Coaching Management 14.4

Coaching Management VOL. XIV NO. 4

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Circle No. 100

Coaching Management Football Edition Preseason 2006

CONTENTS

Vol. XIV, No. 4

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LOCKER ROOM

COVER STORY

Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 N.J. coach fights to recognize team prayers … Northwestern College wins two games in one day … Helping players succeed off the field … A 10-1 defense leads to a state title … Indy schools seek stronger feeder programs.

Q&A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Fifteen years after he left coaching to spend more time with his family, Don Carthel returned to the sidelines and led West Texas A&M to a conference title.

GUIDE TO TURF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 FOOTBALL FACILITIES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 WEB NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 STRENGTH & CONDITIONING AIDS . . . . . . . . . . . 62 INJURY PREVENTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 UNIFORMS & APPAREL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 TEAM EQUIPMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 MORE PRODUCTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 ADVERTISERS DIRECTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Publisher Mark Goldberg

Editor-in-Chief Eleanor Frankel Associate Editor Marketing Director Dennis Read Sheryl Shaffer Marketing/Sales Assistant Assistant Editors Danielle Catalano R.J. Anderson Kenny Berkowitz Art Director Pamela Crawford Abigail Funk David Hill Photo Research Greg Scholand Dina Stander, Laura Smith Signs of Life Studio

COVER PHOTO: MIKE LUDWIG/ST. OLAF COLLEGE

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Facing Changes

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Whether by choice or by rule, coaches are altering preseason practice schedules to help their players beat the heat while still getting ready for the opener.

CAREER CHOICES

Time to Reflect

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If you don’t look forward to the first day of practice, it might be time to ask yourself whether you need new challenges or to just reassess how you work.

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

A Strong Foundation

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40

A collegiate strength coach explains how to design and outfit a weightroom so players can make the most of their workout time.

HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONS

Double-Winging It

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Jeff Matthews used an old-school offense to lead Sidney (N.Y.) High School to new ground—a state title.

HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIP SOLUTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Business Manager Pennie Small

Production Manager Bridget Mundy

Special Projects Dave Wohlhueter

Production Assistant Jonni Campbell

Administrative Assistant Sharon Barbell

Prepress Manager Adam Berenstain

Circulation Director Dave Dubin

Asst. Prepress Manager Jim Harper

Circulation Manager John Callaghan

IT Manager Mark Nye

Advertising Sales Associates Diedra Harkenrider, (607) 257-6970, ext. 24 Rob Schoffel, (607) 257-6970, ext. 21 Ad Materials Coordinator Mike Townsend Business and Editorial Offices 2488 N. Triphammer Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 257-6970, Fax (607) 257-7328 info@MomentumMedia.com Mailing lists for Coaching Management Football are provided by the Clell Wade Coaches Directory.

The Coaching Management Football edition is published in November and April by MAG, Inc. and is distributed free to college and high school coaches in the United States and Canada. Copyright © 2006 by MAG, Inc. All rights reserved. Text may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or in part, without the permission of the publisher. Unsolicited materials will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Coaching Management is printed by Banta Publications Group, Kansas City, MO. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Coaching Management, P.O. Box 4806, Ithaca, N.Y. 14852.

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

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LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD Prayer Battle Goes to Court Few high school football coaches have received more attention in the past year than East Brunswick (N.J.) High School’s Marcus Borden. But Borden wasn’t in the spotlight for his on-field success. Though he’s won a state title and five conference championships in his 23-year career, Borden made national headlines for doing something many coaches across the country do all the time—praying with his team.

In October 2005, East Brunswick’s district superintendent informed Borden that he could no longer lead or participate in prayers with his players at team meals or in the locker room. The superintendent was acting on advice from the school board’s attorney, who warned that the practice violated federal laws separating church and state. Borden immediately resigned his coaching position, but returned to his post two weeks later and quickly took the issue to court. He’s now seeking to force the school district to rescind its policy barring coaches from participating in voluntary team prayers.

“I have strong beliefs and principles. I don’t want anybody to think that I backed down on them,” Borden told the Central New Jersey Home News Tribune after he returned to the sidelines. “What we do is nothing more than Americana … It’s part of football tradition.” Indeed, Grant Teaff, President of the American Football Coaches Association, estimates that more than half of high school football coaches nationwide engage in some type of prayer with their players.

For the school district, the central issue is religious endorsement. If students independently choose to initiate a prayer—in the locker room, before a team meal, or in the stands during a game, for instance—they are protected by the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause, which says government may not prohibit the free exercise of religion.

If, however, the school or its employees are seen as endorsing the prayer, that violates the Establishment Clause, which essentially prohibits the government from promoting religion.

“It can be helpful to think about this as poles at either end of a continuum,” explains Alan Brownstein, Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of California-Davis and an expert on church-state separation issues. “At one end, you have school-directed prayer, and that’s clearly beyond what the constitution allows. A coach or teacher cannot say ‘Let us pray’ and provide the words of the prayer. On the other end, it is clearly permissible for an individual student to express a prayer or other religious sentiments of his or her own in the locker room before a game.

That is a protected activity.”

Ron Riccio, Borden’s attorney and former dean of the Seton Hall University Law School, believes the school district is interpreting the church-state separation principle too strictly. “It’s true that if the government is seen as giving its endorsement to a prayer, or if the prayer is coerced, then there’s a problem,” he says.

“But Coach Borden is not saying, ‘I want to practice my religion.’ His argument is, ‘My athletes want to pray, and I’m

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

the coach of the team, so I want to be there with them.’

government is endorsing religion? Or does that mean he’s being a good football coach?”

“There’s a gray area about what school employees can do while the students are praying,” Riccio continues.

“The case law says they can’t participate, but it doesn’t say exactly what that means.”

Until the lawsuit is resolved, Borden will continue as head coach, and will follow district policy by standing quietly and not moving during student-led team prayers.

Riccio says Borden does not want to lead prayers for his athletes. But when a prayer is student-initiated, he wants the right to join in by taking a knee with his players in the locker room or bowing his head during grace before meals. Ultimately, it will be for the court to decide whether those acts constitute endorsement, and thus are illegal.

“If a reasonable observer wouldn’t see what he’s doing as promoting religion, we’re asking why he should be excluded from this team activity,” says Riccio. “What message is being sent when the coach bows his head or bends his knee? Does that mean he’s praying? Does that mean the

Two Games in One Day? Initially, it didn’t take long for Northwestern College (Minn.)

Athletic Director Matt Hill to handle a call from Macalester College looking for a game on Oct. 8 last fall. Hill declined the offer since his team already had a game scheduled against Trinity Bible College on that date. After further thought, however, Hill went to the college president and Head Coach Kirk Talley to discuss the possibility of playing two games in one day.

“We were already scheduled to play Trinity, who was averaging about 25 players on

AP/WIDE WORLD PHOTOS

For a longer look at issues surrounding prayer and athletic teams, go to our Web site at www.AthleticSearch.com and enter “Praying in Public” in the search window to read an article from our sister publication, Athletic Management.

Marcus Borden, Head Coach at East Brunswick (N.J.) High School, has filed a lawsuit asking that he be allowed to recognize player-initiated team prayers by bowing his head or taking a knee. Borden resigned his coaching position last fall when he was told he could no longer participate in team prayers, but returned to his post two weeks later.

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Circle No. 101

Circle No. 102

LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD their roster for the past two or three years,” says Talley. “So it seemed that if we split our team up, two games in one day could maybe work. We decided to do it, not expecting it to be a big deal.”

But it did turn into a very big deal. Northwestern’s quest caught the attention of the country’s media outlets, enough so that the college put up a Web page with links to national newspaper and magazine stories about the doubleheader day. The team even had an ESPN.com columnist follow it around the locker room and the sideline.

And Talley, his team, and the entire athletic department got a crash course in big-event media relations.

“It spread like wildfire,” Talley says. “It was kind of fun and exciting, yet it did get a little bit away from what we believe in here at Northwestern: just playing the best you can and learning about life as you go.

“But our athletic director and director of sports information did a great job of dealing with the whole thing,” he continues. “They did good work in shielding us from the media, but then making it easy for us when we needed to be involved. It was like they’d been putting together press conferences for years.”

Northwestern’s athletic staff wasn’t handling only media inquiries for interviews, but also questions about the school’s motive for taking on two opponents in one day: Were they trying to be the first? Were they trying to make Macalester and Trinity Bible look like lesser teams? Weren’t those other schools insulted?

The answers were no, no, and no. Hill had no idea that no other college team had played two games in one day until he called the NCAA to make sure the move wouldn’t violate any rules. And Hill called the Trinity coach to make sure he

was okay with the decision to squeeze two games into one Saturday.

“We didn’t want to rub it in anyone’s face,” Talley says.

“In fact, we tried to bend over backwards as far as helping Trinity out, but still, some people didn’t appreciate the fact that we did it. People will always have their own ideas about things.”

As soon as Talley and the athletic department made the decision to schedule both games for Oct. 8, he called a team meeting. “The players were excited about the idea and also a little concerned,” he says. “They had a lot of questions and didn’t want it to look like we were trying to be better than somebody else.”

Talley decided to split both the team and the coaching staff into two squads with a few swing players, but did not do so until the week of the doubleheader. “It’s already

hard enough to get ready for one game, so we really tried not to think about that Saturday or do any prep for it until that week,” he says. “Working with the two groups was fairly easy the first day because we just watch film and do walkthroughs. But because we had swing players on both squads, it got a little confusing as the week went on. Some of the organizational aspects didn’t go as smoothly as we wanted, but we expected that to happen since nobody had done this before. We just tried to have fun with it.”

The first game began at noon.

Northwestern ended up beating Trinity Bible 59-0 at home, then hanging around in the hallway outside of the locker room for a few hours to eat and nap before heading seven miles away for a 7 p.m. game with Macalester, who they defeated 47-14. Talley recalls that Saturday having a strange feeling, “kind of like a sleep over,” but says the best part of it was that every one of his 73 players was revved up and ready to play.

When asked if he’d do it again, however, Talley quickly responded, “No. This was definitely a once in a lifetime deal. It’s just too much.”

AP/WIDE WORLD PHOTOS

The doubleheader appeared to have no lingering effects.

The Eagles won their next three games and finished the season with an 8-3 record.

Northwestern also won the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference title and earned a berth in the National Christian College Athletic Association Victory Bowl.

To read more about Northwestern’s doubleheader day, go to: nwc.nwc.edu/ index.php?id=2713.

Northwestern College (Minn.) players take the field for the nightcap of a unique football twin bill on Oct. 8, 2005. The Eagles beat Trinity Bible College, 59-0, earlier that day at home before traveling seven miles to Macalester College for a night game. Northwestern, which finished the season 8-3 and won the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference title, beat Macalester, 47-14.

To read the ESPN.com article, visit: sports.espn. go.com/ncf/news/ story?id=2185866.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

5

LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD This Defense Never Rests Butch Ford has led his team to a 50-4 record during his four years as Head Coach at Celina (Texas) High School, including a 16-0 season last year capped by a Class 2A Division II Texas state championship—Ford’s first state title as head coach.

Perhaps even more impressive, Celina allowed only 75 points over the entire season, an average of less than five points per game.

idea, we always had a chance to win.”

The idea is simple: The defense lines up in gaps and plays man-to-man cover.

“There’s no great secret to it,” he says. “It’s giving a player a simple assignment and turning him loose to go play. We don’t put reins on them—we believe in being very, very aggressive.”

The Bobcats’ defense didn’t allow an opponent to score until their fifth game of the

Celina. The two coaches started using a 10-1 formation their first year working together, but don’t take credit for coming up with anything original.

“All coaches steal or borrow from other coaches,” Ford explains. “We got the idea from somewhere else and applied it to our own situation.

Our defense is actually very similar to the Chicago Bears’ famous “46” defense and the New York Jets’ defense when Bill Parcells was coaching there.

backs—we’ve had to adjust our approach a little depending on the situation,” he says.

“But we still keep the same concept of what we’re trying to do. And that’s to fill gaps, be aggressive, and come after you. It’s up to the offense to decide what they’re going to do about us.”

Whether it’s because they grew up playing the 10-1 defense or because of the success they’ve enjoyed, Ford’s players love the defense and its simplicity. “Most defensive tackles have specific scenarios they have to learn,” Ford says.

“A lot of, ‘If this player does this or that, you do that.’ We don’t practice a lot of ifs. We just get them motivated and fired up to play. My players tell the coaches and local reporters they love the excitement of playing this type of defense and that it’s fun for them—like football should be.”

Coaching for Off-field Success

Celina (Texas) High School defenders converge on a Pewitt High School (Omaha, Texas) running back during the University Interscholastic League Class 2A Division II championship game. Celina’s 10-1 defense allowed only 75 points in 16 games as the undefeated Bobcats won the state title.

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

season, when they gave up a field goal at the end of the first half. Any fear of the defense being derailed because the streak ended was washed away by the 50-3 final score.

“It’s not common, but it’s easy to learn,” he continues. “The peewee, junior high, and j.v. teams here use it, so by the time the kids get to the varsity level, they fall right in line.”

Ford had been a defensive coordinator for 27 years, 25 of them under legendary Texas high school coach G.A. Moore. In 2002, Ford succeeded Moore as head coach at

His defense hasn’t been exactly the same since the ’70s though, as Ford has made continual adjustments. “With all the new offenses—the onebacks, shotguns, and low-

Employed as an independent contractor, Lankford is viewed

by Bulldog players as an assistant coach. Though he has nothing to do with offensive or defensive schemes, Lankford is on the sidelines at every practice and game, encouraging and counseling Georgia players. His area of expertise is character development.

Every week of every semester, players, who are grouped by class level, meet with Lankford and other Georgia coaches

AP/WIDE WORLD PHOTOS

But of all the numbers attached to the Celina program, the most eye-catching may be 10-1, which represents the team’s defensive formation. “Our scheme gives us a chance to win even if the other team has the better talent,” Ford says. “We weren’t the most talented team every time we played, but I still wanted to win, and as long as my players believed in the

Worried that the culture of athletics is sending more and more student-athletes down the wrong path, Mark Richt decided to take a proactive step when he became Head Coach at the University of Georgia in 2001. To address the issue, Richt brought in Bobby Lankford, a character education coordinator from a company called Winning with Character.

Circle No. 103

Circle No. 104

LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD to talk about values such as honesty, fairness, and responsibility. During the 30-minute sessions, which are held on Thursdays, players examine how they can improve their decision making in those areas. “We deal with the tough issues that kids are facing today,� says Lankford. “We get into issues like recreational sex, STDs, drugs and alcohol, respecting and honoring women, and unplanned pregnancies. A lot of the issues we address are constantly changing, and we adjust our program to keep up with those changes.�

One lesson that consistently strikes a nerve with coaches at all levels teaches athletes about responsible sex. The program teaches male athletes to treat women the way they would want their sister treated.

“We find most of our current issues in the newspapers and on TV and also bring in personal experiences from the coaches,� says Lankford. “For certain lessons we bring in outside speakers. For example, when we did the drug and alcohol lesson here at Georgia, we brought in our county sheriff.

When we did the STD lessons we brought in an expert from our local board of health.�

The Winning with Character program is available to high schools and colleges, no matter their size. In addition to Georgia, the program is also used at the University of Maryland, the University of Alabama, and about 20 high schools across the United States. This year the Atlanta Braves will implement the program into all levels of its farm system.

High schools employing the program usually have a rep-

resentative from the school, typically a coach, trained by Winning with Character to administer the lessons. At Division I schools, there is usually a point person from the company, someone like Lankford, trained to lead the program and bring assistant coaches up to speed on facilitating the curriculum. “We teach the same things at both the college and high school level,� says Lankford. “But at Division I schools we custom design the program to fit their history and tradition.�

Dr. Sharon Stoll, CEO and founder of the

Bobby Lankford, a partner in Winning with Character, serves as a character and leadership coach for the University of Georgia football team. Lankford meets with players during weekly character development sessions.

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LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD Center for Ethical Theory and Honor In Competition and Sport (E.T.H.I.C.S.) at the University of Idaho, and a partner with Lankford in the Winning with Character company, draws up the lesson plans for Georgia and other schools offering the program. Stoll has long researched the values and morals of athletes, and in 2004 she concluded a 17-year study in which 72,000 athletes—from junior high to college-age—completed questionnaires designed to measure their moral reasoning.

“In sport we have moved away from honorable behavior, and there’s more of an emphasis on winning at all costs,” Stoll told The Associated Press. Stoll’s study conclud-

ed “the environment of athletics has not been supportive of teaching and modeling moral knowing, moral valuing, and moral action.”

To encourage coaches to share their personal experiences, and to further develop the curriculum, the company sends out a monthly report asking each coach what they see at their school. In an effort to broaden the educational efforts, coaches are also asked to raise these topics informally with players.

“We send the lessons to the coaches in advance and try to make them understand that it’s not a lecture and that if they bring these topics up and facilitate discussion, the kids will want to talk about them,” Lankford says.

For more information on the Winning with Character program, go to: www.winningwithcharacter.com.

While the program is suitable for the entire athletic department, Lankford says schools should take their time before expanding it. “We recommend that schools use the football team as a pilot program for at least the first semester, and ideally the first full year, before incorporating it in the entire athletic department,” says Lankford. “That gives the coaches some experience and time to work out the bugs.”

Indy City Schools Plot Comeback Coaches know that football can be a common target whenever schools look to streamline their athletics budgets. But when the Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) proposed fielding football teams in only three of the system’s high schools as part of a plan

Better Lighting, Better Game!

to reconfigure athletics, the community said no. So the administration modified its proposal, keeping the sport at all seven city high schools, while bolstering feeder programs and support services.

The decision to preserve football at all schools was part of a larger initiative to improve athletics in the public schools of Indiana’s largest city. Firstyear Superintendent Eugene White, a former basketball player at Alabama A&M, convened a meeting of the district athletic directors last summer and, along with Curt Ervin, the district Supervisor of Athletics, wrote a proposal to take to the school board.

White’s plan was prompted largely by a near drought in state titles in several sports by once-competitive IPS programs, and the idea that dis-

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

what the offensive line does. Once kids understand the game, that can help them immensely.”

Cedric Lloyd, Head Coach at Arsenal Tech High School in Indianapolis, celebrates a win. Lloyd and his colleagues in the Indianapolis Public Schools hope proposed changes, including new feeder programs for fifth- and sixth-graders overseen by high school coaches and players, will lead to more winning celebrations in the future.

SAM RICHE/THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR

trict students were at an unfair disadvantage because their schools, where 82 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, lack the feeder programs and facilities found at wealthier suburban schools. In addition, Indianapolis media outlets have publicized cases of talented athletes leaving IPS for more prosperous school districts in the past few years. At the same time, several parochial schools in the city have built strong athletic traditions.

