Seikovits for the 2nd time in the “Player Pathway Program”: “Nothing is presented to you on a silver platter” – Misangumukini with a large “wingspan” – Two Austrians among eleven athletes
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For the second time in a row, Austria is represented by two athletes in the “International Player Pathway Program” of the National Football League (NFL). Bernhard Seikovits will get a second chance in 2021, his Dacia Vikings colleague Leo Misangumukini is about to premiere. Their goal is the same, they want to get one of the four coveted training squad places in a team of the best football league in the world by mid-April. The adventure starts on Sunday.
Then I take the plane via Amsterdam to Atlanta, then on to Tampa Bay and from there to Bradenton in northwest Florida to the famous IMG Academy, a training complex for around a dozen sports. According to the Covid-19 protocol, a quarantine will wait there until Friday before it really starts. “It’s less stressful if you already know the processes and the people a little. That also makes it a little easier. But that’s why you are not presented with anything on a silver platter, you have to work just like everyone else,” said Seikovits in one virtual press conference on Friday afternoon.
Before his first appearance in the ten-week camp, he had to put on some weight due to the then new position as tight end. This time this problem no longer exists, Seikovits has learned to perform well with his 120 kilograms. “I don’t think any athletic values were wrong, it was mainly the inexperience in the tight-end position that might have given you pause. Now I’ve had a season of new body football. I can see that I have more strength, but I can move well with the greater weight. It doesn’t feel like 120 kilograms, but like back then 103, that’s an important point, “said the 23-year-old from Vienna.
He will not share the room with his compatriot in the USA; according to Seikovits, the division will again be position-specific. Misangumukini wants to convince as a defensive end after having played as a wide receiver for years in the past. “I’m not only tall, I’m also tall,” emphasized the 23-year-old. He meant his “wingspan”. “For my position, it is very important that you have long arms. That gives me a huge advantage over players who have short arms,” said the 1.93 meter tall Misangumukini.
At the try-out in Innsbruck he also showed a lot of skills that he still had from his wide receiver days. Now he can hardly wait to finally start training in the USA. In Austria, the duo had to be inventive in the meantime due to the corona. A garage was also converted into a common training area. “If you learned anything last year, it was to make the best of every situation. We both did well,” said Seikovits.
The double Austrian IPP convocation is of course also an honor for the domestic football association. “Two out of eleven for the second time in a row from Austria, that is a real honor for us and our youth work,” said AFBÖ President Michael Eschlböck. Send two excellent athletes to Florida who definitely have the potential for the NFL. One of their role models is Tyrolean Sandro Platzgummer, who got one of the lucrative four training places with an NFL team in 2020 at the IPP. He can gain valuable experience with the New York Giants.
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