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Coaching Management

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CONTENTS | FOOTBALL Edition | PRESEASON 2013 | Vol. XXI, No. 14

Coaching Management

LEADERSHIP 27 STRATEGIES FOR

COVER STORY 18 READY TO RUN Preseason camps are right around the corner. Here’s a look at how some coaches are adding extra meaning to this important time.

SOCIALIZING

How do you ensure that social media mishaps don’t happen on your team? This author suggests putting proactive policies in place.

PRESEASON

BULLETIN BOARD

New initiative looks to ban hits during the offseason … Miami trademarks its “cradle” … Three questions for Pat Fitzgerald … Motivating high school players through outside speakers … Johns Hopkins fundraises a new locker room … Coaching three sports.

Publisher Mark Goldberg Editorial Dept. Eleanor Frankel, Director R.J. Anderson, Patrick Bohn, Kristin Maki, Mary Kate Murphy, Dennis Read Art Director Pamela Crawford

43 Team Equipment 44 STRENGTH & CONDITIONING 45 MORE PRODUCTS

47 PRODUCT LAUNCH 40 ADVERTISER’S DIRECTORY

Special Projects Dave Wohlhueter, Natalie Couch

Q&A 15 mike feminis By promoting a family atmosphere and recruiting in his own backyard, Mike Feminis has brought much success to St. Xavier University.

Arizona State University quarterback Taylor Kelly and his Sun Devil teammates spent a portion of the 2012 preseason at a retreat 100 miles from campus. Coaches provide new ideas for camps in our cover story, starting on page 18. Photo: STEVE RODRIGUEZ

Advertising Sales Associate Diedra Harkenrider (607) 257-6970, ext. 24

Production Dept. Maria Bise, Director Neal Betts, Trish Landsparger

Business and Editorial Offices 20 Eastlake Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 257-6970, Fax (607) 257-7328 info@MomentumMedia.com

Circulation Dept. Dave Dubin

Business Manager Pennie Small

Marketing Director Sheryl Shaffer

Mailing lists for Coaching Management Football are provided by the Clell Wade Coaches Directory. The Coaching Management Football edition is published in March, May, and November by MAG, Inc., and is distributed free to college and high school coaches in the United States and Canada.

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At Colorado State University-Pueblo, a dedication to weight training has helped the ThunderWolves become an NCAA Division II contender.

On the cover

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 41 PRODUCTS FOR PRESEASON CAMPS 42 FOOTBALL FACILITIES

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING 33 FIRST AND TEN

Ad Materials Coordinator/Sales Mike Townsend (607) 257-6970, ext. 13

Copyright © 2013 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. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Coaching Management, P.O. Box 4806, Ithaca, N.Y. 14852. Printed in the U.S.A.

Coaching Management PRESEASON 2013 1

BULLETIN BOARD Preseason 2013

CONTENTS

2 SLI advocates

for fewer hits

4 Honoring a long line of coaches

Concussion Prevention

Rethinking the Offseason In a majority of states, fullcontact football practices are permitted for high school teams at some point during the offseason. Attempting to make the game safer, a movement was set in motion this winter to ban any contact during this time. Flanked by current and former NFL players, Chris Nowinski, Executive Director of the Sports Legacy Institute (SLI), announced the initiative at a press conference during Super Bowl XLVII. The SLI believes eliminating hits in the offseason would greatly reduce the brain’s exposure to trauma in football players. “We’ve found chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease, in athletes whose careers stopped after high school,” says Nowinski, a former Harvard University football player and professional wrestler who is a leading advocate for concussion research. “Eliminating tackling in the offseason could reduce the prevalence of concussions by up to 25 percent while having little to no impact on the nature of the sport.” Studies have shown that over half the hits to the head in football occur outside of games. No states limit the number of in-season full-contact practices, and 29 states allow them during the offseason— with Texas (30 days), Mississippi (three weeks), and Illinois (20 days) permitting the most. Nowinski and the SLI have begun lobbying state athletic associations to make changes, starting in his home state of Illinois. “We have a dialogue going with the Illinois High School Association about how we can limit offseason contact, and we’re going to implement a pilot program shortly,” he says. “If we can make a difference in Illinois, other states will be more willing to follow its lead.” While Nowinski works with state associations, he encourages coaches to