The core component of White’s current proposal is the introduction of fifth- and sixth-grade feeder programs in football as well as in track, cross country, basketball, volleyball, and soccer. The most recent plan calls for putting each elementary school into newly created athletic districts based on the feeder paths for each high school and sup-

plying each with a program coordinator. The high school head coaches would serve as facilitators in their respective sports, with coaching provided by high school assistant coaches, high school athletes, and parent and community volunteers. To encourage high school coaches to take part, the elementary seasons would be held outside the traditional high school seasons—football, for example, would be held March through May, with summer clinics from June through August.

“That’s a positive move, because a lot of kids need to learn the fundamentals,” says Ken McMichel, Head Football Coach at Northwest High School. “A lot of kids want to punt, pass, and kick the ball, which is fine, but when they get to a competitive situation, they don’t know what the defensive line does or

A main thrust of the pre-high school plan is to give IPS students more opportunities to learn and play sports, matching programs that are common in suburban schools, where there are more likely to be summer leagues.

While the city’s Police Athletic League runs a youth football program in Indianapolis, the first exposure to organized football for many players is high school, says Mike Akers, Head Football Coach at Washington Community School.

To supplement the spring season for fifth and sixth grades, IPS football coaches plan a series of summer clinics funded by the NFL Junior Player Development program.

“We’re trying to find a way to teach the fundamentals in the lower grades,” says Akers. “Some of our varsity players will help run the clinics. They’re a way to provide some sense of belonging to the younger kids and develop them like some of the other successful programs have with their youth football. We have some youth football programs now, but by the time they finish middle school, the better kids are getting taken in by the other schools. That’s one thing we’re trying to prevent.”

White’s plan calls for phasing in changes beginning with the 2006-07 school year. The initial fifth- and sixth-grade football season would be in spring

2007. High school football teams would also be allotted a sixth paid assistant-coach position for the 2008 fall season. There would be additional spending for improved strength and conditioning facilities and stipends for elementary athletics coordinators in each athletic district. Head coaches would also see stipend increases to reflect their added role as coordinator.

Much of the money for these improvements would come from savings obtained by applying the magnet school model to other sports. In addition to football, each of the seven high schools would have boys’ and girls’ teams in basketball and track and field. But volleyball, golf, and soccer would be offered at only four schools. Baseball, softball, wrestling, cross country, and tennis would be offered at three schools, and only two schools would have swimming teams. This spring, the IPS plans a series of public meetings to explain the proposal’s details and to get feedback on it.

The true bright spot for Indianapolis football coaches seems to be saving the sport district wide while giving it, and other sports, more attention in the all-important earlier grades. “There are a lot of businesses surrounding our school community, and we’re trying to reach out and get them involved in the games, in partnerships, and things of that nature,” McMichel says. “If they see we’re serious about it, they’ll be serious about it, too.”

“We’re excited about the program,” Akers says. “It’s going to take a lot of work for us to get started with this fifth- and sixth-grade program, and we may not see the fruits of our labors for four or five years.

But in the end, we hope we’ll be competitive like the IPS once was.”

COACHING MANAGEMENT

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Q&A

Don Carthel West Texas A&M University

It’s not unusual for a coach fresh off winning his school’s first conference title to move on to greener pastures. This usually means taking over a more established program or stepping up to the next level. But for Don Carthel, it meant moving to an actual pasture. Just weeks after leading his Eastern New Mexico University football team to the 1990 Lone Star Conference title, Carthel left coaching to spend more time with his children and tend to the family ranch in Friona, Texas.

When his children, both accomplished athletes, finished their playing days, he wanted to return to college coaching. But he was repeatedly turned down, often told he’d been out of the game too long. In 2004, he turned to arena football, leading the Amarillo Dusters to a championship in the now-defunct Intense Football League.

West Texas A&M quarterback Dalton Bell was a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, awarded to the top NCAA Division II player, after throwing for 3,799 yards and 30 touchdowns and leading his team to the Lone Star Conference title.

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Then in April 2005, West Texas A&M University offered Carthel its head coaching job. He jumped at the chance and picked up right where he’d left off 14 years before. After winning a total of seven games over the previous four seasons, the Buffaloes shocked the Lone Star Conference by going 10-1 in the regular season, winning the LSC title for the first time since 1986, and soaring as high as seventh in the NCAA Division II rankings.

In this interview, Carthel discusses his decisions to leave coaching and then return, coaching against his son, and helping assistant coaches start their careers.

CM: Why did you decide to leave coaching 15 years ago?

Carthel: I really enjoyed what I was doing except for the time I was missing with my two kids, Colby and Courtney. I’m all or nothing when I do something—on Friday nights as a college coach, I had team meetings, watched film, and pretty much put my players to bed. I wasn’t going to sacrifice those responsibilities to see my son or daughter play football or basketball. I decided that I had to give up coaching in order to really watch and enjoy their high school careers. I thoroughly enjoy what I’m doing now, but I don’t regret leaving.

score the opponent—was pretty valuable.

Managing the clock wisely in the last two minutes is of great importance in arena football, and I think I’ve been able to carry that over to the college game.

Coaching never really left my blood, though. I’d find high school players and send recruiting lists to my friends still in college coaching. I was asked to coach a Division II all-star game—the Snow Bowl, in Fargo, N.D. [now the Cactus Bowl in Kingsville, Texas]. It was a college all-star game for players hoping to be drafted.

Then, after Colby finished playing at San Angelo State, he took a coaching job at Abilene Christian, and they asked me to be a volunteer coach on Saturdays. I’d drive 280 miles every weekend—more if they were playing out of town. I did that for four years to get my coaching fix.

Then the Dusters asked me to be their coach and general manager.

Having been president of your local school board, what advice would you give coaches as they deal with board members and administrators?

I think as long as they treat kids right—the way that they would want a coach to treat their son or daughter—they won’t have problems with parents, or at least not with their school board members and principals.

It’s especially important that they have a good relationship with their principal.

What did you take out of your experience with the Dusters?

This past year at WT, we had a great offense and a porous defense, but I was used to high-scoring games from arena football. The coaching philosophy I used in arena football—taking chances with on-side kicks and two-point plays, and doing anything and everything to out-

Did you think about coaching in high school when colleges were turning you down?

No. I did three years of high school coaching, and I enjoyed it. But I was president of the school board at Friona when I was farming and ranching, and I saw how some parents treat high school coaches. I wasn’t too interested in getting back into those situations.

How do you cope with the long hours on the road recruiting?

Believe it or not, I enjoy it. I love meeting people, going places, finding good restaurants. But it’s seasonal. A couple of months recruiting is like harvest time on the farm: You work from sunup to sundown, though in this case you’re not even sleeping at home. You’re usually in a motel Monday through Friday, at least.

What did you do to turn the team around this year?

The first thing was to put together a coaching staff of good men who treat the

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Circle No. 107

Q&A players well. We show players that we’re interested in their lives, not just their football skills. I think if you treat players that way, they’ll respond well, and good team morale and chemistry will follow.

What brought the fans out?

Number one, we were winning. Number two was the way we were winning.

Our defense was flying around, creating turnovers, and our offense scored a lot

“We’re looking for players who Division I schools backed away from at the last minute. We try to pick their spirits up, tell them how good they are, and offer them a partial scholarship.

We also seek Division I transfers who didn’t make it at that level for whatever reason. We show them they’re great athletes who just need a fresh start in a new environment.”

Plus, our community was hungry for a winner. When they saw the heart and the passion that our kids played with, they responded. We led the nation in average attendance with more than 13,000 per game and set a league record with 22,993 at one of our games. Having that type of excitement and interest from the community made our players play that much harder.

of points and threw the ball all over the place. We led the nation in passing this year and were in the top 10 nationally in scoring and turnover ratio. The combination of that type of offense and some very exciting finishes—in six wins we were behind in the third quarter, and in three we won on the last play of the game— made us fun to watch, and I think the fans appreciated that and kept coming back.

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

Did you play that kind of game earlier in your coaching career?

No. We use the same Air Raid offense that Texas Tech is running. It’s very exciting, very explosive, and our guys bought into it. The team had been running this offense for two years prior to my coming here, but for whatever reason they just weren’t able to finish a game or put a lot of points on the board. Everything just kind of fell into place this year. We had some good receivers and a very good quarterback who hadn’t played much for three years but played extremely well this season.

Your team made the Division II playoffs for the first time, earning the top seed in the Southwest region, where you lost to Pittsburg State. What did you tell your team after that loss?

Of all the colleges that play football, there’s only one that’s happy at the end of the year. And right now, it’s the University of Texas in Division I-A, and at our level, Grand Valley State. Everybody else falls by the wayside sooner or later. So you’ve got to look at the whole season. Thank the players for their effort and don’t dwell on

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Q&A the one game or the one loss. To the players who are coming back, we said, “Let’s learn from this opportunity and make sure we’re prepared to make a better run for the national championship next year.”

Division I transfers who didn’t make it at that level for whatever reason. We bring them in and show them they’re great athletes who just need an opportunity or a fresh start in a new environment.

What was it like to coach against Colby?

My son and I have always talked on the phone quite a bit, for 30 minutes or an hour at a time. My wife will be on the phone with us, but after about five minutes, she’ll say, “Well, I’ll let y’all talk football. It seems like that’s all you’re going to do, anyway.” This year it was quite different because after five minutes or so I was “To the players who are coming back, the one saying, “I’m gonna let y’all talk,” because I didn’t we said, ‘Let’s learn from this opporwant to spill any beans about tunity and make sure we’re prepared my strategies or recruits or to make a better run for the national anything like that. Our phone bill was way down, and my wife championship next year.’” enjoyed talking more to our son this year.

Do you encounter many athletes who think that they should be playing in Division I? That is the type of athlete we’re trying to get. We’re looking for players who Division I schools flirted with and then backed away from at the last minute. We

come in and try to pick their spirits up, tell them how good they are, and offer them a partial scholarship. We also seek

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

We both rooted for each other every week but one. That’s the one we both wanted to win. It was all business—there

wasn’t any chitchat. [West Texas A&M defeated Abilene Christian, 40-24.]

How do you help assistant coaches maintain family life while being dedicated to coaching?

I try to make it as enjoyable for them as it was for me as an assistant. So I give them advice, visit with them often, and give them a lot of responsibility within their areas.

A lot of these guys are student coaches or graduate assistants. Once they get their degree, it’s time for them to get a full-time job and start providing for their families. I thoroughly enjoy being a part of young coaches’ lives, helping each one develop his philosophies as he starts his coaching career.

If a person enjoys athletics and enjoys being around people, you couldn’t find a better profession than coaching because of the highs and lows and the excitement of being part of a high school or a college program like I’ve been involved with. You can’t go wrong in a career like this.

Circle No. 111

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Circle No. 113

COVER STORY

FACING

CHANGES

BY R.J. ANDERSON

Whether by choice or by rule, coaches at all levels are altering preseason practice schedules to help their players beat the heat while still getting ready for the opener.

Few things worry Greg Nesbitt, Head Coach at Hickman (Mo.) High School, as much as the effect of heat on his players during preseason practices. After enduring a number of scares over the years in which he had to take overheated and underhydrated players to the emergency room, Nesbitt decided in 2000 that it was time to rethink his preseason philosophy.

Since that time, Nesbitt has approached the preseason with an eye toward acclimatizing his players to the heat, their uniforms, and the rigors of rounding into game shape. Nesbitt, whose team won the 2004 Missouri 5A state title, has used what he calls a “common sense” approach to practices: fewer two-a-days and more pads-free practices to help players get used to exerting intense effort in the heat.

This approach is similar to what college coaches have done following sweeping changes—including a ban on consecutive days of double sessions and an increased acclimatization period— made to NCAA rules governing preseason practices three years ago. Now it appears that high school coaches may soon face similar restrictions. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recently recommended stricter controls on preseason high school football practices, and the University Interscholastic League (UIL), which regulates most high school football in Texas, has adopted many of those recommendations beginning this summer.

The details and timing will vary greatly by state, but it appears likely that rules to protect players from the danger of heat illness will only get stricter.

Coaches are left to wonder: What kind of changes will be made? Why are these changes necessary? And how can I best prepare my team while keeping my players safe?

Addressing a Hot Topic Heat illness has received plenty of media attention over the last few years— especially since 2001, when Minnesota

Vikings tackle Korey Stringer died after suffering heat exhaustion in the team’s second preseason practice. Despite many newspaper articles and TV reports chronicling Stringer’s death and the dangers presented by heat illness, young athletes continue to perish. Since 2003, heat stroke has claimed the lives of at least four high school players. During the 2005 preseason, two severe incidents, one resulting in death, occurred.

And in nearly every case, the incidents took place during the first couple of practices, when most players hadn’t yet reached prime physical condition.

Michael Bergeron, Assistant Professor at the Medical College of Georgia and a fellow at the ACSM, grew tired of reading about young athletes losing their lives to heat illness and decided to do something about it. As chair of an ACSM roundtable of sports medicine experts, Bergeron was the primary author of a paper recommending new standards for high school preseason practices that appeared in the August 2005 issue of ACSM’s journal, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

According to the ACSM article, “The overwhelming majority of serious heat illnesses occur in the first four days of preseason football practice (especially on the first and second days), when players are not acclimatized to the heat, the intensity/duration of practice, or the uniform.” Similar to NCAA rules, the ACSM recommendations would prohibit two-a-days during the first week and multiple workouts on consecutive days after that. The ACSM’s guidelines also include recommendations to: ■ Limit single on-field practices to no more than three hours, including conditioning drills.

■ Limit total practice time for multiple sessions to no more than five hours a day.

■ Require a minimum of three hours between sessions.

R.J. Anderson is an Assistant Editor at Coaching Management. He can be reached at: rja@MomentumMedia.com.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

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COVER STORY

■ Prohibit wearing full uniforms and pads, which can increase the risk of heat illness, until day six.

■ Prohibit full-contact practices until week two.

Since its release in August of 2005, the ACSM’s message has caught the attention of high school association officials at both the state and national levels. Jerry Diehl, the National Federation of State High School Associations’ (NFHS) Assistant Director and staff liaison to the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee, says that management of heat illness is a point of concern for his organization. Along with re-evaluating its current guidelines, which do not include any language pertaining to two-a-day practices or session length, the NFHS is examining the ACSM’s recommendations, Diehl says.

Bergeron hopes the ACSM proposals will gain traction and that regulations will find their way onto high school fields within the next couple of years. “Hopefully with the NFHS’s support, we can get a lot more attention for this so that the guidelines can make an impact,” says Bergeron. “We’re hoping to make the guidelines available on the NFHS Web site, and we’re working on a poster that would include an abbreviated version of the recommendations that could be sent directly to every state association or the schools themselves.”

“I haven’t noticed any drop in our conditioning and preparedness since we did away with consecutive two-a-days ... I think the reduced practice time has been well offset by a decrease in injuries and by the freshness of our players.”

Bergeron says since the NCAA adopted its guidelines, there is evidence of players losing less practice time due to heatrelated problems. “There’s no reason to think the same thing wouldn’t happen at high schools,” he adds.

After examining the dangers of heat stress and dealing with heat-related fatalities, some state associations are taking steps to address the issue. In Texas, where a player died of heat stroke in 2004, the UIL recently adopted some of the ACSM’s recommendations. Starting this preseason, Texas high schools will adhere to the three- and five-hour limits on practice times. “We’ve also added mandatory time breaks between two practices if they are held on the same day,” says Mark Cousins, Athletic Coordinator of the UIL. And according to Cousins, the UIL is considering more preseason changes within the next couple of years.

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The Early Danger To grasp the intentions behind the ACSM’s recommendations, Bergeron feels it’s important that coaches take the time to consider the risks and scenarios that prompt a player to collapse or die. “It’s not just the heat,” Bergeron explains. “It’s acclimatizing to the intensity and duration of practices, as well as the uniform and all of the protective gear that they wear.

When you read about somebody being taken to the hospital or dying, usually it’s on the first day or two of practice and they’ve gone three hours or even six hours during those first few sessions wearing full gear—including helmets and pads.”

Mike Ferrara, an athletic trainer and a kinesiology professor at the University of Georgia, is entering the final year of a four-year

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Circle No. 115

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COVER STORY

study examining heat illness in college football. Athletic trainers from 28 Division I and III teams record heat injuries on a day-to-day basis along with the environmental conditions surrounding the injuries.

Since beginning the study in 2003, Ferrara has noticed a few trends from his initial data analysis. One is a spike in heat-related injuries on the second day of preseason. “They go through their first day without too many problems, then on day two we see a bit of an upward trend in the number of heat illness cases,” says Ferrara. “There is an increase on day two, then it comes down on days three, four, and five.”

Ferrara has also noticed a gradual increase in the number of heat-related illnesses during the second week, when teams are allowed to start full sessions with pads as well as two-a-days—though not on consecutive days. “There’s a gradual uptick to about day 12, then it goes down,” says Ferrara, who thinks that the decrease is a result of players getting used to practicing in the heat and wearing all of their protective equipment.

Bergeron says these figures should give pause to coaches who like to use preseason practices to weed out the weak. “Coaches have to recognize that their players need to be gradually introduced to the environment, the intensity and duration of the workouts, and the uniform configuration in a very progressive manner,” says Bergeron. “Unlike in college football, where athletes tend to be better conditioned when they begin camp, high school kids often come in fairly unfit. When you take somebody who’s not fit and not acclimatized to the heat, and you give him a hard, long workout in a uniform, or even a partial uniform, you’re asking for trouble.”

The effects of helmets and pads should not be overlooked. Bergeron says it’ll take more research to pin down the thresholds of weather and uniform conditions that trigger heat-related injury.

But it’s already clear, he says, that coaches need to understand that football equipment can dangerously compromise the body’s cooling system and needs to be gradually introduced in preseason. “I’m not sure that people really appreciate the degree of stress that a uniform and helmet put on a person,” he says.

Nesbitt agrees. In Missouri, the only equipment that can be worn for the first

three days of practice is a helmet. “We take it a step further,” says Nesbitt. “We might wear helmets the first day, then only wear shorts and T-shirts on the second day or during the second session of a two-a-day so their bodies can adjust to the temperature without overheating.

“And we always tell our players to take off their helmets between drills to help cool down,” says Nesbitt. “We feel that if we can get them through those first three

or four days, the odds are in our favor that they’ll be better adjusted to the heat and minimize their chance of injury.”

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Circle No. 117 COACHING MANAGEMENT

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COVER STORY

a double session on the second day, then alternates single-double-single sessions each day after that. Mora also tries to avoid holding padded workouts during both parts of a double session.

Mora is not alone in his two-a-day cutbacks. An informal poll conducted

by ESPN.com concluded that two-thirds of NFL teams have eliminated consecutive two-a-days. The reasons behind the changes include ramped up off-season conditioning programs and a desire to reduce injuries.

“It’s just being smarter in managing your time, getting things accomplished when you’re on the field, then getting your players out of the sun,” Mora told ESPN.com. “Sure, it’s a break from tradition. But everything changes. When you get to September, you don’t want a team

that’s already burned out because of what it did in July and August.”

As Mora points out, the benefits of changing the preseason routine may go beyond reducing the risk of heat illness.

