With apologies to the December holidays, this is “the most wonderful time of the year” for football fans. We are only a little over a month away from football season. The dog days of summer are upon us. This is the time when coaches and players hope all of their offseason work translates into a successful season.

Training camp is a critical component to the season. Players spend an inordinate amount of time in and out of the weight room and training facility, but nothing can prepare them like actual practices and games. Here are a few things to consider to help you prepare for training camp and the season.

Set Goals. Coaches always set goals for the team and their season. I believe players should set goals for themselves for training camp and the season as well. Aim to become a starter or play on varsity. Try to rush for a certain number of yards, or a similar statistical benchmark. Write them down, visualize them and work your tail off to reach them.

Report in shape. Hopefully you haven’t neglected the weight room and conditioning sessions this summer. It is so hard to get in football shape if you don't report mentally and physically prepared to work with your teammates. Give yourself a fighting chance. If you report out of shape, you set yourself up for injury, reduced playing time or several other negative consequences. If your team and coaches can't count on you in the summer during training, how can they trust you on the field? As the old saying goes, "It doesn't take talent to get in shape."

Hydrate Early and Often. It will be hot, and with the pads on it will be even hotter. Football players lose so much through sweat during training camp. Don't wait until the first day of training camp to start hydrating. Get used to carrying a water bottle and drinking water throughout the day. A general rule of thumb is take your body weight and divide it by two. That is the number of ounces you should drink during the day. If you weigh 180 pounds, you should drink 90 ounces of water throughout the day. Always remember the urine test. Your urine should be almost clear. The darker your urine, the more dehydrated you are.

Get your rest. Sleep is a critical component to a football player’s performance. Get off the phone and social media at night and do your body a favor. Sleep deprivation has been linked to performance decreases in athletes. Strength levels, attention and reaction time all decrease with lack of sleep. These attributes are extremely important. Don't have a bad practice or game because you chose to stay up late and play on your phone. Decide what is more important.

Eat well. This should be a rule for life, not just training camp and football season. You have to properly fuel your body so it can perform optimally. Football is a very demanding game mentally and physically. Your body endures a lot of stress. You have to fuel your body with foods that allow you to perform at a high level. If you eat the right food, you will have more energy, boost your immune system, build more muscle, recover faster and perform better in practice and games. Stay away from processed and fast foods. Eat well, play well.

Spend time with your loved ones. Football season is a gauntlet for coaches and players. Practices, film, weights, studying and other team activities take up a lot of time. Spending some time with your loved ones allows you to keep things in perspective and pour into the ones who believe in you. It also provides you with a much-needed mental break and helps to balance your life. Take some time before camp to be with family and friends.

Positive Self-Talk. Don't dread training camp. Embrace it. The good teams/players love training camp. Say to yourself, "I got this! I'm ready for training camp!" When you go into camp with a positive mindset, you are better able to complete the drills and can better bounce back from small setbacks or disappointments. Consider other positive motivational phrases whenever you face challenges, such as, "I've prepared well and worked hard, I know I can give my best!" When you’re lining up for running, don't think, "Ugh, I'm so tired." Instead, keep the positive mindset. "All right! Let's go!"

Brandon Johnson is a certified strength and conditioning coach with St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis. Visit their website at stvincent.org/services/sports-performance.