4 Speakers

help motivate players

6 Starting a capital campaign

voluntarily eliminate contact from offseason practices regardless of their state’s rules. “Many coaches realize their players can learn the game without having to hit each other,” he says. “They can teach the necessary skills without causing brain trauma in their athletes.” In addition to cutting tackling from their offseason plans, coaches can focus on educating their players. “We’re not properly teaching athletes about concussions,” says Nowinski. “Even when head injuries are addressed, people are providing incorrect information. As a result, the subsequent diagnoses and treatments of concussions have been mismanaged.” How does Nowinski respond to those who think tackling is necessary in the offseason so players can practice at game speed and learn to not shy away from getting hit? “Coaches who believe that are trading a child’s brain health for their own personal success,” he says. “If we want our kids to keep playing, we have to take the dangerous things off the table. It’s not a question of toughness, but rather of making sure the athletes can walk away from the game without their brains rotting from CTE.”

10 Pat Fitzgerald on ethics

11 Coach goes multi-sport

Another measure the SLI is using to reduce exposure to brain trauma is the Hit Count Initiative. This program partners with companies like i1 Biometrics, Battle Sports Science LLC, Triax Technologies LLC, Impakt Protective Inc., gForce Tracker, and MC10 Inc., to monitor the frequency and severity of hits to the head using specialty headbands, beanie caps, chinstraps, and mouth guards. From there, governing associations can set limits, much like pitch counts in baseball. The initiative was launched in 2012, and the SLI hopes to get all state associations to adopt it by the end of 2013. In the coming years, the SLI would also like to restrict in-season tackling to once per week. The group For more information and resources from the SLI, visit its might get new interactive Web site at: some help www.ConcussionChecklist.org. in this endeavor from state lawmakers, as one legislator in Texas introduced a bill to this effect in February, although a similar bill was recently dismissed in Illinois.

2 Coaching Management Preseason 2013

ap photo/robert E. klein

To help decrease concussions, a movement is under way to ban hits during the offseason. At right, athletic trainer Torey Manzi tests a Malden (Mass.) Catholic High School player for a concussion last fall.

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BULLETIN BOARD For those coaches concerned about the changes high school football may undergo in the future, Nowinski urges them to remember the basics. “The sport is mostly about athleticism, strength, speed, and understanding the game,” he says. “All of those things can be achieved without risking brain trauma. You win football games in the fall by spending the offseason in the weightroom and on the track, and more coaches have to stand up for that.” Marketing

No Robbing This Cradle

4 Coaching Management Preseason 2013

(Army), Brown, Carm Cozza (Yale), Dietzel, Ewbank, Parseghian, John Pont (Indiana, Miami), and Bo Schembechler (Michigan). This group is also recognized with individual statues in the Cradle of Coaches Plaza located just outside Yager Stadium. The honors are reserved for alumni who have earned recognition as national collegiate or professional coaches of the year, who have been inducted into the College or Pro Football Hall of Fame, or whose teams won national collegiate or professional championships. The project was thought to be complete when the statue honoring Brown was unveiled before a game on Sept. 22, but that changed when the Baltimore Ravens won Super Bowl XLVII behind Head Coach John Harbaugh, a 1984 graduate of Miami. His statue will be added to the Cradle of Coaches Plaza sometime in 2014 and his image worked into the scoreboard mural. Miami has developed a logo to go with the term, and it will likely expand its offering of “Cradle of Coaches” merchandise. “Our bookstore holds the exclusive rights to items that show the phrase and they’ve been particularly well received by our older alumni,” Pearson says. “Our coaches often bring it up when talking to recruits. Getting the trademark may have an economic impact later, but for now, we just wanted to establish that we own the phrase and make it official that Miami University is the ‘Cradle of Coaches.’”

