Skipper Nick Maxwell, Scott Pendlebury, Sean Rusling, Travis Cloke, Dale Thomas, John McCarthy, Dayne Beams and Tarkyn Lockyer paid their own way over to Colorado under the guidance of rehabilitation coach and former player, Justin Crow.
The group is using the sporting facilities at the University of Colorado, a university which boasts an impressive athletic program featuring the NCAA Division I Colorado Buffaloes football team.
The university lies at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of 1655 metres.
Crow is overseeing the daily workout regime taking place inside the ‘Bubble’ (pictured below), a dome which deflates after spring practice and blows up in late September. The structure is completely air-supported and can withstand 180-kilometre gusts of wind.
Maxwell and company will undergo a nine-hour hike on Thursday through the mountain range and will reach an altitude of 3100 metres. Conditions will be extremely brutal as the players will be forced to combat icy tracks and freezing temperatures.
The group will connect with the majority of the playing list next Monday when the team converges on Flagstaff, Arizona to spend two weeks training in the high altitude.
Collingwoodfc.com.au will be extensively covering the team’s trip and will provide daily video and article updates.
Scott Pendlebury, Dale Thomas, Rusling and Travis Cloke put in a grueling session.
The players work on their kicking technique in the 'Bubble' on the University of Colorado campus.