By gradually bringing his players along and getting them used to both the heat and the intensity of practice, Nesbitt has experienced fewer problems with strains and sprains during those first couple of weeks.

However, Nesbitt says he didn’t always operate his preseason with such restraint, and before scaling back on two-a-days in 2000, such injuries were a big hindrance to his preseason preparation.

“I used to come out and bust you like the dickens that first day and work you till you dropped,” says Nesbitt, the 2004 Missouri 5A Coach of the Year. “Then,

A leading contributor to heat illness injuries, including cramping, is dehydration. And it often results from players not sufficiently restoring their hydration levels between workouts.

Michael Bergeron, Assistant Professor at the Medical College of Georgia and a fellow at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), says his studies have shown that during a two-hour practice players typically lose at least one percent of their body weight despite consuming two liters of water during that time. He says that in most cases, the players failed to replace that weight before the next practice session.

“We found that athletes are often dehydrated even before that first practice,” says Bergeron. “Then they come back the next day, and it’s even worse. I can take any group of athletes in any sport and prior to a practice or a game more than half of them are dehydrated—and to a fairly significant level.”

So how do you make sure your players are rehydrating adequately? Greg Nesbitt, Head Coach at Hickman (Mo.) High School, says it’s not enough to simply have water and sports drinks available throughout practice and to weigh athletes before and after each session. Nesbitt feels coaches need to preach a message that is repetitive, reviewed, and starts at the top. “We harp on it constantly,” says Nesbitt, who emphasizes the importance of hydration at a parents’ meeting held the night before the first preseason practice.

“I tell the parents about bad experiences I’ve had and I talk about the experience of taking a kid to the emergency room with cramps,” he adds. “Even if it’s not lifethreatening, it can be a very scary situation. I tell parents that as a coach, I’m not around the kids once practice ends, so they need to take the baton and make sure their kids are getting enough fluids when they go home at night.”

HARPING ON H Y D R AT I O N

26

COACHING MANAGEMENT

invariably, we’d have injuries. We’d have a couple of hip flexors, a groin pull, and maybe a bad hamstring or two. There’s nothing worse than having eight or 10 guys standing on the sidelines during that first week of practice.

“Now we place an emphasis on acclimatizing to the conditioning as well as the heat,” he continues. “We start a little slower, but by the middle of the second week, we have it completely ratcheted up and are doing full-fledged conditioning sessions at the end of practice.”

Nesbitt says that since eliminating consecutive two-a-days and implementing a stricter preseason acclimatization period, the number of heat-related episodes has dramatically decreased, and his team has not suffered physically. “I haven’t noticed any drop in our conditioning and preparedness since we did away with consecutive two-a-days,” he adds. “We’ve been ready and prepared in our openers. The practice or two that we take off certainly hasn’t gotten us behind, and I think the reduced practice time has been well offset by a decrease in injuries and by the freshness of our players.”

Learning From Experience High school coaches seeking examples of how to adjust their preseason practice routines can also look to their colleagues at the college level. Since NCAA restrictions on preseason practices went into effect in 2003, college coaches have been working to find the right formula to prepare players for competition. While most coaches have their routines dialed in at this point, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing.

Steve Mohr, Head Coach at Trinity University, a Division III school in San Antonio, Texas, says that the rule changes caught him off guard initially and that the 2003 preseason was a bumpy one for his team and his staff. “We found in the first year that we had more non-heatrelated injuries with the restrictions than before,” says Mohr. “I don’t know if it was a fluke, but for some reason it took a long time for our kids to attain optimal conditioning.”

One reason for that, says Mohr, is that many players didn’t come to camp in adequate shape. In anticipation of the five-day acclimatization period, which banned two-a-days, protective equipment, and practicing longer than three

Circle No. 118

COVER STORY

hours, Mohr says it’s possible that his players may have slacked off a bit in their summer conditioning, even if subconsciously.

Mohr and his staff remedied that problem by taking a new approach to the summer workouts they gave the team. “Before the 2004 preseason, we stepped up the conditioning component of the workouts that we gave them to take home in the summer,” says Mohr. “We asked them to do more running and I think it paid off. Probably 80 percent of the kids followed it pretty diligently, came back in a lot better shape, and helped start our season on a much better foot.”

With fewer two-a-days and an overall crunch on practice time, coaches across the NCAA were forced to change the structure of their preseason workouts.

“The most obvious thing is that we have many more meetings and get the X’s and O’s of our offense and defense done on the chalk board,” says Scot Dapp, Head Coach at Moravian College.

“For the multiple sessions, we vary them so that we break the day. We’ll have a day with a couple of two-and-a-half-hour practices, but we might follow it up with a day consisting of a two-hour practice, then a one-hour practice, then wrap up with another two-hour session. To me, it’s all about utilizing every moment you’re allowed with your guys.”

One adaptation that Mohr and Dapp both made was placing more emphasis on weightlifting during the preseason.

“Before, many coaches would have their players work hard in the weightroom coming into the start of preseason camp, then cut back on their lifting once camp starts because there isn’t as much time and the players are worn down,” says Dapp. “As a result, players usually lost

strength during that time. Now, we can schedule weight training sessions on days we don’t have two-a-days, which allows players to maintain their strength throughout the course of camp.”

While spending less time on the practice field bothers both Mohr and Dapp, Nesbitt feels that the reduced preseason workload has really helped his high schoolers. “I didn’t see any disadvantage to how we’ve changed our preseason approach,” says Nesbitt.

“When I first made the changes, I was a little concerned because I knew I would end up with three or four fewer practices than opposing coaches.

“Now, we can schedule weight training sessions on days we don’t have two-a-days, which allows players to maintain their strength throughout the course of camp.”

“But I’ve realized that if you have an organized system, eliminating three or four practices isn’t going to make a difference in winning or losing if you’re practicing smart and hard,” Nesbitt adds. “To me, it’s all about quality over quantity.”

By running organized, fast-paced practices, and giving his players more recovery time, Nesbitt is able to stay away from the emergency room and prepare his team for the season. “Believe me,” he says, “by the time our first game rolls around, our kids are in shape—just ask our opponents.” ■

RESOURCES For more detail on American College of Sports Medicine recommendations for avoiding heat stress, go to: www.acsm.org/publications/newsreleases2005/ GuideFootball.htm.

For a list of definitions for varying stages of heat stress and accompanying treatment options, go to: www.nfhs.org and type “heat stress” into the search window.

For articles on heat illness and cooling from our sister publication Training & Conditioning, go to our Web site at: www.AthleticSearch.com and type “heat illness” into the search window.

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E L E C T R O LY T E S A R E V I T A L F O R SAFETY AND PERFORMANCE:

www.gssiweb.org

PRACTICAL RESEARCH YIELDS IMPOR TANT LESSONS FOR ATHLETES E. Randy Eichner, MD, Team Internist, Oklahoma Sooners

SODIUM AND HEAT CRAMPING

ELECTROLYTES MAINTAIN BLOOD VOLUME

Major heat cramping involving widespread painful spasms of muscles can take athletes out of the game. In the past, some have recommended increasing potassium intake as the key to preventing heat cramps1. But forget the bananas and oranges. New research has shown sodium, not potassium, is critical in preventing major heat cramping in sports2.

Research with the University of Oklahoma football team shows that sodium loss in sweat is a key culprit in heat cramping in athletes. Through on-field studies of Sooner football players in action, researchers measured sweat rates and sweat electrolyte losses in two-a-day practices in August. In hot and humid conditions, they compared cramp-prone players with teammates who had no history of heat cramping.

Although athletes should avoid overdrinking, athletes in action tend not to drink enough fluid to stay fully hydrated. Sodium in a sports drink helps keep athletes hydrated. ឣ Beverages containing sodium are better retained by the body because the blood sodium concentration is maintained. This helps hold fluid in the bloodstream, preventing a fall in blood volume. ឣ In contrast, sodium-free beverages like SODIUM NEEDS OF ATHLETES water are eliminated more quickly in the Intensity and duration of workouts can add up to substantial sodium loss. urine, because they rapidly dilute the blood sodium concentration7. ឣ The sodium in sports drinks like Gatorade also helps maintain the physiological drive to drink, so athletes drink more and hydrate better.

FLUID TURNOVER AND HOMEOSTASIS

Results showed both groups lost small and Research shows that Sooner football players Data from laboratory and field research on typical amateur and professional athletes to similar amounts of potassium in sweat, but turn over huge amounts of fluid during twogauge sweat sodium loss during typical workouts for each sport. Sweat sodium loss in their sweat sodium losses were starkly difa-day practices8. Basically, they lose and football is represented for noncrampers; cramp-prone players lose twice this much sodium. ferent. need to replace an average of 10 quarts of ឣ Crampers were “salty sweaters,” losing fluid a day. Up to 70% of this daily fluid twice the sodium in sweat as noncrampers. loss is sweat; the rest is mostly urine. ឣ In one day of two-a-day practice sessions, the crampers lost an average of ឣ Sweat comprises more than just water. It also contains electrolytes, mainly five teaspoons of salt (sodium chloride). In an extreme example, one athlete sodium and chloride, but also potassium, magnesium, and calcium. ឣ Replacing the fluid and electrolytes lost in sweat is vital to maintain proper lost nine teaspoons. ឣ Football crampers also had higher sweat rates and dehydrated more than hydration and cardiovascular control, help regulate body temperature, and noncrampers. ensure top athletic performance9.

THE WATER HAZARD If an athlete does “lock up” with major heat cramping, athletic trainers and other sport professionals should think twice before instructing the athlete to drink plenty of plain water. Over-ingestion of plain water can worsen the problem by diluting the blood sodium concentration and causing hyponatremia.

Proper treatment protocol involves administration of sodium chloride through fluid, either orally or intravenously. Fluids taken orally are the first line of defense. If drinking is impaired or it is an emergency situation, fluids can be administered intravenously. ឣ Athletic trainers and other sport professionals should never treat heat cramping with only plain water. ឣ To prevent heat cramping, encourage athletes to salt their food and consume sodium-rich foods like tomato juice, canned soup, and pretzels. Further prevention should include weighing athlete pre and post practice to determine fluid weight loss. ឣ During on-field situations, the use of sports drinks containing sodium, like Gatorade, will continue to help athletes meet their electrolyte needs.

ELECTROLYTES BEAT PLAIN WATER IN THE ATHLETIC ARENA ឣ

Sodium is vital to prevent major heat cramping in athletes.

Beverages with sodium stay in the body better than sodium-free fluids. ឣ Electrolytes are imperative to maintain a healthy fluid balance and keep athletes performing at their peak. ឣ

For more information, please visit www.gssiweb.org.

REFERENCES 1 Arnheim, D, &,Prentice, W. Principles of Ahletic Trianing (9th ed).St. Louis: McGraw-Hill (1997): 266.

2

Stofan JR, ZAchwiega JJ, Horswill CA, Lacambra M, Murray R, Eichner ER, Anderson S. Sweat and sodium losses in NCAA Division 1 football players with a history of whole-body muscle cramping. In Press: J Sports Nutr Exer Metab.

3

Maughan RJ, Merson SJ, Broad NP, Shirreffs SM. Fluid and electrolyte intake and loss in elite soccer players during training. Int. J. Sports Nutr. 14:333-346, 2004.

4

Maughan RJ, Shirreffs SM, Merson SJ, Horswill CA. Fluid and electrolyte balance in elite male football (soccer) players training in a cool environment. J. Sports Sci. 23:73-79, 2005

5

Phanke MD, Trinity JD, Batty JJ Zachwieja JJ, Stofan JF, Hiller WD, Coyle EF. Variability in sweat rate and sodium concentration in ultra-enduracne athletes during exercise. Texas-chapter ACSM meeting, February 2004.

6

GSSI in house research on Olympic marathon runners.

7

Maughan RJ, Leiper, JB, Sodium intake and post exercise rehydration in man. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol Occup. Physiol. 71(4):311-9, 1995.

8

Montain SJ and Coyle EF. Influence of graded dehydration on hypertension and cardiovascular drift during exercise. J. Appl. Physiol. 73:1340-1350, 1992.

9

Stofan JR, ZAchwiega JJ, Horswill CA, Lacambra M, Murray R, Eichner ER, Anderson S. Fluid turnover during two-a-day practices in college football. MSSE, 37:S168, 2005.

CAREER CHOICES

TIME TO REFLECT If you don’t look forward to the first day of practice every year—and all that goes with it—it might be time to step back and ask yourself whether you need new

BY LEM ELWAY challenges, a new coaching job, or just to reassess how you work.

Y

ou’ve finished up an incredibly tough season and you’re ready to throw in the towel.

The athletes didn’t seem motivated, their parents drove you crazy, and your athletic director was out playing golf whenever you needed a helping hand. You worked your tail off for the team and all you got in return were complaints.

You’re about to hand in your letter of resignation, but then again, you’re not really sure you want out. You do love coaching—working with the kids and the thrill of the competition.

Ever have a season like that? Most coaches have. How do you decide whether it’s time to leave and start over?

I recently left the school where I’d been coaching for 16 years. It was a difficult decision, but one that was ultimately in my best interest. It took a lot of reflection, thinking about my options, and getting ready for new challenges.

What Went Wrong?

There are many reasons a coach might want to resign. Sometimes it is because a painful situation arose with parents.

Maybe the time commitment has become too overwhelming. For some, lack of sup-

30

COACHING MANAGEMENT

VEER.COM

Lem Elway just completed his second season as Head Football Coach at Rochester (Wash.)

High School, where he teaches special education. He is also Head Baseball Coach at Black Hills High School in Tumwater, Wash. A member of the Washington State Coaches Hall of Fame, he has coached at the middle school, high school, and college levels.

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CAREER CHOICES

port from administration or a shrinking budget is the impetus. Others just feel they’ve lost their passion for coaching.

Before you write that resignation letter, it’s important to reflect on why you are thinking about quitting. A critical and unemotional look at the situation is essential to making the right choice.

This is the only way to figure out if you truly want to quit coaching altogether, if you should move to another school, or

if you just need to change some of your strategies before the next season starts.

Here are some areas to think about: Parents: When I started coaching, working with athletes’ parents was not an issue. Parents rarely dared to question a coach and were quickly told to mind their own business if they did. Today, working with parents is a big part of the job and can run even a veteran coach ragged.

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

Parents in another district are probably not going to be much different. Every team has parents who will question your decisions, overprotect their children, and not understand the greater good. The truth is you need to embrace working with parents if you want to continue coaching.

However, some schools are better at supporting their coaches than others. If your current administration lacks procedures for parent questions and does not back you up in parental disagreements, you might want to look for an administration that will.

This issue can be especially sensitive when it comes to disciplining athletes who break school or team rules. One reason I left my former school was that I was verbally attacked (as were members of my family) after the administration disciplined five seniors from my team who were caught breaking the team no-drinking rule. Some parents were relentless in trying to get me fired. Although the administration backed me and I stayed at the school for another five years (and we continued to have a winning program), the negativity took its toll. I needed a fresh start to preserve my enthusiasm for coaching.

School Climate: A coach I know relocated after seeing his budget cut year after year and the administration withholding the support he needed. He joined a school with a strong athletic director and a community committed to high school athletics.

On the flip side, some coaches become frustrated with a climate that puts too much emphasis on winning. A new generation of parents who want the team to bring home a regional championship every year might not be your idea of a good time. If that’s more pressure than you want, it may be time to say good-bye.

Time Commitments: Being a head coach is much more time-consuming than it was 10 years ago. If you aren’t spending enough time with your family, you’ve got a very good reason to take a break from coaching. Whether you’re juggling childcare with your spouse or taking your kids on weekend college visits, there are things in your family life that you can’t afford to miss.

In most cases, you can return to coaching when the time is right. Even if your old job has gone to someone else,

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CAREER CHOICES

there will be opportunities to coach in just about every community. I’ve seen head baseball coaches leave their post, then return to coach the school’s newly formed softball team. I’ve also seen former head coaches return as assistant coaches with great success.

For example, maybe you didn’t make your expectations clear enough at the beginning of the season. Maybe you are struggling with evaluating the talent on your team. Maybe your strategies weren’t well thought out. Maybe you haven’t found the right balance of being strict yet understanding with your athletes. Maybe you tried to skirt parents’ questions. Maybe you neglected to ask for help. Maybe your practices weren’t focused enough.

Be honest with yourself about the mistakes you’ve made. And then be honest about figuring out your role in avoiding similar problems in the future.

Is Repair Possible?: With a complete understanding of what went wrong and your role in the problem, you next need to think about whether the situation can be repaired. If you feel that you can avoid the same problems by doing things differently next year, then write down your goals for how you want to change and stay where you are. In some

Be honest with yourself about the mistakes you’ve made. And then be honest about figuring out your role in avoiding similar problems in the future.

Mistakes Made: This is hard to do, but it’s critical that you think about the mistakes you’ve made that contributed to the negative situation. We all make mistakes, but only those who can analyze their missteps will learn how to grow from them. Conduct a critical evaluation of yourself and write down what you could have done differently.

Circle No. 123

cases, you might also need to talk to people to repair any damage done.

If you honestly don’t feel the problems will go away no matter what you do, then hand in that resignation letter and think about your next step: Do you stop coaching altogether or look for a new position? To help make this decision, think about going to practice next season at a new school: Are you pumped up as you imagine yourself meeting new players (and parents)? Or would you be forcing yourself to get excited at that first meeting? If the former is true, then keep reading.

Putting Out Your Resume Before you decide to look for another job, understand that there is work to be done and decisions to be made. First of all, think about your parameters. “Is it possible to relocate or do I need to look for a job in the area? What are my financial needs? What are my family’s needs?”

Think about what you want in a job, as well as about your coaching goals.

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CAREER CHOICES

What has your current school taught you about what gives you job satisfaction? What has it shown you about finding a suitable work environment? What have you learned about the qualities to look for in your next athletic director?

How has your experience prepared you to take the next step?

Some coaches consider the college level. Advantages include teaching more-skilled athletes and becoming a parent-away-from-home, having more

assistants and administrative help, and few if any in-class duties. On the other hand, college coaching requires more time commitment and travel, and breakin salaries can be lower than those for many new scholastic teacher-coaches.

Once you know what you want, start researching and networking. I found it helpful to talk to other coaches at schools that had openings and in communities I was interested in moving to.

I asked them about working with the

I N T E RV I E W Q U E S T I O N S Here are eight questions you should be prepared to answer as a coaching candidate: ■

Why should anyone hire you?

■

How are you different from other candidates?

■

What can you offer to make a program better?

■

What are your strengths?

■

What are your weaknesses?

■

How do you handle problems with parents?

■

How do you deal with conflict?

■

What is your coaching philosophy?

athletic director and other administrators, how problems with parents are handled, what type of students attend the school, whether coaches on the staff get along, and the history of the sport at the school.

Next, get your resume and a list of personal recommendations in order.

