Hasselbeck has been scrambling on vacation

Matt Hasselbeck spent the past few days trying to cram everything he wanted and needed to do into that short amount of time.

The Seahawks quarterback appeared at the King County Fair in Enumclaw and led kids through crafts and games. Zipped over to Safeco Field and met up with his family in time to see a few innings of his beloved Boston Red Sox against the Mariners. Went to his yoga classes.

Cruised by the Street of Dreams and checked out the homes. Attended a birthday party. Held his 13-month-old son Henry during a dedication ceremony at the family's church. Got in a dentist appointment.

And that was all on his vacation time.

But vacation is over. Hasselbeck is due in Cheney for training camp — quarterbacks and rookies are required to be at Eastern Washington University in time for a workout Friday — and the season is right around the corner.

"It went by very quick," Hasselbeck said, "whether it was fun or it was shorter after the long [2005] season. For a while, I did absolutely nothing. But April was there before we knew it."

The Seahawks started their offseason conditioning program in early April, less than two months after the Super Bowl. Since then, they have been preparing for the upcoming season while trying to fit in family time, vacations, appearances and other offseason activities.

But Camp Holmgren is here. And Hasselbeck, having emerged as the bona fide leader of the Seahawks, is ready.

"It's going to be hard to say goodbye to your family and your loved ones," Hasselbeck said. "Having a coach come by and say it's time to go to bed isn't fun. If he [coach Mike Holmgren] feels that guys haven't come in in top shape, he's going to let us have it. He's set the standard high for us. My hope is that my teammates have put in the work."

Those dorm-room bed checks are just part of life at training camp. This will be Hasselbeck's sixth time in Cheney.

Hasselbeck can sense the added focus and attention the Seahawks have received, not only locally but nationally, after their Super Bowl experience. He hopes it won't be a burden on the team.

"Hopefully we're not the team that decides to read our own press clippings," he said. "The fact that we were good last year really doesn't mean anything. We're a new team this year."

The "new" Seahawks include wide receiver Nate Burleson, the Seattle native the Seahawks signed in the offseason. Burleson figures to start, so Hasselbeck feels it is imperative to establish a rapport with the new receiver.

Another of Hasselbeck's objectives is to get a couple of his favorite targets — Darrell Jackson and Jerramy Stevens — back into a groove when they return from injury rehabilitation sometime during camp.

As for a return to the Super Bowl, Hasselbeck maintains that winning the NFC West is the priority. And after all of his years working with Holmgren, he feels his coach would say the same thing.

"I'm focusing on our division," he said. "We have to take it again. We all know the impact that home-field advantage has for the Seahawks. I'm sure people aren't going to be excited about us talking that way, but first things first."

First comes dealing with the fact that he has to leave his family behind. Then comes focusing on football, and bonding with his teammates between practices.

"Your circumstances are your circumstances," Hasselbeck said. "It's been fun seeing guys take that kind of approach."

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com