To honor its alumni who have gone on to become championship coaches, Miami University (Ohio) has trademarked the term “Cradle of Coaches” and erected a huge mural on the back of its scoreboard.

Progressive Programs

Speaker Series Is a Hit

When former NFL defensive tackle Jim Stuckey spoke to the football team at St. John’s High School in Charleston, S.C., he knew how to get the young men’s attention. “The first thing he did was flash the Super Bowl rings he won with the 49ers,” says St. John’s guidance counselor Mark Epstein. “Then he got down in a three-point stance and showed our players how to knock over an offensive lineman.” After his entertaining opening, Stuckey talked to the squad about working hard and overcoming obstacles, which is the focus of a weekly speaker series Epstein has conducted over the past four years. The purpose of the talks is to have the students hear a positive message from a successful individual. Epstein began the program in 2009 when he was a guidance counselor at West Ashley (S.C.) High School and brought it with him when he was hired two years ago at St. John’s, a school of CoachesNetwork.com

JEFFREY SABO/MIAMI UNIVERSITY

Miami University (Ohio) has long been informally known as the “Cradle of Coaches.” Now it’s official. In 2012, Miami received a trademark on the moniker, which was coined by then Sports Information Director Bob Kurz in 1959. He had noticed that, at the time, the nation’s top two ranked college football teams were coached by Miami graduates, Paul Dietzel at Louisiana State University and Ara Parseghian at the University of Notre Dame, while fellow Miami grads Paul Brown and Weeb Ewbank were among the top coaches in professional football. The term became closely associated with the school, and administrators recently decided it was time to protect that connection. “We wanted to give some official standing to the phrase and its association with the university,” says Mike Pearson, Miami’s Assistant Athletic Director for Communication and Technology. “We had thought about applying for the trademark for years and finally got the gears moving. Some other schools have kind of borrowed the words with things like ‘Cradle of Quarterbacks,’ and we wanted to make sure our phrase was protected.” The application process took almost 18 months to complete, and Pearson estimates he spent more than 100 hours trolling through archives to find examples of the term being used to identify the school. This included newspaper and magazine stories, video and audio clips, and other references. “The lawyers warned us there would be a lot of legwork involved to prove ‘Cradle of Coaches’ did belong to us,” Pearson says. “We also had to include examples of people outside Miami using the phrase to describe the school.” The football program is now celebrating its status as the Cradle of Coaches with a giant mural on the back of its scoreboard that features the likenesses of its most famous graduates: Red Blaik

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BULLETIN BOARD about 250 students located in a rural part of Charleston. “I really saw a need for the student-athletes at St. John’s to hear these messages,” he says. “Kids at a small school don’t often get opportunities like this, so I knew they would appreciate it as much, if not more, than the studentathletes at West Ashley did. And based on the feedback I’ve received, it’s the highlight of players’ years.” The talks are focused on inspiring the students, and many of the speakers are former players, giving their message added clout with the athletes. “Terry Cousin, a former NFL player, spoke

“You need to be relentless if you really want to get them. They’re going to give you a lot of reasons why they can’t come and speak, but I’ve found that if I’m honest about what I’m trying to accomplish, they want to be a part of it. Don’t have any fear, just approach them as regular people.” Mark Epstein St. John’s High School, Charleston, S.C.

