University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Derek Kinder is in the Midst of a Busy Summer
6/21/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
June 21, 2007
Pitt's training camp doesn't open for another six weeks. That doesn't mean the summertime has been a period of slumber for Derek Kinder.
The senior wide receiver is in the midst of a highly active offseason - if there truly is such a thing as an offseason anymore.
After spending time with family in his native
Books and barbells - not exactly your typical recipe for summer vacation. But which is tougher? Exercising the mind or body?
"I can personally say Buddy's workouts are probably the toughest thing I've ever gone through," Kinder said. "He's very technical in his approach to our workouts. The only thing he asks is that you give 100 percent and nothing less. It's definitely going to benefit us in the long run. We are already looking like a new team physically."
Kinder is also spending time performing in a number of public relations capacities for the athletic department.
On June 30, he will be honored by the Pittsburgh Pirates for his 2006 first-team All-Big East citation. Kinder will throw out an honorary first pitch at
Kinder is no stranger to the baseball diamond. In fact, he was an All-Western New York baseball player at Albion High.
"I'm going to make sure I'm ready to put it right over the plate," Kinder said. "I was playing catch with my brother when I was home."
Many Pitt fans recently received a surprise phone call from Kinder. He's not working part-time as a telemarketer. Rather, he taped a message that was sent electronically to fans, thanking them for renewing their football season tickets.
The message was a big hit. Some people even thought it was a live Derek Kinder on the other end of the phone line.
"More than a few people have come up to me and told me they received my message," Kinder said laughing. "Even one of our coaches said his wife got the message at home. It was a really cool thing to do. It's fun to think of all the people your voice reached."
Kinder is doing a lot of phone work these days. He recently conducted an interview with national college football writer Olin Buchanan for Rivals.com. Buchanan named him to Rivals' "All-Reliable Team," which highlights the country's most dependable players.
Kinder received top billing in Buchanan's story, along with standout
Kinder is a no-brainer for the team, which also honored fellow Pitt teammate and placekicker Conor Lee. Kinder had only one dropped pass during his All-Big East junior season, and that was mere moments after he sustained what was later diagnosed as a concussion.
The sticky-fingered receiver, though, offers no excuses.
"I consider any ball that touches both of your hands a drop, no matter how difficult the catch is," Kinder said.
His Rivals honor figures to be the first of many national mentions this offseason. Lindy's recently published its preseason college football magazine and listed Kinder among the top 10 wide receivers in the country.
"Those honors are just the result of a lot of hard work paying off," Kinder said. "I think the All-Reliable Team means the most to me. Having a teammate you can rely on is so important. I want to be that kind of teammate and that's why this particular honor was really special."
Kinder knows his responsibilities for the 2007 Panthers will go beyond catching passes. So in addition to honing his physical skills over the summer, he also made it a point to strengthen himself in another important area by attending a Leadership Conference hosted by Pitt's
"The Leadership Conference is an opportunity to discuss and develop different types of leadership skills," Kinder said. "I know as a senior that leadership is something I'm going to have to provide for our team. I want to make sure I am prepared to help our team in every way possible."
Yep, a busy summer indeed.