Review your interview skills, and talk to others who have recently gone through the process for tips. For example, in today’s world, questions about handling parents and program philosophy are at the top of the list. Make sure you have practiced answers to a list of possible high-priority interview questions. This will give you interview confidence. (See “Interview Questions” at left.)

New Coach on the Block Once you have secured a new position, plan to work hard in that first year to get things off on the right foot. When taking leadership of a program, there is much to learn and communicate.

To start, establish relationships with as many people as you can:

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CAREER CHOICES

■ Meet with prospective athletes to introduce yourself and learn about their goals and objectives.

■ If possible, meet with the former coach of the team to get his perspective on the history of the program.

■ Meet teachers, counselors, and secretaries in the building to establish professional relationships.

■ Establish lines of communication with parents who might be involved with your program in any way. Make sure there are multiple ways they can contact and communicate with you.

■ Meet with local radio and newspaper outlets to introduce yourself and facilitate ways to satisfy their needs for information.

■ Attend and be visible at as many school and community activities as possible to show your support for other programs.

■ Meet with the booster club to get members’ sense of the program and begin to work on projects together.

■ Meet with “feeder” coaches to provide leadership, information, and support for their programs.

■ Talk to the principal and administration about the issues they see as important.

As you talk with people, find out the history of the sport at the school and any significant issues from the past.

For example, understand why the former coach left and what people liked or disliked about him. Get a sense of whether the best athletes at the school are involved in your sport, and if not, why not. Find out how problems have been handled in the past and how parents have responded.

It’s also a good idea to understand the coaching dynamics in your new school. As time passes, you can put your personal touch on the program to reflect your style, but to start, follow the standards set by veteran coaches. For example, if tidy uniforms are important to the coaches of other sports, make sure your kids are tucking in their shirts and looking sharp. If coaches are supposed to lead individual booster clubs, then do so. If they are supposed to follow the lead of a booster club president, then don’t step on anyone’s toes.

Here are some other things to find out: ■ Do the good athletes specialize or play multiple sports?

■ What is the success level of other sports at the school?

■ What outside influences in the community are related to athletics and your sport?

■ Do players participate in club sports during the off-season?

■ How strong is the involvement and support of parents?

■ What is the expectation level of the program from the athletes, school, and community?

If there are assistant coaches to be hired, work with your athletic director to get the best folks on board. If possible, it’s great to have a veteran coach of another sport work as an assistant to help you with the details of the program. If you’re hiring all new assistants, conduct thorough interviews and check references. Beware of candidates who have children or relatives in the program or those who seem to have their own agenda.

With some background knowledge, start the season by communicating your expectations to athletes. Some coaches draw a line in the sand about rules, but when starting new, it often works best to set some guidelines, and then adjust gradually. Most important is to communicate everything well. As a new coach, your rules might contradict the past, so you must use positive and diplomatic skills to make the transition smooth and constructive. Pick your battles carefully.

Starting a new program means selling your procedures, expectations, and philosophy, which can’t be rushed.

Don’t assume anything. It’s hard to remember all the little things that need to be addressed, but if they aren’t, frustration and anxiety can result. For example, when I took over Black Hills baseball, I’d always allowed CD players on the bus, but not on the bench.

Players brought them on the bench without my knowledge at first, and I was surprised. However, instead of getting angry, I quickly set the rules straight and explained why I banned CD players on the field and bench.

Another example is the role of seniors on a team. Some new coaches like to work only with the younger players and think toward the future. When I went to Black Hills, I elected to work

with the seniors and make them the leaders. Seniors often have a high level of anxiety with a new coach. My attitude was that, as long as they hustle, provide enthusiasm, and are coachable, I would find a playing spot for them. My top priority was to change the attitude of the program (which will eventually lead to higher performance levels), and I felt it would work best if the seniors could help me do this. Whatever you decide

Most important is to communicate everything well.

As a new coach, your rules might contradict the past, so you must use positive and diplomatic skills to make the transition smooth and constructive. Pick your battles carefully. to do, remember that how you handle seniors is important.

It’s also critical to explain your expectations to parents. A parents’ meeting needs to occur a month or so before the start of the season, at which time you cover all aspects of your program’s operations, expectations, and procedures—including discipline procedures.

This can easily become the most important meeting for your program and your leadership. It puts you in a proactive mode and opens the lines of communication. Parents must be relaxed and encouraged to ask questions, and they should receive good, clear answers.

Parents can only support those policies they know and understand.

Starting over can be a painful or exhilarating experience. To make it a rewarding one, take the time to think deeply about your desires and your options.

Then, have an organized, systematic approach, stay positive, and communicate well. The future is in your hands. ■ Versions of this article have appeared in previous editions of Coaching Management. To read Lem Elway’s previous articles in Coaching Management on working with parents, setting goals, and fundraising, search “Elway” at our Web site: www.AthleticSearch.com.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

37

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Focus on In-Season Football Training With Joe Juraszek Strength and Conditioning Coach Dallas Cowboys What are the priorities of your team’s in-season workouts?

We try to target the shoulders, the neck area, and the legs. The contact in football is so violent that many times our guys come into the gym and their shoulders are too sore to do some of the major weightlifting movements we’d like them to do, like cleans and squats with progressively heavier weight loads. So when they first come in, we do some targeted exercises to warm up the joints and allow them to progress to normal weightlifting movements.

What kinds of exercises do you use?

We have them utilize bands for flexion pulling movements and upright rows. They do push and pull movements so we get both eccentric and concentric movement. We also have them use the Hammer Strength Jammer for single-arm work, using a rotation similar to the throwing motion for a shot put.

We do the flexion pulling movements first, followed by a push, to stabilize the back and the shoulders. One big key is that our equipment can be used bilaterally or unilaterally. When one side of an athlete’s body is sore, we utilize unilateral movement to isolate that area and get it moving to establish range of motion. For instance, the low row, performed with an overhand grip, is great for the pulling, and the bench press with inside levers on its handles, angles, and grips lets the athlete do an extensor movement while he’s in a supine position lying down.

Why is unilateral isolation so important?

When the work is being performed by both legs or both arms at the same time, the athlete can end up compensating, or cheating during the movement to favor one side. When we isolate, we can eliminate that.

We’ll often work the unaffected side first, to establish proper range of motion, stroke, and tempo, and then have them try to mimic that same range, stroke, and tempo with the other side.

Sometimes it starts with partial movement on the injured side and slowly progresses to full range of motion. This creates blood flow to the muscles and

joints of the affected area, and hopefully gets the athlete prepared to return to a normal routine.

What other elements of the training regimen are different in-season?

One thing we have done is focus on dumbbell work instead of barbell work. It creates a lot more flexibility and freedom of motion where the athlete can adjust the elbow or shoulder movement as necessary to work his way back into the normal lifting routine. If you’re limited to having the bar in a 180-degree plane, sometimes you can’t get the type of movement you need.

How do you know what level of training a player can handle if he is experiencing soreness or coming back from an injury?

It’s very important for us to have great communication with our team athletic trainers. They’ll tell us about what an individual athlete’s status is and we’ll use that information to decide what type of work he should be doing. If you don’t have open lines of communication between the athletic trainers, the strength coaches, and the athletes, it really works against you.

Can you share a success story of your in-season training?

It’s really phenomenal how a guy can come in and do a series of specific movements and then progress to the major weightlifting. Sometimes players can hardly lift their arms to their chest when they walk into the weightroom, and when they finish their flexibility work they can complete the rest of the workout and be back on track for the next game.

One of our most high profile players last year was running back Julius Jones. He had a broken scapula, so the range of motion they tried to create in the athletic training room would have been hindered if we didn’t have unilateral equipment. Julius could work each side at its own rate to get his shoulders back into shape as the scapula healed. His ability to create movement and range of motion throughout his shoulders and upper back enhanced the healing process and maintained his flexibility.

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Circle No. 127

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

A STRONG FOUNDATION

The right layout can make the weightroom an ally in your efforts to build strong players. One collegiate strength coach explains how to design and outfit this important piece of real estate.

BY PAUL CHAPMAN

40

COACHING MANAGEMENT

resources toward their strength and conditioning facilities.

With the increased use and visibility of weightrooms, having the proper design has never been more important.

From layout to equipment, even a topof-the-line facility from 10 or 15 years ago probably won’t work well today, with the larger and more diverse groups of athletes we now train.

In 12 years as a head strength and conditioning coach, I have designed and been involved with upgrading seven training facilities. During my 10 years at the University of North Dakota, I

designed the layout and selected the equipment for four weightrooms totaling 25,000 square feet, the largest a 10,000 square-foot state-of-the-art weightroom housed in the Ralph Engelstad Arena.

The circumstances surrounding the planning and design of the Engelstad Arena were exceptional. Due to an incredible $100 million gift from the Paul Chapman is the Director of Strength and Conditioning at the University of New Hampshire. He also spent 10 years as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of North Dakota.

MIKE SILVERWOOD

I

n years past, weightrooms were often at the bottom of the list as facilities were allotted. They were often shoe-horned into inadequate, but existing, spaces with little consideration made to flow and usage patterns.

Today’s strength and conditioning facilities have grown into essential components for both training and recruiting student-athletes.

As a result, athletic programs around the country—from NCAA Division I-A universities to small colleges and high schools—are allocating more and more

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Circle No. 129

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

late Ralph Engelstad, there were virtually no budget or space restrictions for the Arena or the weightroom. Along with a great arena, Mr. Engelstad and the university wanted to build the largest and best-equipped ice hockey training facility in the world.

During the design process, I met with the arena engineers and outlined the dimensions needed. At completion, $300,000 was spent on equipment, including 10 Power-Lift half-rack combo stations with platforms, 24 Hammer Strength pieces, 24 cardio machines, 20 other various machines, and a 1,000 square-foot hardwood warm-up area.

When the facility opened in the fall of 2001, the arena and weightroom were truly state-of-the-art facilities.

When I took the position of Director of Strength and Conditioning at the University of New Hampshire three years ago, I was immediately charged with redesigning the school’s weighttraining facility. A new 12,000 squarefoot weightroom is being planned, but for the time being, the space allotted for weight training was not going to change. Thanks to a generous donation from a former UNH football player now in the NFL, $150,000 was available to help turn the existing 4,000 square-foot weightroom into the Jerry Azumah Performance Center, which would handle 700 athletes from 24 teams. This required redesigning and re-equipping the existing weightroom to make it more functional and aesthetically appealing.

ing areas, each of which could accommodate two small groups or one larger group, within the existing structure. This let me establish a flow that would allow as many as four groups to work out at one time.

I like to have a coach with each team, be it my assistant, a student assistant, or myself. By creating two distinct areas within the weightroom, each coach has his or her own space when working with their team.

The backside of the performance center, which occupies the top part of

the “T”, has six Power-Lift double-sided combo racks with platforms on each side positioned down the middle of the area providing 12 stations for bench presses, squats, or Olympic lifts. This area also includes four reverse hypers and four glute-ham raises.

The custom-made double-sided racks have platforms on both sides, which accommodate up to four athletes on each side, providing workout capabilities for 48 athletes at once. This way, I can bring a whole ice hockey or soccer

Layout The first step in designing or redesigning a facility is determining your needs and goals. In most cases, the design of the facility will be determined largely by your personal training philosophy. With limited space at New Hampshire, I had to focus on tailoring the facility to fit my training philosophy, which is a more traditional-based program using cleans, squats, and presses.

The need to accommodate multiple teams in different training seasons and training programs also played a large role in the arrangement of equipment.

Since the structure of the facility was not going to change, I had to somehow make the T-shaped design of the space work. I decided to redesign the layout of the room to create two functional trainCircle No. 130 COACHING MANAGEMENT

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STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

team in to work the same program at once, although I do have to split the football team into offensive and defensive groups.

The front side of the performance center, which is located in the bottom of the “T,” is our dumbbell area, used primarily for in-season training, small groups, and rehabilitation workouts. In addition to the dumbbell space, we have 12 pieces of Hammer Strength equipment, two half racks, two lateral pulldowns, and five adjustable benches in that area.

Having a specific dumbbell area is especially useful for teams that choose to train immediately after practice, when

place, but also as a recruiting room, classroom, meeting room, and counseling room.

The office in the original weightroom at UNH was a desk inside the entrance, which did not meet the coaching staff’s needs and took up valuable space. Fortunately, an infrequently used locker room was located adjacent to the back of the weightroom. The wall between the weightroom and locker room was removed so that a separate 12by-18-foot office could be constructed.

Instead of splitting the area into two smaller offices, one large office for both me and Assistant Strength and

Conditioning Coach John Ciani was deemed more desirable. In addition, the office design included a third workstation area for undergraduate and graduate student strength training assistants.

The final area to consider is the location of locker rooms or restrooms.

Ideally, full locker rooms will be available close to the weightroom to save time for the athletes. When locker rooms cannot be located nearby, restrooms should be readily accessible.

bells in 2.5-pound increments from 10 to 40 pounds. This allows for greater programming flexibility.

Seeking to accommodate as many as 48 athletes working out in the main area, we elected to have custom doublesided combo racks created for us. A lot of weightrooms have equipment with a platform on one side and the bench and squat on the other, but I wanted platforms on both sides of the rack mirroring each other.

We also have a custom pillar-mounted system for two lat pull downs, which also allows us to do seated rows. This saved a great deal of space and made it possible to get those two pieces in the room.

Without the custom design, we would have had to go without lat pull downs or seated rows because of the amount of space they would have occupied.

The key to getting custom equipment that worked for our facility was our communication with the equipment manufacturers. They came out to our facility, and we discussed what we wanted to accomplish and how they could fill that need. The important thing when getting custom equipment is making sure you feel completely comfortable with the final decisions because you’re the one who will have to work there every day.

I don’t think it’s a good idea to have someone from the outside lay out the facility and design the equipment for you, but it can be helpful to have someone do it with you.

Equipment Once you’ve decided how to lay out your facility, you’re ready to address filling it. At UNH, we spent a considerable amount of time selecting barbells and weights for the facility. After much research and discussion, I decided to purchase both Olympic training bars and power bars. Although this setup requires us to teach athletes the difference between the two types of bars, it provides the opportunity to do more exercises at one time and the bars will last longer.

Despite the extra expense, we chose urethane weights and dumbbells because of their ability to handle wear and tear as well as their clean look. In order to have a very comprehensive dumbbell area, we bought two sets of dumbbells at each weight along with five adjustable benches. One change I made from previous years was to buy dumb-

Aesthetics While the first purpose of a weightroom is to improve athletic performance, that’s no longer its only purpose.

With the increased attention paid to strength and conditioning, especially in the recruiting process, the appearance of the weightroom has taken on extra significance. The right look and feel will not only help your athletes as they train, it can also help attract athletes to your programs.

One addition I made to the facility was mirrors, which make the room look much larger and aesthetically appealing.

Some strength and conditioning professionals believe that mirrors have no useful effect, but mirrors do give a feeling of enhanced space and depth, which is especially valuable in small weightrooms.

When athletes walk into our room, it looks twice as big as it really is with twice

The temptation is to use as much room as possible for the athletes and their workouts. But you need to set aside enough space for offices, which act not only as a work place, but also as a recruiting room, classroom, and counseling room. dumbbell workouts may be more productive than circuit training. The half racks, meanwhile, allow small groups to clean, squat, and press without taking space away from the larger groups in the main rack area.

Auxiliary Spaces While the actual workout space receives much of the attention when designing a weightroom, it’s important not to overlook the other areas in the facility. The ability to leave open space for a warmup and cooldown area is extremely important. Unfortunately, creating such an area was not realistic in the current UNH facility. It will, however, be a priority for our new weightroom.

Having unlimited access to an indoor track located nearby would be the most desirable scenario if an appropriate area is not available within the weightroom.

At UNH, we are able to handle our warmup area needs through use of both indoor and outdoor tracks as well as a small gym. A minimum area of 15 feet by 30 feet allows a group of 10 to 15 athletes to comfortably warmup, stretch, perform torso work, and cool down.

When planning a weightroom, office space should not be ignored. The temptation is to use as much room as possible for the athletes and their workouts. But you need to set aside enough space for offices, which act not only as a work 44

COACHING MANAGEMENT

Circle No. 131

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

as much equipment thanks to the mirrors we have lining the back of the room.

The mirrors also help in teaching some of the more technical lifts.

Many people stick to their school colors for their weightrooms. But at North Dakota, I started buying equipment painted in black and white and adding school logos. This was partly because we always had problems matching the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s green color and also because we werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t satisfied with the overall look of the green and gray equipment.

I carried the black and white scheme with me to New Hampshire because I like the clean look it presents. Having the school logo stamped throughout the facility makes up for the lack of school color. We also put a large school logo onto each of the 12 platforms, which helps develop a sense of pride among athletes while also looking pretty impressive to an 18-year-old touring the facility.

I also had aesthetics in mind when I chose urethane weights and dumbbells.

Not only do they last longer than metal

plates, but they also look quite sharp. In addition, I made sure to leave enough room on the walls for signage. Athletes appreciate recognition for their efforts in the weightroom, and attractive record boards can serve as a focal point, both visually and mentally.

I found a few other items helpful in setting the right tone for the room.

Music is a terrific motivational tool for athletes and staff alike. Having a quality audio system provides clean sound even when played loudly, though it should never be overwhelming. Having a combination DVD/VCR allows for interactive video opportunities, especially when we use video cameras to provide instant feedback on training techniques.

Dry-erase boards are also an important part of our operation. They allow us to post altered workouts, daily updates, orientation information, and other types of information to be exchanged.

Support Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one indispensable necessity for building a successful facility that you

canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find in any catalog or buy from any salesperson, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s support. The most tangible form of support is money.

But money only comes in when coaches and athletic administrators understand the value of strength and conditioning.

Talk with coaches in other sports about what weight training can provide for each sport and the athletic program overall. Point out that keeping current will make recruiting easier and maintain morale and enthusiasm. Coaches who understand the value of strength and conditioning are likely to encourage athletic administrators to keep weight training facilities up-to-date and functional.

Just as success on the field relies on teamwork, so does success in the weightroom. Whether teaming with administrators to find funding or consulting with manufacturers to customize equipment, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find that your ideas can often be best realized by working with others. â&#x2013; A version of this article has appeared in our sister publication, Training & Conditioning.

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

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Circle No. 133

HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONS

DOUBLE-WINGING IT

Jeff Matthews used an old-school offense to lead Sidney (N.Y.) High School to new ground—a state title.

BY ABIGAIL FUNK

48

COACHING MANAGEMENT

HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONS When Jeff Matthews became Head Football Coach at Sidney (N.Y.) High School in 1996, the cupboard was bare. Interest in football had waned to the point where there weren’t enough players to form a varsity team the year he arrived, so the school fielded only a junior varsity squad.

There was little reason to think Sidney would ever appear atop the league standings, much less atop the state rankings.

JULIE LEWIS/THE DAILY STAR

But a lot can change in 10 years.

Thanks to a coach who never gave up through losing seasons, a pool of hard-working players, and a community that rallied behind its team, the Sidney Warriors celebrated the end of the 2005 season on the Syracuse University Carrier Dome floor as New York State Class C champions.

