically – when I am feeling sore at training to just keep pushing through,” he said.
“You look at the older boys – they don’t play 14 years for no reason… you just have to try to model yourself on them.”
Veszpremi used the offseason as a chance to get a head start on pre-season training, incorporating boxing, crossfit and endurance running into a robust training regime.
“I was doing extra boxing… and that was also to help me get tougher too – come out with a few bruises,” he said.
“Doing a lot of cross fit… also doing a lot more running, running with weight vests and things like that - mixing it up and trying to improve my endurance.”
While Veszpremi recognises his endurance will probably never be elite, the 23-year-old has made a conscious effort to continue building on his aerobic capacity to run out games better.
“Obviously I am never going to be a massive endurance player but if I can get it to a certain point, my power and speed can come out in games,” he said.
“To get to a point where if I want to burst I can burst instead of being too tired, with a good recovery rate.”
Off the field, Veszpremi is often getting away from the city and football to fly fish and take respite.
He also recently volunteered to visit the Royal Children’s Hospital alongside Mark Austin and Fletcher Roberts, as part of the Good Friday Appeal.
“As football players, people do look at you a bit differently, so you may as well use it for something good,” he said.
“Just to talk to the people and give something back to them was something that I really got a lot out of and I really did enjoy – and the kids love it.
“Especially the teens, you get into them about who they barrack for and 90% are Collingwood - so you give them a bit of stick about that,” he joked.
Keen to make the hospital visit a more regular occurrence, Veszpremi was humbled and grateful for the experience.
“It was eye opening to see, I am alive and still kicking and breathing – there are kids who are two years old and they have been in [the hospital] for the whole two years.”
“It was a really good day and is something everyone should get behind and try to do.”
WIN the opportunity to go on a fishing adventure with Patrick Veszpremi and Lukas Markovic at the Sons of the West Trainers’ Function this Friday 12 April 2013, at Whitten Oval.
Freakish goals, bursts of speed and executing impossible kicks are all in Patrick Veszpremi’s arsenal but in season 2013 the young forward is seeking a more elusive trait, consistency.
Such is the 23-year-old evolving maturity, Veszpremi has recognised a more disciplined lifestyle will help him become a more rounded and improved footballer.
“Key focuses for me were just getting fit running wise and getting my [skinfolds] down, which I did… I changed a few things outside of footy and got more consistent in life,” Veszpremi said.
“[The coaches] know I can kick goals and I can do all that other stuff, it’s just building the base.
“[My plan is]to be hard around the stoppages, just get my ten hard efforts a week – once I can do that consistently and show the coaches that, everything else comes together.”
Veszpremi is adamant he has plenty more to give at senior level and is determined to use the VFL as a platform to validate his worth - not only with his goal sense and natural flair but also his improved efforts off the ball.
“I do have a lot to show still. I think the last two years have been a really big learning curve for me and I have put a lot of time into my footy and I have invested a lot more,” he said.
“In the end it’s up to me. It’s just head down bum up work, really.”
Looking to Club veterans for motivation, Veszpremi has been pushing himself harder in the pre-season and learning to better deal with his own personal expectations.
“I definitely think this year has been better psychologically – when I am feeling sore at training to just keep pushing through,” he said.
“You look at the older boys – they don’t play 14 years for no reason… you just have to try to model yourself on them.”
Veszpremi used the offseason as a chance to get a head start on pre-season training, incorporating boxing, crossfit and endurance running into a robust training regime.
“I was doing extra boxing… and that was also to help me get tougher too – come out with a few bruises,” he said.
“Doing a lot of cross fit… also doing a lot more running, running with weight vests and things like that - mixing it up and trying to improve my endurance.”
While Veszpremi recognises his endurance will probably never be elite, the 23-year-old has made a conscious effort to continue building on his aerobic capacity to run out games better.
“Obviously I am never going to be a massive endurance player but if I can get it to a certain point, my power and speed can come out in games,” he said.
“To get to a point where if I want to burst I can burst instead of being too tired, with a good recovery rate.”
Off the field, Veszpremi is often getting away from the city and football to fly fish and take respite.
He also recently volunteered to visit the Royal Children’s Hospital alongside Mark Austin and Fletcher Roberts, as part of the Good Friday Appeal.
“As football players, people do look at you a bit differently, so you may as well use it for something good,” he said.
“Just to talk to the people and give something back to them was something that I really got a lot out of and I really did enjoy – and the kids love it.
“Especially the teens, you get into them about who they barrack for and 90% are Collingwood - so you give them a bit of stick about that,” he joked.
Keen to make the hospital visit a more regular occurrence, Veszpremi was humbled and grateful for the experience.
“It was eye opening to see, I am alive and still kicking and breathing – there are kids who are two years old and they have been in [the hospital] for the whole two years.”
“It was a really good day and is something everyone should get behind and try to do.”
WIN the opportunity to go on a fishing adventure with Patrick Veszpremi and Lukas Markovic at the Sons of the West Trainers’ Function this Friday 12 April 2013, at Whitten Oval.
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