Phil Dawson talks Disney World, bonding with his teammates and his intense training

Are you in Disney world or Disneyland?

Disney World down in Florida.

What are your thoughts on why you wanted to re-sign with the 49ers and whether you had some other teams chasing  after you?

I had a nice meeting the day after our last game with Trent Baalke. We were able to communicate well and I told him then my goal was to return to the Niners and as things got going and we touched bases again, I told him nothing had happened over the course of the offseason thus far that changed that. So we were able to get together and get this worked out. I'm just really excited to have the opportunity to contribute again.

How are you feeling right now physically? Everybody makes a big deal about your age but do you feel different now this offseason than you did say, five offseasons ago, eight offseasons ago etc.?

You know it's weird. From about 30 years old to about 35, I had some offseasons there where I wondered how much longer I could do this. And when I turned 35, I changed the way I trained in the offseason and really felt better and better each and every year. As I sit here right now, I feel great. My trainer is in Austin who I work with and my friends and all my training so far [voice gets muffled and muted for a few seconds]

Have you had a chance to meet or talk to your new special teams coordinator yet?

I haven't touched base just because when all this went down, I've been traveling. Coach did leave me a voice mail last night I think it was, I just haven't had a chance to call him back. That will be one of the first things I'll do, looking forward to getting to know him and playing for him [line goes mute again]

Have you talked to Trent or Chip Kelly at all about the direction this team is headed and what they are expecting out of you?

I've received just phone calls since I signed, just welcome back type calls. In terms of specifics, I haven't really gotten into that yet. But I'm really pleased that in terms of the kicking future I'll be handling that. So I look forward to getting to know all the new coaches and all the new players coming in like they do each and every year and developing a team and winning some games.

You won the Bill Walsh award for last season what were your thoughts on receiving that honor from your coaches.

Well I was very humbled by that. You guys know me, I don't try to be that weird kicker on the side that doesn't really get involved with the rest of the team. I try to be a guy who is engaged with his teammates who communicates well with his coaches and goes out and plays hard even in the role I'm in. So in the context of that to receive the Bill Walsh award,means all the more. Like I said at the time, any award that has Bill Walsh's name on it, it's a prestigious honor and I was deeply humbled to get it last year and will be working again to do it again this year.

As that leader, what kind of a team you expecting to lead this year.What do you think is going to be going on with this team.

It will be whatever we make it to be and I really do  believe that. This will be my 19^th year doing this. Looking back, predictions, evaluations and all those things that take place this time of year are just that: Predictions and evaluations. But it's been in my experience when a group of guys come together, they buy in and commit to one another  and put the work in and that's when special things happen. Knowing the guys we have in that locker room I think we'll come together and work hard and I expect us to be a special teams unit that makes an impact on the game that helps our offense and defense so we can go out and win games.

Could you touch on some of the specifics [in regards to the training he spoke of earlier] as you know among other things you've gotten more accurate from 50+ yards probably from the time you were 35 years old, It usually goes the other way. Can you touch on some of the specifics on how that training changed?

Well you know there's a popular line out there that as you get older you need to take it a little easier and pace yourself and all those kinds of things. That didn't sit well with me so I started going to a new place in Austin, talked to my trainer about what my goals were. He recommended I get back to basics. Some of the old school lifts, explosive type lifts, high intensity. So if anything, I went back to how I trained  when I was younger and kinda gotten away from it. I'm very pleased with the results and I think anytime you have success on the weight room, you can't help but feel that when you go out on the field and now a 50 yard field goal just seems like no big deal. It's fun to experience that, that's kinda been my reputation my whole kicking career even dating back to high school, was a guy who could make long kicks and for whatever reason in my NFL career that label didn't follow me. At this point in my career to have a chance to re-establish that, it's been very filling.

What's the name of the place you trained at in Austin?

The HIT center of Austin, stands for High Intensity Training.

Have you heard anything about Chip Kelly wanting 41 year old kickers to run a lot of wind sprints at practice?

I have a feeling I'll find out pretty soon. But I welcome that, like I said I always been a guy who just tries to be one of the guys and I'm not expecting to be treated like the weird kicker. I'm a football player who's a member of the team. So whatever things coach Kelly and the strength & conditioning staff want out of me, I'm going to work my best to be able to do them.

Do you ever get comments or quips things like that when you're doing squats next to an Ian Williams or an offensive lineman they probably aren't used to seeing a lot of kickers in the weight room with them?

I think the guys love it. It kinda goes both ways. I don't enjoy when I look across the weight room and don't see someone working hard.  So I can't imagine how they'd feel if they looked across and saw me not working hard. So anytime I'm in there, and going after it, I think the other guys enjoy it, that's part of the bond we feel, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

What's your favorite ride at Disney world?

I like Rockin Roller coaster it's amazing.