“What a great feeling,” Matthews says. “A lot of these kids have been playing varsity since they were sophomores and went through a sectional championship loss two years ago and a sectional semifinal loss last year.

Their number-one goal this year was to get to the Dome, and for them to be able to accomplish all they did is really gratifying.”

But simply getting to the Dome wasn’t enough. After beating Marcus Whitman High School, 28-22, in the state semifinal—the only time Sidney was held to fewer than 33 points—the Warriors shocked defending champion Dobbs Ferry High School, 48-21, in the title game. Midway through the second quarter Sidney scored twice in a 20second span to take a 20-0 lead against a team that had not lost in its previous 24 games.

Although Sidney led by at least 20 points for most of the second half, Matthews wasn’t completely comfortable until the clock ran down to 0:00.

“Dobbs Ferry is such a great program, and they’ve played in the state championship game three of the last four years,” he explains. “We knew they were explosive and could make some plays. But, when [Sidney senior] Aaron Zurn returned an interception 47 yards for a touchdown [which gave Sidney a 48-15 lead] in the fourth quarter, I think we all had a collective sigh of relief.”

Zurn, a running back, won the game’s Most Valuable Player award,

gaining 379 all-purpose yards. Senior quarterback Kyle Morenus completed 10 of 15 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns, while senior Pat Simonds had five catches for 113 yards.

The Warriors put up similar offensive numbers all year, averaging 44 points and 400 yards per game. Zurn rushed for 1,500 yards and backfield mate Mick Kozak added 1,040. Morenus threw for 2,132 yards and 33 touchdowns against just 10 interceptions, and Simonds finished the season with 52 receptions for 1,036 yards and 17 touchdowns.

One reason for the Warriors’ offensive numbers may be Matthews’s oldschool double wing offense. Catching opponents off-guard because so few area teams use it, the double wing came to Matthews out of necessity.

Shortly after taking the Sidney job, Matthews received a flier in the mail about the offense and believed its advantages—downblocks and getting players to the point of attack—would complement his small, quick linemen.

There were skeptics in the small town of 6,000 until Sidney began winning.

But at least as important as the scheme itself, Matthews believes, was having a single, consistent offense to teach players year after year.

“Whatever offense you’re going to run, I think you have to stick with it and be consistent,” he says. “Over the past couple of years we’ve really come to understand what we’re doing offensively, and combined with the great athletes we had this year, it’s made us successful.”

There was a point in the season, however, when the team’s consistency hit a snag. Matthews’s father, a former high school basketball and football coach, was diagnosed with lymphoma, and his health declined rapidly. His father re-entered the hospital halfway through the season and asked to see his children again. “As a family, we decided that we needed to drop all of the other important things in our lives and get to him,” Matthews says.

“Like most coaches, I preach family first, school second, and then athletics.

I needed to practice what I preach.”

Matthews turned the team over to his assistants the night before he left for Tennessee to see his father.

The Warriors won the next game in

School: Sidney (N.Y.) High School Head Coach: Jeff Matthews 2005 Season: 12-1, New York State Class C Champions Notes: Sidney’s first state championship title was also its first sectional title …

The Warriors snapped defending champion Dobbs Ferry’s 24game winning streak in the final game … After losing its second game of the season, the team reeled off 11 straight wins …

The team’s offense totaled over 500 yards in the state championship game. a shutout, and when his team reached the title game, Matthews couldn’t help but think of his father, who died on Oct. 19. “We had finished our warmups and were going back to the locker room before kickoff,” Matthews says. “I happened to look up and see my Dad’s second wife and my half-brother out of the thousands of people in there. When I saw them, I said, ‘Yup, I know he’s here. A little angel on my shoulder.’ It wasn’t a sad moment—just reassuring.”

A Sidney tradition calls for a team that wins a league or sectional title to be escorted from the town line back to campus by the fire department.

The football team won its league title at home, however, and wasn’t able to have that honor. Fortunately, there were more opportunities to celebrate.

“It’s usually just the Sidney fire truck that leads the way,” Matthews explains. “But as we continued to win in the playoffs, our escort just kept growing and growing, with the next town’s fire trucks coming along. By the time we won the state championship, we had almost every fire truck in the county escorting us.” ■ Abigail Funk is an Assistant Editor at Coaching Management. She can be reached at: afunk@MomentumMedia.com.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

49

HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIP SOLUTIONS

Oakwood High School, Dayton, Ohio State Playoff Qualifier: 2003–2005 Need: Head Football Coach Mark Hughes needed to protect the track circling his field from cleat damage both at the overlapping bench area and at the crossover area.

Pflugerville Connally High School, Pflugerville, Texas 2005 Class 4A Division I Semifinalist Need: Connally coaches needed an efficient way to view roster depth. Head Coach Matt Monzingo also wanted a way to display team and individual football records.

Solution: Coach Hughes was the first to use new Cross-Over Zone™ Track Protectors from Aer-Flo. “We put them down in August and leave them through football and soccer seasons,” says Hughes. “The built-in chain weighting keeps it down in winds, so we don’t need to use stakes any more. They’re great protectors.”

Solution: Coach Monzingo credits Austin Plastics’ depth boards and record boards as the solution for both needs. Using computers, coaches can quickly change and update names and records with the Austin Plastics printer program. The record boards are great goal-setters for current athletes as well as an excellent way for alumni to see their high school accomplishments immortalized.

Aer-Flo, Inc. 800-823-7356 FAX: 941-747-2489 WWW.AERFLO.COM Circle No. 500

Austin Plastics and Supply 800-290-1025 FAX: 512-832-0952 WWW.ATHLETICRECORDBOARDS.COM Circle No. 501

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

Mukwonago High School, Mukwonago, Wisc.

2004 Wisconsin Division I High School Champions Need: Mukwonago players and coaches were looking for an offensive lineman glove that would out-perform all other gloves in the run to a championship season.

Solution: Cutters’ “Reinforcer” glove greatly reduced the number of late-season injuries that Mukwonago’s offensive linemen had experienced in previous seasons.

Cutters Gloves 800-821-0231 FAX: 602-381-5658 WWW.CUTTERSGLOVES.COM Circle No. 502

HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIP SOLUTIONS

Gering High School, Gering, Neb. Undefeated in District and Conference Play

Oakfield High School, Oakfield, Wisc.

Regional Champions, 1997; Runner-Up, 2003

Susquehannock High School, Susquehannock, Pa. 2005 YAIAA Division II Champions

Need: The high school’s recently-expanded weightroom area had 2,000-square feet that needed flooring.

Need: Athletic Trainer Glen Johnson was looking for a durable treatment table that would be easy to carry and set up for use on the sidelines during football games.

Solution: Gering High School Football Head Coach Tom O’Boyle heard about a VertiMax being used in the area. On his own time, he observed the VertiMax in use. After that one session, O’Boyle decided that was what he and his staff were looking for.

Solution: Head Coach Doug Mock chose Humane Loktuff flooring to cover the weight room floor. “We used to use farm mats under the equipment,” says Mock. “Loktuff flooring is a ver y high-quality product and ver y easy to install. It took six guys just a couple of hours to install the whole thing.

It’s also ver y easy to clean—you can vacuum or mop. We are ver y satisfied with the product.”

Solution: Johnson chose the Boss™ treatment table from Oakworks®. This lightweight but sturdy table has independently-adjustable legs for uneven surfaces and features removable field feet that keep the legs from sinking into the ground. The Boss is easily transportable in its protective carrying case, so it’s perfect for athletic trainers who need to work on the sidelines checking injuries or taping athletes.

Genetic Potential 800-699-5867 FAX: 813-600-4040 WWW.VERTIMAX.COM Circle No. 503

Humane Manufacturing Company, LLC 800-369-6263 FAX: 608-356-8338 WWW.HUMANEMFG.COM Circle No. 504

Oakworks 800-916-4603 FAX: 717-235-6798 WWW.OAKWORKSPT.COM Circle No. 505

Need: Although Gering High School’s football players were okay size-wise, the coaching staff was concerned about its athletes’ speed, and searched for a functional speed trainer that would produce results during competition.

INNOVATIVE

ATHLETIC RECORD BOARDS

KICKING PRODUCTS

KICKING ZONE

Football Kicking Trajectory Pad

Now kickers can naturally develop “quick elevation” on every kick using the innovative Kicking Zone Pad. This “first of its kind” selfcoaching tool will transform every extra point and field goal kick to the proper height necessary to clear the on-coming rush.

SNAPSHOT Snapping Target Zone for Long Snappers Practice precise areas the ball needs to be delivered. Shown with Portable Kicking & Punting Net, which is sold separately. Entire system provides kicker, punter and long snappers the equipment to practice anytime.

“Strive For Athletic Achievement” Visit our Web site to view a large variety of Football Record Boards including: Depth Charts, Players of the Week, Off Season and Goal Boards Austin Plastics & Supply 2415-A Kramer Lane Austin,Texas 78758

800-290-1025

For more details visit www.PROKICKER.com or call 270-843-8393

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Circle No. 135

Circle No. 136 COACHING MANAGEMENT

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HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIP SOLUTIONS

West Monroe High School, West Monroe, La. 2005 State 5A Champions; National Champions: 1998 & 2000 Need: Head Coach Don Shows was looking for equipment that would develop his players’ explosiveness, quickness, endurance, and vertical jump.

West Des Moines Valley High School, West Des Moines, Iowa 2005 State Champions Need: Gary Swenson, Head Football Coach and Fitness Center Director, was looking to re-design his free weight area with spacesaving equipment that was ideal for both athletics and physical education classes.

Solution: Coach Shows chose Powernetics’ The Bear, Attacker, Dominator, and HighStepper. “Powernetics is the core of our training program,” says Shows. “It has made a major contribution to our success.”

Solution: Coach Swenson chose Power Lift 9’ Power Racks with “Lever Action” benches.

“I visited multiple facilities where Power Lift equipment was being used, and I knew this was the solution for us,” he says. “By incorporating the bench press, incline press, military press, and squat station into one space-saving rack, we were able to create more usable space in our facility.”

Powernetics 800-829-2928 FAX: 936-594-6625 WWW.POWERNETICS.COM Circle No. 506

Power Lift 800-872-1543 FAX: 515-386-3220 WWW.POWER-LIFT.COM Circle No. 507

Lumen Christi Catholic High School, Jackson, Mich.

2005 Division 5 State Runner-Up Need: Withington Community Stadium in Jackson, Mich., needed a new sports-lighting system to replace an aging one that was creating excessive glare in the surrounding neighborhood.

Solution: Qualite applied its Pro Series 45V fixtures, effectively controlling the spill light.

This football field is considered a showcase facility in Michigan, and as the host site for several regional playoff games every year, the facility has played a significant role in Lumen Christi’s run at winning four state championships in the past five years.

Qualite Sports Lighting 800-933-9741 FAX: 517-439-1194 WWW.QUALITE.COM Circle No. 508

www.wizardsports.com 1UALITY 3PORTS %QUIPMENT +ICKING .ETS &IELD %QUIPMENT 'OAL 0OSTS +ICKING 3HOES #USTOM &OOTBALL "AGS &OOTBALLS

Since 1984

Wizard Sports, Orange, CA

1-888-964-5425 Circle No. 137

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

Circle No. 138

HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIP SOLUTIONS

Bakersfield High School, Bakersfield, Calif.

2005 District Conference Champions Need: Head Coach Paul Golla contacted Samson Equipment to help him design a custom weight-training facility so his athletes would be able to simultaneously train on the squat, bench/incline/shoulder press, and Olympic Power Cleans, as well as perform supplemental machine and dumbbell workouts.

Solution: Samson Equipment worked with Coach Golla and his staff from day one with everything from a scale layout of their facility, price quotations, and supervised installation quotations, to the AEPA discounts which are exclusive to Samson Equipment. Bakersfield went with seven double-sided power racks, seven combo decline/incline/shoulder benches with custom-embroidered school logos, seven stand-alone 8’ x 6’ platforms with custom school logos as well as a custom black rubber floor with color fleck which the school was able to install itself.

Samson Weight Training Equip.

800-472-6766, FAX: 505-523-2100 WWW.SAMSONEQUIPMENT.COM Circle No. 509

Lakeville South High School, Lakeville, Minn.

2005 State Quarterfinalist Need: Head Coach Larry Thompson needed a sideline communication system that was reliable enough to communicate efficiently with his coaching staff. To have reliability in the product during crucial times during football games was an immediate need. He wanted to concentrate on the game itself—not worry about the communication equipment.

Solution: Coach Thompson chose the Telex Legacy™ because of its proven pedigree in coaching communications. Telex, provider of headsets for NFL teams for more than 20 years, was the only logical choice.

Telex Communications, Inc. 877-863-4169 FAX: 952-887-7480 WWW.TELEXLEGACY.COM Circle No. 510

Check out AthleticBid.com to contact these companies

You need a company you can rely on. K&K is the leading provider of insurance for sports camps, clinics, tournaments, events, instructors and more.

Wayzata High School, Wayzata, Minn.

2005 State 5A Champions Need: The high school needed an organized storage solution for its athletic equipment that would also maximize the functionality of limited space.

Solution: The school chose Wenger’s GearBoss™ storage system because its unique design fit Wayzata’s specific athletic equipment storage needs. GearBoss improves inventory management and security, reducing storage needs by at least one-half compared with traditional shelving.

This modular, high-density system consists of rolling carts that are flexible and easy to configure for a variety of equipment, such as helmets, shoulder pads, baseball bats, jerseys, balls, and other athletic equipment.

Wenger Corporation 800-4-WENGER FAX: 507-455-4258 WWW.WENGERCORP.COM Circle No. 511

Beckman High School, Irvine, Calif.

Pacific South Coast League First Team All-league Kicker Need: Brad Bohn, Coach at Beckman High School and owner of West Coast Kicking Academy, needed to purchase a kicking net in addition to footballs, tees, holders, and blocks.

• Easy applications • Competitive premiums • Credit card payment option • Superior claims handling

Solution: “The kicking net from Wizard Sports Equipment is top of the line,” says Coach Bohn. “It’s easy to set up and transport, and the carrying case is convenient for taking it along on road games. The advantage of Wizard products is that you always get quality athletic equipment at good prices, and the service is great.”

Wizard Sports Equipment 888-964-5425 FAX: 714-974-1852 WWW.WIZARDSPORTS.COM Circle No. 512

Circle No. 139 COACHING MANAGEMENT

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GuideToSyntheticTurf

Choosing the Best Synthetic Turf Solution As an increasing number of high school and college athletic programs are turning to synthetic turf playing fields, many consumers have questions about this rapidly evolving industry, so carefully researching turf companies before making a decision is critical. The following are some factors to consider when evaluating turf manufacturers and installers.

Warranties Buyers are best protected by “insured warranties,” which come with guarantees stating they will be honored until expiration and are typically backed up by an outside insurer.

Warranty insurers are rated by an international insurance rating agency called A.M. Best, which issues Best’s Ratings to assess a company’s solvency. Best’s Ratings are a wellrecognized benchmark for the overall strength of an insurer, and the most reliable companies are rated A++, A+, A, or A-.

A turf company offering insured warranties should be able to provide information about the insurer that backs up its warranty, including a Best’s Rating of at least A-.

A company’s liability can be limited in a warranty, so any such agreement should be examined very closely, and it’s a good idea to have legal counsel look over its provisions. Some red flags to look for in a warranty include: • Non-covered areas: Areas of the field which are not covered against malfunction or damage (e.g., sidelines, logos, or end zones) • Insolvency clauses: State that if the turf company goes out of business, the warranty will no longer be honored

International governing bodies for some sports have also stepped in to provide guidance for tur f specific to their sports. The most prominent is FIFA (Fédéracion Internationale de Football Association), the international governing body for soccer. In 2001, FIFA established the FIFA Quality Concept for Artificial Tur f, which licenses the “FIFA Recommended” mark to manufacturers whose sur faces meet certain standards for soccer playability. The FIH (field hockey) and the UEFA (European soccer) have also become active in synthetic tur f evaluation.

Company Commitment Many of the industry’s most effective leaders share several things in common: • An ongoing commitment to research and development

• Epidemic failure clauses: State that very expensive, large-scale repairs are not covered

• Extensive testing

• Deductibles: It’s not uncommon for a warranty to carr y a deductible. A buyer should know exactly what it is and how it is applied. An unreasonably high deductible can render a warranty useless for all but the most costly repair.

• Solid financial backing

Remember that the quality of the installation is just as important as the quality of the surface itself, and a company should be accountable for the installers it employs. Problems resulting from installation should be addressed in the warranty agreement, and the cost of installation should be included in the quotes offered by bidding companies.

Evaluating the quality of the turf’s specific features There are many performance characteristics that turf companies focus on when marketing their products, which are often

54

based on testing methods established by ASTM International, a not-for-profit collaboration of scientists, manufacturers, consumers, and researchers devoted to developing and publishing testing methodologies for many industries, including the synthetic tur f industr y. ASTM does not test and evaluate tur f products, rather it establishes universally recognized conventions for testing various properties of synthetic surfaces. Ratings on key per formance characteristics such as G-Max, rotational friction, fabric-breaking strength and elongation, sports-shoe traction, dimensional stability by temperature and humidity change, and infiltration rate have greater credibility when based on tests per formed in accordance with ASTM standards.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

• A quality-control/quality-assurance program A company’s ability to customize the surface to meet the buyer’s individual needs is also important. Many turf companies can adjust the field color, the thickness of the yarn, the height of the fibers, the width of the fiber stitching, and the size and make-up of the granules to meet specific requests.

Finally, the experience of a company’s previous clients may be the ver y best predictor of how satisfied its future clients will be. Buyers should ask for references, and take the time to ask about their relationship with the supplier before, during, and after the purchase and installation. If they had any problems, it is critical to find out whether the company responded quickly and appropriately. When possible, buyers should visit completed fields to see and feel the tur f firsthand, and maybe bring along a few athletes to test the surface for additional feedback.

Guide to Synthetic Turf

Sprinturf

Sportexe

XL Generation

www.sprinturf.com 877-686-8873

www.sportexe.com 866-935-7100

www.xlgeneration.com 212-486-1442

See ad on page 8 Circle No. 513

Sprinturf introduced and holds the patent on the all-rubber infill system.

G-Max ratings measure the hardness of a field, and Sprinturf fields receive the same G-Max rating year after year as natural grass in pristine condition (100-135), which means superior safety is achieved. If space constraints are an issue, different colored inlaid lines can allow up to four sports to be played on the same surface, while logos bring the team mascot closer to the game for a true home field advantage.

See ad on page 23 Circle No. 514

Sportexe unveiled its new monofilament synthetic turf system, PowerBlade™, at the beginning of 2006. Touted as being among the softest and most durable turf products in the industry, this product could change the face of synthetic turf. Some safety features include safe G-Max levels, rounded fiber edges for a softer, less abrasive feel, and monofilament fibers that spring back into action more effectively, keeping the infill in place. Another benefit is the duo-tone “blades of grass,” which give this turf a more natural look, thus making it more aesthetically pleasing.

