Mission Statement

“To enhance the potential of each individual student athlete’s total training needs.” The athletic performance department strives to exemplify the qualities our athletic department has targeted as those representing a championship athlete; Integrity, excellence, loyalty, sportsmanship and accountability. Our purpose is to train all aspects of the physical development of our student athletes to the highest level possible.   This will be accomplished by adhering to our program philosophy, goals, objectives and training principles.

 
 

Program Philosophy

“The development of athleticism”      Athleticism is of utmost importance to the development of our student athletes. If an athlete is trained to improve general athletic abilities we feel they will be better prepared for the demands of their respective sport.   Our athletes will be taught how to run, jump, land, change direction and how to control their bodies in space. The development of a total athlete will be accomplished by strictly adhering to our performance principles.

 
 

Principles

When programming training for each respective sport, the following principles will be emphasized and strictly adhered to.   Ground based movements Train movements, not muscles Multiple plane movements Most sporting activities are performed with our feet on the ground, moving in multiple planes and using multiple muscle groups in a very dynamic nature. For this reason we will train our athletes with multi-joint and multi-angle movements to achieve a higher degree of carry-over to the sporting activity. We do not believe in single joint only or specific body part training for sport or athletic development.   Sport specific training Exercise and movement selection will be heavily influenced by the sporting activity performed. For our athletes to improve and be successful in their sport our training has to transfer for increased sporting performance.   Periodization/Progression All exercises will be planned and progressed based on the training level of the athlete in question. The level of the athlete will be determined by how many ‘training years’ they have accumulated, not their chronological age. As the athlete adapts to training, a higher degree of difficulty will be employed to foster continual improvement.   Nutrition Restoration Specific attention will be paid to nutrition and restoration techniques as these two components will aide in the recovery process. In most instances the recovery ability of the athlete will determine his/her level of success on the playing field. For this reason we will spend extra time educating the athlete on the best means and methods of recovering from rigorous training sessions and competitions.

 
 

Objectives

Decrease the incidence of soft tissue injuries Athletes come to our institution for academic and athletic success. If they are injured they will be unable to perform to their full potential as healthy individuals. We will do anything and everything in our power to strengthen their bodies, especially those areas that are injury prone.   Increase maximal strength development Maximal strength is the athlete’s strength potential. As the level of strength in the human body increases, the potential for improved sporting movement increases.  (ex. Jump higher, run faster, quicker change of direction, etc.)   Improve body composition As fat accumulates on the body it only serves to slow us down and make us less productive as athletes. We will continually educate our student athletes about healthy lifestyle choices. (ex. Nutrition, sleep, exercise, recovery, Etc.)   Increase flexibility / mobility As flexibility and mobility increase the potential for the athlete to properly display movement and sporting skills is greatly enhanced. Another great consequence of improved range of motion is the decreased risk of injury to the area.