Background: The principals of Sprinturf have spent the past 35 years in the sport facilities construction business. Through its premium product quality, patented safety systems, vertical integration, and third-party warranty, Sprinturf has proven why it’s one of the fastest growing synthetic turf companies in the world.

Background: With offices in Ontario, Texas, and Georgia, Sportexe is dedicated to delivering top-notch synthetic turf solutions to each and every client. As an acknowledged leader in the industry since 1989, the U.S. company prides itself on delivering synthetic turf systems that feature the latest in innovation and superior engineering with an emphasis on research and development.

Recent installations: Pizza Hut Park, Frisco, Texas (shown) University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. Glendale Community College, Glendale, Calif.

Gonzaga Preparatory School, Spokane, Wash.

Scituate High School, Scituate, Mass.

Central Missouri State University, Warrensburg, Mo.

Recent installations: State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, N.Y. (shown) University of North Texas, Denton, Texas Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md. Lake Zurich High School, Lake Zurich, Ill. Cathedral High School, San Diego, Calif.

Corvallis High School, Corvallis, Ore.

See ad on page 33 Circle No. 515

XL Generation ensures consumers flexibility with its designs. The company can manufacture tur f with pre-marked lines, multi-colored lines, inter woven logos, and various colored “grass”.

With the XL EPP technology, XL Tur f emerges as among the first playing sur faces conceived to be truly optimal for players of all ages and abilities. It is uniquely-designed to reduce impact and injur y and boost energy return and per formance.

Background: XL Generation is a world leader in the synthetic turf industry.

Over the years, with consumers, player safety, and comfort in mind, the company’s research and development team has been committed to constantly improving its existing technology, designing specific flooring products for sports, recreational, and commercial markets.

Recent Installations: University of West Virginia, Morgantown, W.Va. Greater Boston indoor Sports Center, Revere, Mass.

Charbonneau Recreation Center, Malta, N.Y. Hit Centers, Inc. headquarters, Tampa, Fla.

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Football Facility Equipment Aer-Flo, Inc. 800-823-7356 WWW.AERFLO.COM Aer-Flo’s Bench Zone™ Sideline Turf Protectors are made of industrial-grade, vinyl-coated polyester open-mesh fabric that allows sunlight and rain through while preventing steel-tipped cleats from penetrating. They do not retain water and double in weight like other competitive non-woven protectors.

Sizes available are 15’W x 50’, 75’, 100’, 125’, or 150’L, and protectors may be custom fit. They are offered in a variety of colors, can be digitally-imprinted in multi-colors, and have grommets spaced every three feet around the edges. These turf protectors are easy to install, remove, and store, and are shipped directly from the manufacturer.

Circle No. 516 Cross-Over Zone™ Track Protectors from Aer-Flo are tough, breathable walk-over tarps that protect costly track materials by resisting and cushioning against steel-tipped cleats—yet allow rain to drain through. The entire edge of these protectors is wrapped in vinyl with a steel chain inserted for ballast, keeping the Cross-Over Zone Track Protectors in place and virtually wind-proof—without stakes or staples, which can damage the track. The track protectors are available in black fabric with gold or white edging for safety and durability. Sizes include 15’W x 30’, 40’, or 50’L, and custom-fit sizes are also available.

Circle No. 517 American Football Specialists 270-843-8393 WWW.PROKICKER.COM American Football Specialists offers topquality, safe football goalposts in the latest style at an affordable price. All of the company’s goalposts meet

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NFHS and NCAA specifications. Give your field a professional look and an added measure of safety with the finest in permanent goalposts.

Circle No. 518 Anchor Audio 800-323-0092 WWW.ANCHORAUDIO.COM MegaVox Pro by Anchor Audio is designed to be the portable publicaddress sound system every coach wants when they need to be heard across an area the size of an athletic field. Place it on a speaker stand, carry it with the shoulder strap, use the wired microphone, or select a MegaVox Pro model with one or two wireless microphones. With rechargeable battery power and a signal alert siren you can reach large crowds at any outdoor event.

Circle No. 519 Austin Plastics & Supply 800-290-1025 WWW.ATHLETICRECORDBOARDS.COM Athletic record boards are effective tools for motivating your athletes to do their best. Visit Austin Plastics’ Web site to view examples of football-related boards, such as off-season strength and conditioning record boards, player-of-the-week boards, goal boards, and football record boards. Engraved record nameplates are available, or you can print your own using perforated card stock supplied by the company. Custom boards are also available.

Circle No. 520 Fair-Play Scoreboards 800-247-0265 WWW.FAIR-PLAY.COM The FB-8120-2 scoreboard is one of America’s favorite designs and Fair-

Play’s number-one seller for football, soccer, and track. The dazzling display of the FB-8120-2 utilizes Fair-Play’s proven LED technology, which offers both long life and low maintenance. It is easily personalized and frequently put into service with optional sponsorships, school identification signs, and message centers.

Circle No. 521 Fair-Play Scoreboards’ portable PSO6900-2 model is designed for multiple outdoor sports. From soccer and football games to baseball, outdoor basketball, and even water polo, this scoreboard has got you covered. Its high-contrast 10-inch amber digits are the largest you’ll find on a portable scoreboard. The lightweight wheeled design allows the scoreboard to move easily on outdoor surfaces. It operates from a standard 120-volt outlet or an optional battery, and has long-lasting LEDs for durability and wide-angle viewing. Call the company to request a catalog.

Circle No. 522 Front Row Sports Technologies 800-950-6040 WWW.FRONTROWSCORING.COM Front Row Sports Technologies is a leading producer of sideline equipment, from indoor scorer’s tables and chairs to the company’s patented sideline system for football fields.

With 60 feet of advertising space and removable faces for different sports, the possibilities for generating revenue are endless. A medical table and water station can be stored within the sideline system bench itself, and overall it offers 60-cubic feet of storage space.

This innovative product is showing up on sidelines all over the United States, so call or go online today to get yours.

Circle No. 523

Football Facility Equipment Humane Manufacturing Co. 800-369-6263 WWW.HUMANEMFG.COM Humane Manufacturing now offers fullcolor mats, with 95 percent of their coloring appearing on the mats’ smooth top surface.

These mats are available in one-half inch thickness and in four standard colors: brick, mocha, forest, and royal. The company has also designed a solid-black mat with a smooth top surface to be used in conjunction with the color mats.

These colored mats interlock—just like Humane Manufacturing’s existing products (LOKTUFF)—and can be used in the straight-edge form.

Circle No. 524 M.A.S.A. 800-264-4519 WWW.MASA.COM Finally, a solution to cleaning all athletic shoes with cleats. Cleat Cleaners quickly

remove mud and dirt, improve footing and mobility, reduce injuries, and promote cleaner dressing rooms.

Whether players are pitching, fielding, or running the base paths, clean, lightweight cleats give athletes the firm secure footing they need for quick starts and stops, particularly when playing on a muddy field.

Circle No. 525 Profile Products LLC 800-207-6457 WWW.TURFACE.COM Turface® MVP porous ceramic soil conditioner stands up to intense athletic traffic to provide solid, safe footing throughout the season. It’s ideal for mixing in native soil during new construction or renovation of football

fields. By adding permanent water- and air-holding space, it conditions soil to resist compaction, allows better drainage, and prevents turf damage. MVP can also be used as topdressing to absorb rainfall, prevent muddy turf, and add traction for athletes.

Circle No. 526 Profile Field & Fairway™ Emerald contains the same benefits as Turface® MVP but in a smaller-size, green-colored particle. Applied as a topdressing, this porous ceramic material prevents slippery, wet conditions, and extensive wear and tear. Poured directly onto muddy, wet areas, it instantly absorbs excess water to make the surface dry, safe, and playable. Its emerald color disguises worn areas until new turf grows.

Circle No. 527

Cutting Edge Video, Inc. 109 Center St. Lee, MA 01238 PH 413.243.4518 email info@ivoron.com www.ivoron.com The EDGE is simply the fastest and easiestfootball game Älm editing capturing system on the market today.

-The EDGE Instant Archiving System completely eliminates the need for editing software. That’s right never edit again!

-The EDGE captures and categorizes each play to the hard drive of a notebook computer as the game progresses.

-Using just 15 keyboard hot-keys you save and categorize every play type into its proper folder: offense, defense, kick return, kick coverage, punt return, punt coverage, Äeld goal attempt. and Äeld goal defense.

-The EDGE allows you to view your game Älm immediately after the game, tagged with game situation information: down, distance, Äeld position, hash, offensive & defensive series and score. Plays are searchable by all game situation criteria and cut-ups can be created in an instant.

-Best of all you can test the software for one year for the ridiculous price of just $300.00 Don’t let your competition get a jump on you. Be the Ärst to view your game Älms each week with the Voron Instant Archiving System.

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Football Facility Equipment Qualite Sports Lighting, Inc. 800-933-9741 WWW.QUALITE.COM Qualite’s factory-wired, pre-aimed, and pre-assembled sports-lighting systems allow for easy on-site assembly and reduced installation costs. Choose the Gold Series, ProSeries™, or International. Each one offers unique characteristics to solve a facility’s specific lighting needs, and all systems are backed by one of the best 10-year warranties in the business. These systems provide excellent light-spill control with optimum field lighting.

Standard remote ballasts are used for all these systems, and the patented MDS allows you to conduct important safety tests from the ground with the power turned off.

Circle No. 528 Simple touch-tone commands from any phone or PC modem put you in control of all your sports and recreation facility lighting as well as other elec-

tronically-controlled systems. Qualite’s ReQUEST™ is a state-of-the-art wireless remote control system that sends and receives data via a sophisticated land and satellite communications infrastructure. You can interface with new or existing facility scheduling reservation software, or use the optional software package. An operating program is included with each purchase.

Circle No. 529 Samson Weight Training Equipment 800-472-6766 WWW.SAMSONEQUIPMENT.COM Samson Equipment offers Custom Rubber Platforms with your school or team’s logo. You will be able to save on clean-up time while extending the life of your platform by switching to an all-rubber platform—and still have the best-looking platform around. They are available in a

variety of colors and sizes, and as with any Samson Equipment product, the construction, durability, and customer service associated with these rubber platforms are rarely matched by the competition. Call today, or check out Samson Equipment’s Web site.

Circle No. 530 Samson Equipment’s new Athletic Lockers are among the finest lockers in their class, featuring a combination of oak and steel framework, custom name plates, school logo, and custom coloring at no additional cost. Never before has so much attention to detail been combined with the heavy-duty construction of Samson Equipment.

The lockers include features such as a unique shoulder pad and helmet storage system, storage lock box, tack board, hooks and coat hangers, and dual heavy-duty rubber panels that open up to expose the additional individual slots for pads, shoes, etc. Call today, or check out Samson Equipment’s Web site.

Circle No. 531

RAY GUY PROKICKER.COM KICKING ACADEMY & TALENT SEARCH

2006 The Most Comprehensive Kicking Program of its Kind

NATIONAL LOCATIONS • Instructional Opportunities from Beginner to All-Pro • Private Instruction • Recruiting, Scholarship and Professional Opportunities

www.prokicker.com Circle No. 142

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Circle No. 143

270.843.8393

Football Facility Equipment Spectrum Corporation 800-392-5050 WWW.SPECORP.COM Spectrum’s Practice Segment Timers were originally designed in collaboration with coaching legend Emory Bellard. These timers are used by more coaches than any other timer in the industry. Easy to use, they offer 1-99 segment/99 minutes up/down timing that is readable up to 900 feet. Each drill segment can be set for a different time to customize your training period. Models are available with a one- or two-sided display.

Circle No. 532

Web News Monthly Contests Available at Cutters’ Web Site Cutters is the innovator of highly-durable performance-grip gloves that have been used nationwide to help improve athletes’ overall performance and on-field confidence. The company’s Web site provides coaches and athletes in-depth knowledge about the innovative technology that goes into designing Cutters gloves. The site features product specs, color charts, monthly giveaways, and much more. For convenience, visitors can download sizing charts and download blank play-card templates for the Triple Playmaker Wristcoaches. Users can also locate area retailers and request a free catalog. Visit Cutters online today to find out how its gloves will enhance your game.

www.cuttersgloves.com The Gear That Makes The Game Is Online Find all Schutt® products online. With pictures and descriptions of Schutt’s football, basketball, baseball, softball, and collectibles products, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for. Check out the company’s store locator to find the dealer nearest you to order your athletic equipment needs. Discover how Schutt has been “In The News” and what the company has been involved in. Also at the Web site, take part in the daily trivia to be entered to win prizes, or join special guests and chat online.

You will always find the latest in innovation and the best in quality with Schutt.

Wenger Corp.

800-493-6437 WWW.WENGERCORP.COM

www.schuttsports.com

The new GearBoss™ storage system is designed for the unique needs of athletic equipment. It improves inventory management, security, and sanitation, reducing storage needs by at least one-half compared with traditional shelving. This modular, high-density system consists of rolling carts that are flexible and easily configurable for a variety of equipment, such as helmets, shoulder pads, baseball bats, jerseys, balls, and other athletic equipment. Contact Wenger Corporation for more information.

Circle No. 533

Telex Communications’ motto, “Be Heard,” is especially on target for the high school football coaches looking for competitive advantages. The company—with a long history of providing coaching headsets to all professional and top college football teams—has expanded its wireless technology into the high school football market with an easy-to-use, reliable, and affordable new wireless communication system: the Telex Legacy. Go online to easily configure a system to fit your school’s needs. Print off a quote, order online, or contact the company for more information.

Telex Legacy™ Can “Be Heard” Online at Company Web Site

www.telexlegacy.com See Anchor Audio’s Full Line of Systems Online Anchor Audio offers a full line of portable sound systems, public address sound systems, wired and wireless intercom systems, and lecterns for preview at its Web site. Visitors can learn the technical specifications and crowd size coverage of each product, view product features, and watch a set-up video. Retail pricing and product accessories are also posted. It’s easy to find a market profile to review the products that best fit your needs. And, it’s easy to send an email requesting more product information. If your message must be heard, visit Anchor Audio online, and find the sound system that meets your needs.

www.anchoraudio.com

Easily move athletic equipment—inside and outside—with the new GearBoss™ TranSport™ cart. It features a heavyduty chassis with folding uprights, outdoor tires, and a comfort-grip pull handle for maneuverability.

Towing is possible behind slow-moving vehicles like tractors. The optional Monster Mesh™ wrap helps keep equipment in place during transport. The TranSport cart also quickly converts to a sideline or trainer’s table.

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Technology Products All Sports Cam 866-262-2293 WWW.ALLSPORTSCAM.COM All Sports Cam’s 22-Foot Stow-N-Go unit keeps everything you need for sports videotaping—including the mast—in a single travel case. This easy-tohandle hardshell unit measures 14” x 20” x 50” and is designed to transport all your video equipment needs in one trip. Features include: a sturdy camera-tilt platform; a 22-foot telescoping mast; a quad pod stand; a Sony digital camera; a seven-inch monitor and mount; a sun hood; video cables; a cordless battery; and more.

Contact All Sports Cam today for more details.

Circle No. 535 Coach’s Office 877-232-9669 WWW.COACHSOFFICE.COM Coach’s Office software goes to Super Bowl XL—and wins. Coach’s Office offers some of the best software of its kind for diagramming plays, producing playbooks, printing play cards from a practice script, and producing slideshows with play diagrams and videos. See for yourself why thousands of coaches from the NFL to Pop Warner rely on Coach’s Office. Download a free trial version of the software from the company’s Web site and try it before you buy it. For more information, call toll-free or visit online.

Circle No. 536 Cutting Edge Video, Inc. 413-243-4518 WWW.IVORON.COM Cutting Edge Video offers one of the simplest and fastest game-film archiving systems on the market today.

The Edge Instant Archiving System completely eliminates the editing step involved with creating digital game

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cut-ups. By interfacing a digital video camera with a laptop computer, the Edge instantly creates full-featured searchable game film cut-ups as the game progresses.

Immediately after the game, users have a fully-tagged and searchable database of video clips to view, separated by every play type: offense, defense, kick coverage, and kick return. The Edge’s playback interface provides immediate game situation feedback, including down, distance, and field position. Be the first to breakdown your game film with the Edge Instant Archiving System.

Circle No. 537 Immersionware 877-214-0863 WWW.IMMERSIONWARE.COM Immersionware, the playbook software specialists, offers the Computer Playbook 2006 product line—an affordable playbook editing solution for coaches at every level of play, from pee-wee right up to the professional ranks.

Coaches can easily design plays, print playbooks, create practice scripts, print player wristbands, break down game film, print powerful statistical reports, and much more.

Immersionware offers four software versions to meet your specific needs.

Prices start at just $125.

Circle No. 538 LRSSports® 888-LRS-0001 WWW.LRSSPORTS.COM The new LRSSports® Viewing Station makes viewing digital videos as easy as touching the screen, clicking the mouse, or pressing a button on your favorite hand-held remote. It’s ideal for all players and coaches who don’t need and don’t want to learn video-editing functionality. The Viewing Station is available for Ultima® and Gamer®

video-editing stations, and it can work with touchscreen technology, a hand-held remote, or a standard PC mouse.

Circle No. 539 Game Day Capture options from LRSSports® let coaches and video coordinators work the way they want.

LRSSports options allow you to capture plays on a video and marks using a laptop or a portable hard drive right on the field, or to capture digital video and have the LRSSports video-editing system automatically mark clips by reading scene changes on the video stream. In addition, LRSSports offers efficient ODK creation, angle splitting, and merging capabilities.

Circle No. 540 Telex Communications, Inc. 877-863-4169 WWW.TELEXLEGACY.COM Telex continues to demonstrate its dedication to the high school and collegiate game with revolutionary products like the new, aptly-named Telex Legacy™ wireless system. Employing the IEEE 802.11 wireless standard, the Telex Legacy series offers fullduplex communications over three audio channels with a convenient push-to-talk button. This system offers a fast and easy set-up, complete wireless solutions for two to seven coaches per sideline, 64-bit audio encryption, professional-grade headsets, the innovative frequency Clearscan™ function, and a three-year warranty. For more information, call tollfree or visit Telex’s Web site.

Circle No. 541

NEW Product Launch 655 Adams Wear FivePocket Girdle Unique features: • Sewn-in hip and spine pads • Compound breathable 10pound EVA foam allows air to flow through pads • Machine-washable and dryer-safe • U.S.A.-made

PortaFloor Cover Unique features: • Designed to protect synthetic turf surfaces • Hinged 6” x 24” panels roll out to create solid, virtually seamless floor • Cross-ribbed construction underneath provides lateral strength and rigidity

Benefits for the user: • Perfect companion for protective football padding with elastic waist and five pockets • Cool and comfortable moisture-wicking material

Benefits for the user: • Ideal for stadiums during concerts or any mass gathering • Specially-engineered joints adjust to varying climatic conditions • Non-porous, anti-slip, textured surface is easy to clean and maintain

Adams USA 800-251-6857 www.adamsusa.com

Covermaster 800-387-5808 www.covermaster.com

Circle No. 542

Field and Fairway™ Emerald Unique features: • Applied as a topdressing, the porous ceramic soil conditioning material absorbs approximately 90 percent of its weight in water • The rich, emerald-green color disguises worn areas until turf grows back • Can also be used to amend poor soils during construction Benefits for the user: • Prevents wet conditions and extensive wear and tear to the field • Poured directly onto wet, muddy areas, it makes the surface dry, safe, and playable

Profile Products, LLC 800-207-6457 www.profileproducts.com Circle No. 544

Circle No. 543

Telex Legacy™ Unique features: • Complete wireless fullduplex communications • Three audio channels • Voice-encrypted Benefits for the user: • Professional Telex headsets • Three-year warranty • Payment terms available • No. 1 choice of professional and college coaches now available for high school and small-college staff

Telex Communications, Inc. 877-863-4169 www.telexlegacy.com Circle No. 545 COACHING MANAGEMENT

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Strength & Conditioning Aids VertiMax 800-699-5867 WWW.VERTIMAX.COM

ciently. After a set distance or time period is reached, partners switch positions.

Circle No. 548

The VertiMax V4 has long been the “go to” device for building lower-body reactive power. No training system will do more to increase an athlete’s vertical jump, first-step quickness, and competitive moves.

It is the world’s most advanced light-load velocity-specific training system, providing maximum transfer to the field of play.

Please go to VertiMax’s streaming video Web site for all the details on the V4 system and the new V6 series.

Circle No. 546

Hammer Strength 800-634-8637 WWW.HAMMERSTRENGTH.COM

The new VertiMax V6 is a revolutionary advancement in functional, sports-specific total-body training. It is the only training system capable of applying a synchronous loading to the arms and shoulders while athletes perform explosive lower-body training.

The V6 is strongly endorsed by many NFL, NBA, and NCAA Division I head coaches. Visit VertiMax’s Web site for more details and satisfied customer testimonials.

Circle No. 547 Jump Stretch, Inc. 800-344-3539 WWW.JUMPSTRETCH.COM Partner Run Stations are designed to be two-person resistance-training tools, consisting of two pairs of FlexBands (four bands total) with one pair slip-knotted through the second pair. After positioning one pair of bands around each runner’s waist, the lead runner runs out from his or her partner while the partner pulls back to provide resistance. Since neither person is stationary, each develops ham, quad, glute, and lower-body strength more effi-

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One of Hammer Strength’s most popular pieces of equipment, the Jammer, is part of the innovative Ground Base product line. This highly-versatile machine is ideal for athletes to train explosive movements. To maximize athletic performance, users train with their feet on the ground, promoting totalbody stabilization and better balance that will transfer to movements on the playing field. In the standing position, the athlete’s body is able to respond naturally to the exercise exertion and gravity, spurring strengthening of corresponding muscle groups and enhancing coordination.

Circle No. 549 The Hammer Strength Olympic HeavyDuty Line—including the new Combo Rack, 6’ x 8’ platform, and wood inserts—offers facilities a comprehensive selection of performance-enhancing training products. Tough and rugged, the spaceefficient Combo Rack lets two athletes train simultaneously.

This high-quality lifting platform features full sub-floor framing, a finished oak surface, and rubber impact mats. With Hammer Strength’s new Combo Rack, platform, and inserts, no other brand has a lineup this deep. Call toll-free, or visit Hammer Strength online.

Circle No. 550 NSCA 800-815-6826 WWW.NSCA-LIFT.ORG Now available by the NSCA is the Allen Hedrick Dumbbell Training For Improved Athletic Performance video.

Hedrick is the head strength and con-

ditioning coach at the United States Air Force Academy. This video discusses and details the advantages of using dumbbells in the training programs of athletes at every level, and it includes a variety of exercises that provide the opportunity for sport-specific training.

Circle No. 551 NSCA offers Richard Borden–The Explosive Lifts video, which features hands-on instructions that demonstrate and explain techniques involved in the Romanian dead lift, the squat, the Olympic-style pull, power snatch, and power clean. This video also demonstrates the proper grip, body mechanics, and exercise techniques for each lift. This is an ideal training aid for training the explosive power athlete.

Circle No. 552 Power Lift 800-872-1543 WWW.POWER-LIFT.COM The Combo Power Rack from Power Lift combines two lifting stations into one space-saving rack. It is available in eight- and nine-foot heights, and comes with all of the following: two pairs of safety spot bars, two pairs of patented rhino hook bar catches, and two dual-grip chin-up bars.

The unit also includes storage for bars, weights, and bumper plates. The space inside the rack accommodates two people for spotting two bench press stations at once. The Combo power rack can be customized with Power Lift’s patented “Lever Action” benches and Olympic lifting platforms.

Circle No. 553 The Power Lift® Belt Squat is a great way for training the hamstrings, glutes,

Strength & Conditioning Aids quadriceps, and hips while eliminating spinal compression. From a standing position, athletes disengage the work arm to start the exercise. The squat belt attaches to the work arms on each side over an athlete’s hips. The force is evenly distributed through the athlete’s heels, emphasizing the muscles in the hips, glutes, and hamstrings. The machine is ideal for teaching the squat, rehabbing injuries, and performing one-legged squats, and lunges. Weight storage and three custom belts are standard.

Circle No. 554 Powernetics 800-829-2928 WWW.POWERNETICS.COM Powernetics offers many products for the strength-training needs of your players, including the Bulldog and the Attacker. The Bulldog isolates the hamstrings and glutes without putting stress on the knees and back.

It also offers an explosive hack jump exercise that develops power in the hamstrings, glutes, and quads—all from one exercise. The Attacker allows the athlete to fire and roll his hips while moving up and out into a full-hand separation.

Because of the intense movement, power is developed from the feet to the hands.

Circle No. 555 Powernetics offers the Power Trainer, which for more than 10 years has made the power clean a safe exercise for athletes from junior high to the collegiate level.

The Power Trainer enables an athlete to not only do cleans safely, but also to

reverse the clean. The unit can be used to perform seven different exercises: the clean; reverse clean; dead lift; lift jump; high row; bench press; and shoulder press. The Power Trainer has proven over the years to be among the safest and most effective tools used to perform the power clean.

Circle No. 556 Power Systems 800-321-6975 WWW.POWER-SYSTEMS.COM Intensify your training by adding up to 20 pounds of weighted resistance with Power Systems’ Weighted Vest.

Increase your stamina, endurance, and performance, and get the intensity and strength you want without compromising biomechanics. This unique vest is designed for weights to be added or removed without removing the vest. Made of padded nylon, the vest easily slips over your head while Velcro™ straps secure it in place. The vest fits chest sizes 30-48 inches and comes with 10 two-pound metal weights to customize the resistance to meet your specific training needs.

Circle No. 557 Intensify your lower-body training and conditioning with the new Power Systems’ Power Yoke. The compact design and cambered ends maintain an athlete’s proper form without compromising biomechanics while performing step-ups and lunges. At 38 inches wide, the Power Yoke allows more athletes to work at the same time without competing for floor space. The Power Yoke’s heavilypadded shoulder harness with built-in hand grips will hold up to two 45-pound Olympic plates on each side. For more information on all Power Systems product, visit online or call toll-free.

Circle No. 558

Xvest 800-697-5658 WWW.THEXVEST.COM “I have found the Xvest to be an excellent tool for providing overloads in plyometrics, strength training, conditioning, and rehabilitation programs. The fit and adaptability are excellent. The Xvest allows freedom of movement and doesn’t interfere with any of the agility, bounding, or running programs that I write for a wide variety of athletes, both collegiate and professional. The Xvest has proven itself in my programs. Thank you for all your efforts and help in improving my capability as a strength and conditioning specialist.”

--Donald A. Chu, Ph.D., PT, ATC, CSCS, author of Jumping Into Plyometrics Circle No. 559 Xvest has a new weight configuration, and it’s heavy: 84 pounds of heavy. The new Xvest, known as the Fire Fighter model, was developed especially for fire fighters and their rigorous training.

It has the same basic design as the original Xvest, but internally it has a new weight configuration that allows for 84 pounds of weight. Because of its ability to adjust weight like the original Xvest, everyone from body builders to military personnel is buying them. For more information on all the Xvest models, call the company or visit its Web site.

Circle No. 560

Check out

www.AthleticBid.com to contact these companies.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

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Injury Prevention Adams USA 800-251-6857 WWW.ADAMSUSA.COM New for the 2006 season is the 655 Adams Wear Five-Pocket Girdle, with sewn-in hip and spine pads. The moisture-wicking material of Lycra® and polyester make these girdles cool and comfortable. The pads are composed of 10-pound EVA-compound breathable foam that allows air to flow through pads. An elastic waist and five pockets make the 655 the perfect companion for protective football padding. These girdles are machine-washable and dryer-safe. They’re available in adult sizes XS to XXL, and are made in the U.S.A. Circle No. 561 Adams USA’s Ultimate Mouth Guard Series has power clench activation design. The Pro + Plus, LoPro, LoProFem, and Clencher are made specifically for male and female athletes of all ages for use in all sports. Top-quality thermoplastic provides maximum strength, comfort, and protection of upper and lower teeth. The center space allows for maximum breathing and strength recovery while facilitating speaking. This mouth guard series is latex-free and can be worn over braces.

For an exact fit, mouth guards can be boiled for bite-fitting and can be easily trimmed.

Circle No. 562

Cho-Pat’s patented Dual Action Knee Strap® provides an extra level of relief for painful and weakened knees. It applies pressure to the tendon below the knee to reduce patellar subluxation and improve tracking and elevation.

It also puts pressure on the tendon above the knee to provide added support and stability. The Dual Action Knee Strap allows full mobility.

Circle No. 563 Cramer Products, Inc. 800-345-2231 WWW.CRAMERSPORTSMED.COM Do you want professional fit and maximum mouth guard protection?

ProShox’s unique professional fitting system provides the same fit and protection from oral injuries as a dentist-designed mouth guard. The ProShox professional fitting system uses a dental tray to ensure proper fit and ultimate comfort.

It also works as a protective carrying case. The mouth guard is constructed of a DuPont shock-absorbing material that helps prevent jaw-related concussions, TMJ dislocation, and dental trauma.

Circle No. 564 Cramer Co-Stretch Non-Adhesive Stretch Tape is the innovative choice that beats traditional stretching and self-adhering tapes. It has excellent tensile strength, tears clean, and features a “no-slip” grip, making it clearly superior to other tapes. It’s excellent for use as an anchor for tape applications or compression bandages. It contours

Check out www.AthleticBid.com to contact these companies.

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easily to the body, allowing you to effortlessly wrap any appendage.

Cho-Pat 800-221-1601 WWW.CHO-PAT.COM

Circle No. 565 Oakworks 800-916-4603 WWW.OAKWORKSPT.COM When you’re on the road, you never know what conditions you’ll encounter.

Take control of the situation with one of the world’s best taping tables that will go anywhere.

Lightweight at only 35 pounds, the Portable Taping Table by Oakworks® is waterproof to withstand any environmental conditions. Its adjustable legs allow operation on uneven terrain, and special field feet with casters prevent sinking in muddy conditions. The Game Package includes everything you need: table, field feet, carrying case, and shoulder strap.

Circle No. 566 Whether at home or away, Oakworks® ensures you will have everything you need to care for your athletes at a great price. The Training Room

Combo Package represents a savings of almost $500 and includes: the Portable Taping Table with casters and carrying case; the PowerLine™ Treatment Table (solid hardwood construction); and the P3 (Patient Positioning Platform). Both tables have a dynamic weight capacity of 500 pounds and store and assemble easily.

Circle No. 567

NEW Product Launch PortaCom PRO™ Wireless Intercom Unique features: • Patent-pending wireless technology • Auto-lockout limits two speakers at a time to converse for maximum intelligibility • User-selected encryption for private conversations • An all-call channel brings all users groups together for announcements Benefits for the user: • No base station or repeaters required • Unlimited number of users in up to 15 separate user groups • Communicates belt pack to belt pack in the 2.4 GHz range • At $1,562, users receive two headsets and belt packs that are easy to set-up and use • Two-year warranty

Anchor Audio, Inc. 800-262-4671 www.anchoraudio.com Circle No. 568

017GP The Gauntlet Unique features: • Full C-TACK material palm provides a superior grip for ball-handling and securing tackles • Multi-layered inserts increase wrist stability Benefits for the user: • Added wrist protection • Minimizes wrist hyperextension and other injuries • Allows athlete to play like a warrior

Cutters Gloves 800-821-0231 www.cuttersgloves.com Circle No. 570

Snapshot Target Zone Unique features: • Exclusively designed with specifications for the company’s Portable Football Kicking and Punting Net • A new Velcro® “attach and release” strip provides quick and convenient use during practice or game • Developed by measuring college and professional punters and holders to determine the precise areas the ball needs to be delivered for successful kicking Benefits for the user: • High-quality, versatile training device • The entire system allows kickers, punters, and long snappers the opportunity to prepare at any time during a game or at practice

American Football Specialists 270-843-8393 www.prosnapper.com Circle No. 569

Advantage™ Shoulder Pad Unique features: • 20-percent lighter than some competing models • Uses high-tech materials, such as Drilex® lining and Brock™ foam • Materials breathe, allowing air to circulate to keep the body cool Benefits for the user: • Lightweight and comfortable • Helps players manage both heat and moisture • Helps transport perspiration away from body so it evaporates quicker, keeping the body drier

Schutt Sports Group www.schuttsports.com Circle No. 571 COACHING MANAGEMENT

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Company Q&A

Telex Communications Enters the High School Market “An exciting part of my job at the moment is looking at new sports markets for our state-of-the-art sports communications technology. We are currently developing products for motor racing, rugby, and international sailing that are streets ahead of our competitors in the marketplace.”—Marc Archer

Marc Archer is the Director of Strategic Marketing for the Sports Communications Department of Telex Communications. He develops sales, marketing, and business strategy for Telex’s sports communications technology products. This includes wireless football coaching headsets for the NFL, 97 percent of NCAA Division I football programs, and the new, exciting Telex Legacy™ product, recently launched into the high school and small-college market.

Tell us briefly about Telex Communications’ history in the sports communications market.

Telex Communications has had a long and proud history in the sports communications market, particularly in football.

Telex’s legacy in the game of football began nearly 80 years ago when Al Kahn and Lou Burroughs, founders of pro audio giants Electro-Voice (EV), designed a public announcement system for legendary Notre Dame Coach Knute Rockne. When Rockne dubbed the system his “Electric Voice,” the EV brand was born, and football entered a new era.

The Telex brand’s technological innovations during its 20-year working relationship with the NFL have helped the game evolve to levels of intensity and action that would have been unimaginable in Knute Rockne’s time. Starting in the mid-1980’s, Telex powered the voices of the NFL and Division I NCAA football with headset and wired intercom technologies.

In 1991 Telex provided the first wireless intercom solutions to the NFL for instant replays, making the game a more dynamic, interactive experience for television viewers.

Introduced in 1999, the revolutionary BTR-600 has provided reliable encrypted wireless performance for the last seven Super Bowls, and the BTR-1 “Lombardi” System—an evolution of the BTR600—is set to replace it in 2006. The list goes on. Simply put, as the intercom demands of NFL coaches and referees become more and more sophisticated, so has Telex technology.

What new products are you launching in 2006?

One Play. One Chance.

One Choice. Be Heard.

Telex Communications, Inc. 12000 PORTLAND AVE. SOUTH BURNSVILLE, MN 55337 877-863-4169 MARC.ARCHER@US.TELEX.COM WWW.TELEXLEGACY.COM

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Apart from providing all 32 NFL teams with new BTR-1 systems in 2006, the biggest and most innovative development is the launch of the new Telex Legacy wireless system, which is aimed primarily at the high school market.

Employing the IEEE 802.11 wireless standard, the Telex Legacy™ series offers full-duplex communications over three audio channels with a convenient push-to-talk button. The belt pack control panel is easy to use and is modeled

after the ones designed by Telex that are used almost exclusively by all professional football coaches, both at the pro and college level.

The Telex Legacy™ system offers a fast and easy set-up, complete wireless solutions for two to seven coaches per sideline, durable belt packs, 64-bit audio encryption, professional grade headsets (just like the ones used in the National Football League) and a threeyear warranty. In addition, the Legacy base station offers a state-of-the-art automatic channel selection feature called ClearScan™, which automatically sets the Telex Legacy system to the best and clearest channel for operation.

We feel that this product can assist the modern day football coach in achieving new heights of performance at the high school level and beyond.

Why have you launched this product?

In recent years Telex has been often asked to produce a product for the high school football market. Quite simply, we have previously not had the appropriate technology with a viable price-point for this market. We would not put the Telex name, brand, and reputation as market leaders on a product that would not do us justice. We often hear how products currently in high school football are unreliable, not flexible, over complicated, difficult to use, and downright faulty. We have been lucky to be able to use our years of experience at the professional level and combine that with new technology to develop a special product for this market.

Telex has also introduced payment terms for high schools to enable them to spread payments over 18 months, and we have a three-year warranty on the system—although we don’t expect many schools to require it.

The Telex Legacy™ has been endorsed as the “Official Headset” of the majority of the leading state high school football associations in the countr y, having signed recent deals with Texas, Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, and Illinois.

Uniforms & Apparel Collegejersey.com 877-251-GAME WWW.COLLEGEJERSEY.COM

Under Armour 410-468-2512 WWW.UNDERARMOUR.COM

Collegejersey.com got its start selling game-used college equipment from the nation’s top football programs. Now its team sales division can help outfit your team with affordable new equipment, providing you with top-of-the-line collegiate gear while making sure you can come in under budget. Call Collegejersey.com today or visit the company online to find out how the company can outfit your squad.

Circle No. 572

Under Armour® tested every seam and stitch of its Performance Polo, down to the collar and sleeve tab. The company placed prototypes on the pros to assess fit, feel, and moisture transport. The result: a classic polo built from powerstretch fabric for HeatGear® performance and unbeatable comfort.

Circle No. 575

Fergo Athletics 888-OK-FERGO WWW.OKFERGO.COM Fergo Athletics is an apparel manufacturer that passes huge savings directly to teams. It custom-designs athletic apparel for high schools, colleges, clubs, and recreational leagues in every sport. As part of its dedication to schools, Fergo will meet any quote or bid in price, quality, and style and then write your team, school, or club a 10-percent royalty check on the total order. Call the company for more details about this offer and to find out more about all Fergo products.

Circle No. 573 Fergo Athletics offers high schools, colleges, and recreation teams and clubs some of the industry’s lowest prices on custom-made athletic apparel, guaranteed. Services include imprinting, sublimation, and embroidery work on any type of apparel.

Teams can have custom-designed uniforms, T-shirts, practice wear, warm-ups, caps, bags, team jackets and fleeces, and even banners. Call Fergo Athletics for more details about these services and find out how the company can help your team meet its needs.

Circle No. 574

Under Armour’s Coaches Shorts have ventilated gussets that allow breathability through transitional temperatures. Functional side seam pockets keep your hands free and your mind at ease. These shorts are designed with an eight-inch inseam.

Circle No. 576 WSI Sports 651-994-9945 WWW.WSISPORTS.COM The Stealth Attack shirt from WSI Sports combines moisture management and protection into one garment for the performance athlete. The pads are removable, allowing the garment to cater to each athlete’s individual needs. The ultralight, tough carbon cell-foam pads protect the kidneys, spine, and sternum, while stinger padding on the shoulders makes shoulder pads more comfortable.

Circle No. 577 Check out Microtec™ fabric shirts from WSI, a global leader in moisture management. This lightweight performance

apparel comes in 17 stocked colors and is available for less than half the price of what many athletes pay for other brands. WSI’s team program also includes custom orders. Picture this: your team colors with your team logo, plus a free coach’s shirt. You can get all this at a team price that’s less than half the price of other custom orders.

You can’t go wrong with WSI. Circle No. 578 Sport Chalet Team Sales 800-250-4923 WWW.SCTEAMSALES.COM Sport Chalet Team Sales is one of the largest team dealer groups in the country. Since its founding in 1959, Sport Chalet has evolved into a national leader in athletic equipment sales. The company offers greater product selection, improved customer service, an expanded catalog showcasing products from top football equipment manufacturers, and an enhanced Web site that makes researching and ordering products easier than ever. Sport Chalet Team Sales provides the knowledge and experience that coaches look for to maximize their equipment budgets. Call today to request a free catalog.

Circle No. 579 Sport Chalet Team Sales offers topquality custom-lettered game jerseys.

Take advantage of the company’s Quick Ship program and your team can be sporting its new custom jerseys in less than two weeks.

Stock game jerseys are available in 10 team colors, or choose the limited-option game jersey, for which you select the body, insert, cuff color, and optional piping on the insert.

Contact Sport Chalet Team Sales to request the company’s catalog, which was recently expanded to showcase a wide selection of uniform products.

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Great Ideas For Athletes...

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Adams USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Advanced Polymer Technology . . . 25 Aer-Flo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 All Sports Cam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 American Football Specialists . . . . . 51 Anchor Audio/Discount Audio . . . . 14 Austin Plastics & Supply . . . . . . . . . 51 Cho-Pat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Coach’s Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Cramer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Cutters Sport Gloves . . . . . . . . . . . . BC Cutting Edge Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 eFundraising.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Fair-Play Scoreboards . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Fergo Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Front Row Sports Technologies . . . 58 Gatorade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Hammer Strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Humane Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . 52 Immersionware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Jump Stretch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 K&K Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 LRSSports Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 M.A.S.A. Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 NSCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

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Adams USA (Coach of the Year) . . . . . .

Adams USA (Five-Pocket Girdle). . . . . .

Adams USA (Mouth Guard Series) . . . .

Adams USA (new product). . . . . . . . . .

Aer-Flo (Bench Zone) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Aer-Flo (championship solution) . . . . . . .

Aer-Flo (Cross-Over Zone) . . . . . . . . . .

All Sports Cam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

American Football (goalposts) . . . . . .

American Football (Punter Chute) . . . .

American Football (Snapshot) . . . . . .

American Football (Square Toe Shoe) . .

Anchor Audio (MegaVox Pro) . . . . . . .

Anchor Audio (new product) . . . . . . . .

Anchor Audio (PortaCom Pro) . . . . . . .

Austin Plastics (championship solution) .

Austin Plastics (record boards) . . . . . .

Cho-Pat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Coach’s Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Collegejersey.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Covermaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cramer (Co-Stretch Tape) . . . . . . . . . . .

Cramer (ProShox) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cutters Gloves (017GP The Gauntlet) . .

Cutters Gloves (championship solution) .

Cutters Gloves (new product) . . . . . . .

Cutters Gloves (Wrist Coach) . . . . . . .

Cutting Edge Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . eFundraising.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Fair-Play Scoreboards (FB-8120-2) . . .

Fair-Play Scoreboards (PSO-6900-2) .

Fergo Sports (custom-made apparel) . .

Fergo Sports (huge savings) . . . . . . . .

Front Row Sports Technologies . . .

Gatorade (Endurance Formula) . . . . . . .

Gatorade (Nutrition Shake) . . . . . . . . .

Hammer Strength (Heavy-Duty Line) . .

Hammer Strength (Jammer) . . . . . . . .

Humane Mfg. (championship solution) .

Humane Mfg. (full-color mats) . . . . . . .

Immersionware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Jump Stretch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

K&K Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

LRSSports (Game Day Capture) . . . . . .

LRSSports (Viewing Station) . . . . . . . . .

M.A.S.A. Products . . . . . . . . . . . . .

NSCA (Dumbbell Training) . . . . . . . . . .

NSCA (Explosive Lifts) . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Oakworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Player’s Locker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Power Lift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Powernetics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC Qualite Sports Lighting . . . . . . . . . . 10 Ray Guy Kicking Academy . . . . . . . 58 Samson Weight Equipment . . . . . . . 43 Schutt Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Shoot-A-Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Spectrum Scoreboards . . . . . . . . . . 36 Sport Chalet Team Sales . . . . . . .18-19 Sportexe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Sprinturf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Telex Legacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Turface Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Under Armour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 VertiMax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 WaterBoy Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Wenger Corp. (GearBoss) . . . . . . . . . . 13 Wenger Corp. (TranSport Cart) . . . . . IFC Wizard Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 WSI Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 XL Turf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Xvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

PRODUCTS DIRECTORY

Knee Strap Cho-Pat’s Original Knee Strap is designed to alleviate certain knee discomforts due to overuse syndromes, arthritis, and other forms of degeneration. Nearly two million sold!

Sizes: XS - XXL • Colors: Black and Tan

Dual Action Knee Strap Patented device offers an extra level of pain relief and protection from knee degeneration and overuse syndromes.

Stabilizes and strengthens the joint while allowing full mobility.

Sizes: Sm - XL

Achilles Tendon Strap This patented device will reduce stress upon the Achilles Tendon and provide effective relief from pain and discomfort associated with Achilles Tendonitis. Sizes: Sm - Med - Lrg

www.cho-pat.com 1-800-221-1601 Circle No. 145

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Oakworks (championship solution) . . . .

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Oakworks (Training Room Combo Pkg.) .

Power Lift (Belt Squat) . . . . . . . . . . . .

Power Lift (championship solution) . . . .

Power Lift (Combo Power Rack) . . . . . .

Power Systems (Power Yoke) . . . . . . .

Power Systems (Weighted Vest) . . . . .

Powernetics (Bulldog/Attacker) . . . . . .

Powernetics (championship solution) . .

Powernetics (Power Trainer) . . . . . . . .

Profile Products (Field & Fairway Emerald) . .

Profile Products (new product) . . . . . .

Profile Products (Turface MVP®) . . . . .

Qualite (championship solution) . . . . . . .

Qualite Sports Lighting (lighting systems) .

Qualite Sports Lighting (ReQUEST) . .

Samson (Athletic Lockers). . . . . . . . . . .

Samson (championship solution) . . . . . .

Samson (Custom Rubber Platforms) . . . .

Schutt Sports (new product) . . . . . . . .

Schutt Sports (pop-up net) . . . . . . . . .

Schutt Sports (shoulder pads) . . . . . . .

Shoot-A-Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Spectrum Scoreboards . . . . . . . . . .

Sport Chalet (equipment) . . . . . . . . . .

Sport Chalet (game jerseys) . . . . . . . .

Sportexe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sprinturf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Telex (championship solution) . . . . . . . .

Telex (Legacy wireless system) . . . . . . . .

Telex (new product) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Under Armour (Coaches Shorts) . . . . .

Under Armour (Performance Polo) . . . .

VertiMax (championship solution) . . . . .

VertiMax (V4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

VertiMax (V6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Wenger (championship solution) . . . . . .

Wenger (GearBoss) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Wenger (TranSport cart) . . . . . . . . . . .

Wizard Sports (championship solution) .

Wizard Sports (kicking shoe) . . . . . . . .

WSI Sports (Microtec fabric shirts) . . . .

WSI Sports (Stealth Attack shirt). . . . . .

XL Turf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Xvest (Don Chu) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Xvest (Fire Fighter model) . . . . . . . . . . .

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Case Study

Tackling Equipment Storage: A Grass-Roots Approach

By Byron Olson, CAA, Activities Director, Lakeville North High School, Lakeville, Minn.

Those in our profession can often take pride in helping to nurture and grow a successful sports program. However, it’s unusual to ever become involved in the development of a new athleticrelated product.

“With the GearBoss system, our equipment room is now a source of pride for our coaches and staff, rather than a dumping ground.”

In 2003, Gregg Nelson of the Wenger Corporation visited our school to share Wenger’s vision of creating a solution for athletic equipment storage. I had heard of Wenger before—they’re located just an hour away in Owatonna, Minnesota— but all I knew about the company was its products for music education.

Gregg invited me to join a focus group where Wenger personnel listened to

grills help equipment and uniforms dry quickly, which improves sanitation.

Our first GearBoss carts were installed in August 2005 with the remaining carts installed four months later. All 21 carts feature end panels with our team logo—everything looks very nice.

Space savings is one of the biggest benefits. Previously, our 44’ x 44’ storage room was filled with plywood shelving. Now the GearBoss system holds everything in a space measuring 20’ x 44’. We use the empty half of the room as a team meeting room, coaches’ meeting area, or phys. ed. classroom.

This extra space was desperately needed, and GearBoss made it a reality.

With the GearBoss system, our equipment room is now a source of pride for our coaches and staff, rather than a dumping ground. They love walking in and seeing our team colors and logo, with everything stored in an orderly fashion. When something is out of place, the coaches quickly let me or my equipment manager know. Everyone wants the room to stay looking good.

Wenger recently developed a channel-lock so I can push the carts together and secure them. This is particularly important in the summer, when our building is used by camps and community education programs.

me and other athletic/activities directors talk about our programs and share our common frustrations: No program has enough space, and the different shapes of athletic equipment make orderly storage difficult.

Wenger Corporation 555 PARK DR. OWATONNA, MN 55060-0448 800-493-6437 FAX: 507-455-4258 WWW.WENGERCORP.COM

Two years later, Wenger’s understanding, patience, and expertise resulted in an outstanding product. The new GearBoss storage system consists of rolling carts that are flexible and easy to configure for a variety of equipment.

Because the carts roll, you can move the access aisle to where you need it and eliminate wasted space. The wire

So far we’ve kept the GearBoss carts in the equipment room but we like the flexibility of being able to roll the Team Carts into the gym. Coaches can use them for distributing or collecting equipment, particularly for basketball or volleyball.

Everything they need is on one cart.

Our equipment room is finished, but we are considering adding some smaller four-foot GearBoss carts in the future, once they are available, to use in the long, narrow storage rooms adjacent to our gymnasiums.

I feel very fortunate to have participated in the earliest development of the GearBoss system—it was a great educational experience to learn firsthand how private industry works. Our school and other schools across the country are now enjoying the benefits.

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Team Equipment American Football Specialists 270-843-8393 WWW.PROKICKER.COM The Original Punter Chute’s innovative design properly guides punters from start to finish as they perform their entire kicking motions. Correct alignment is the key, and by positioning the ball on the proper course the punter prepares for a direct step approach toward the target.

Circle No. 581 The Square Toe Kicking Shoe from American Football Specialists is the company’s “original style,” made of leather and featuring detachable cleats. Half and full sizes are available in your choice of black or white.

Circle No. 582

Anchor Audio 800-323-0092 WWW.ANCHORAUDIO.COM Anchor Audio delivers a wireless intercom system that operates belt pack to belt pack without the need for a base station. PortaCom Pro accommodates an unlimited number of users in 15 user groups. Its allcall channel allows you to pull in all members of the network for important announcements. Encryption codes and feature settings make Anchor Audio’s wireless intercom system safe and secure for any environment. Its twoperson system retails for $1,562. Get connected today.

Circle No. 583 Cutters Gloves 800-821-0231 WWW.CUTTERSGLOVES.COM The 197 Triple Playmaker Wrist Coach is made with C-PRENE™, Cutters Gloves’ exclusive “fits like a glove” technology,

for optimal comfort and fit. It includes three windows for easy reference, allowing you to store over 60 plays at once, and is available in black, white, gray, and 11 team colors. Visit the “Downloads” section of Cutters’ Web site for free blank playcard templates. The site also offers additional product information and a dealer locator.

Circle No. 584 Cutters’ newest protective glove, 017GP The Gauntlet, incorporates the performance excellence of its padded glove line with added wrist protection. The Gauntlet features a streamlined design with back-of-the-hand padding as well as the exclusive C-TACK™ Material palm patch and fingertips. Multi-layered inserts increase wrist stability and minimize wrist hyperextension. This glove provides ultimate protection

Do you have ENOUGH BANDS for your team?

WVU does! Shown here is just one of three rubber-band rooms at West Virginia University.

For information on setting up a band room in your facility, call us at 1-800-344-3539.

Stay ahead of your competition with Flex Bands...the best-kept secret in pro sports! Used by the Giants, Jaguars, Raiders, Ravens, Angels, Padres, Red Sox, and many more, Flex Bands have been improving athletic performance since 1980!

Jump Stretch, Inc. 1230 N. Meridian Rd. Youngstown, OH 44509 www.jumpstretch.com 1-800-344-3539 Fax: 1-330-793-8719 Circle No. 146

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Team Equipment and a strong grip to hold onto balls, letting you play like a warrior.

Circle No. 585 Schutt Sports Group WWW.SCHUTTSPORTS.COM Schutt® Sports’ Jr. Pro® Maxx™ Shoulder Pads incorporate the engineering of Smart Fabric Technology™ by Outlast®—a Schutt exclusive—to balance a football player’s temperature in any climate.

Jr. Pro Maxx Shoulder Pads provide protection by using a dual-density foam padding system that offers one layer for protection and another soft, comfortable layer next to the body.

They are available in position-specific arch styles to provide the flexibility, mobility, and comfort needed for top per formance. Visit Schutt online today.

Circle No. 586 New for the 2006 football season: Schutt’s pop-up net for building a vari-

ety of football skills, including kicking, punting, throwing, and long snapping.

Lightweight and portable, this kicking net can be used anywhere, indoors or out—even on the road. This unit includes a target net that can be moved to different positions for specific skill development and a convenient carry bag. It’s packaged for retail sales and available in varsity and youth sizes.

Visit Schutt online today.

Circle No. 587 Shoot-A-Way 800-294-4654 WWW.SHOOTAWAY.NET Shoot-A-Way introduces the Trench Master, the company’s newest addition to its Power Punch Machine product line. The Trench

Master combines weight training with timing and technique. Specifically designed to teach proper technique while increasing strength, power, and quickness, this machine displays in one-thousandths of a second how quick, off-the-snap players can be, as well as the power of each punch.

Circle No. 588 Wizard Sports Equipment 888-964-5425 WWW.WIZARDSPORTS.COM Since 1984, Wizard Kicking has been manufacturing and designing quality football kicking products, including football holders, tees, kicking nets, snapping targets, and much more. Make sure to check out the newly-designed Wizard Kicking’s football kicking/punting shoe: the 5+ No Lace Kicking Shoe. The new 5+ Kicking Shoe gives your kicker or punter that extra level of confidence. Wizard Kicking also stocks the popular Spotbilt Square-Toe Kicking Shoe.

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Testimonial

Improve Your Team With Cutters Gloves “We had experimented with all types of wristband coaches to improve communication with our quarterbacks and defensive signal callers. We found Cutters’ Triple Playmaker Wristcoach to be the best for enhancing communication from the sideline to the field.”

Pat Behrns Head Football Coach University of Nebraska-Omaha “A few years ago, we came across Cutters Gloves and were amazed by the grip the gloves provided, even when they were wet. Our players are wearing them not only for the superior performance they provide, but also for the durability.”

Len Luedtke Head Football Coach Marshfield High School, Wis. “Our players are using gloves from Cutters not only for the high performance but also because of the selection they offer for each position. I put my skill guys in the receiver gloves, my tight ends and linebackers in the linebacker/running back gloves, and my linemen in The Reinforcer.”

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

More Products Adams USA 800-251-6857 WWW.ADAMSUSA.COM

The Gatorade Co. 800-88-GATOR WWW.GATORADE.COM

Gary Joe Kinne, Head Coach at Canton High School, Canton, Texas, was named the Adams USA 2006 National Coach of the Year on January 7, 2006, by Garry McNabb, co-owner of Adams USA.

Gatorade Nutrition Shake is a balanced nutritional supplement that’s ideal for use as a high-energy meal replacement, or a preevent or between-meal snack. Gatorade Nutrition Shake contains vitamin C, calcium, and iron, so it’s great for athletes who want to perform at their best and need to supplement their diet with a convenient, balanced, and nutritious product. Gatorade Nutrition Shake is available in two flavors: chocolate and vanilla.

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Kinne was shot and critically-wounded in April 2005 by the father of a Canton freshman football player. His comeback is a testament to the strength of the human spirit, as Kinne led the Eagles to its best season ever. Canton won the school’s first district championship since 1964, but lost in the Class 3A Division II state quarterfinals, finishing 12-2. Kinne’s response after receiving the Adams USA National Coach of the Year Award: “I’m overwhelmed. Just to be nominated was a tremendous honor, and to win is unbelievable.”

Circle No. 590 eFundraising 866-235-9660 WWW.EFUNDRAISING.COM eFundraising’s Scratchcards are one of the most profitable fundraising products in America, with up to a rare 100percent profit opportunity.

Check out the company’s special offers and fundraising tips online, and find out how this fundraiser can be personalized for your group. Here is just one of the many success stories: “You have helped our organization reach our goals. After attempting various forms of fundraising in the past, we decided to try the Scratchcard fundraiser. This by far has been our most successful fundraising event we have participated in. Thanks.”

--Dwan Lee, Capitol Athletic Basketball.

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After years of extensive research, scientists at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute have developed Gatorade Endurance Formula for athletes’ longer, more intense workouts and competitions.

Gatorade Endurance Formula is a specialized sports drink with a five-electrolyte blend containing nearly twice the sodium (200mg) and three times the potassium (90mg) of Gatorade Thirst Quencher to more fully replace what athletes lose in sweat when fluid and electrolyte losses become substantial.

Circle No. 593 K&K Insurance 800-426-2889 WWW.KANDKINSURANCE.COM K&K Insurance offers coverage for a variety of amateur and professional sports organizations, including teams, leagues, camps/clinics, events, instructors, officials, stadiums, arenas, and sports and fitness facilities. For over 50 years, K&K has been providing superior coverage and service for the unique needs of the sports and recreation industry. Call today to find out how K&K Insurance can help your organization.

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