about how he grew up in a tough environment, wasn’t a strong student, had only one NCAA Division I scholarship offer, and went undrafted in the NFL,” Epstein says. “When high school players hear the challenges that a pro player had to deal with, it serves as a strong motivator.” While not all the speakers are former players—local journalists and small college coaches are also common—

many, like Stuckey, Cousin, Langston Moore, and Travis Jervey played in the NFL. Epstein believes their athletic success gets players to listen to their messages about life issues. “It’s good to find people who can relate to our athletes on their level,” he says. “For a lot of high school football players, hearing from people who went through similar issues before playing professionally can be very inspirational.” How does Epstein bring in such prominent speakers? He says it’s simply a matter of searching the Internet to find their contact information and keeping after them, even if they decline to participate at first. “You need to be relentless if you really want to get them,” Epstein says. “They’re going to give you a lot of reasons why they can’t come and speak, but I’ve found that if I’m honest about what I’m trying to accomplish, they want to be a part of it. Don’t have any fear, just approach them as regular people.” Some of the lectures are presented to the entire school, and Epstein’s only standard criteria is that the speakers have graduated from college. “That’s a crucial part of the program,” he says. “I want them to talk about the importance of getting a degree, even if you’re given the gift of being able to play professional sports. We had [former NBA player] Xavier McDaniel speak, and he brought up the fact that he went back to school to get his bachelor’s after going pro.” The program has been such a success at St. John’s that Epstein often sends out invitations to other schools, asking if their athletes would like to come and listen to the talks. And St. John’s departing football coach, James Waring, has asked Epstein to get speakers for his next school. “I told him I’d take care of him,” Epstein says. “I think student-athletes can benefit a lot from this type of program, and I want to make sure as many as possible can take part.”

Mark Epstein (left), guidance counselor at St. John’s High School in Charleston, S.C., poses with Terry Cousin, one of the former NFL players who have talked to the school’s football team as part of a weekly speaker series.

6 Coaching Management Preseason 2013

Fundraising

New Nest for the Blue Jays

For the past two decades, the Johns Hopkins University football program has operated out of three areas—one locker room for the players and two large offices shared by all 10 coaches. When a large space recently became available in the athletic center, the team was excited to learn it was theirs to occupy. The only catch was that it would take $750,000 to renovate. Head Coach Jim Margraff and Associate Director of Development Grant Kelly were responsible for finding a way to raise the money, and they quickly began organizing a capital campaign. The price tag made this the largest fundraising effort in Blue Jay football history. The primary target for donations was former players. “Football is one of our most supported programs,” says Kelly. “It has a huge alumni network, and the players typically stay very involved after they graduate. Being a part of the team is like a brotherhood, and they all love Coach Margraff, so many were willing to give back for this important project.” The slated renovations include expanding the current locker room into two adjacent spaces, with each player getting a customized wood locker. There will be team meeting areas with extensive audio-visual capabilities. Every full-time coach will get his own office. A conference room and media center will provide additional areas for game planning and film breakdown. The varied parts of the new facility offered Kelly a helpful fundraising pitch— naming opportunities. “Individuals could sponsor a locker with a donation of $1,000,” he says. “Any contribution of $10,000 or more will be recognized with a plaque on a wall of the athletic center. Additionally, each office, both locker rooms, and the conference room could be named.” Some of the naming opportunities also gave past players a chance to reconnect. “Alex Sotir was our Head Coach from 1967 to 1973,” says Kelly. “A group of his former players came together to name the coaching suite after him.” Margraff was instrumental in finding and connecting with donors. “He played for us from 1979 to 1982, so Jim was able to reach out to both former teammates and those he had coached to express how important this would be in helping to move the program forward,” Kelly says. “A lot of guys stepped up because they wanted to help Coach Margraff. We even had alumni calling him as soon as the project was announced to see how they could get involved.” CoachesNetwork.com

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2012 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Date/Opponent

Time

Location

Friday, August 24 Norwalk

Friday, August 31

7:30pm Newton HA Lynn Stadium

Adel DeSoto Minburn CSD 7:30pm A-D-M, Adel

Friday, October 12 7:30pm Boone HS

Friday, September 14 South Tama

Dallas Center - Grimes

Friday, October 05 7:30pm Knoxville HS

Friday, September 07 Boone

Time Location

Friday, September 28 7:30pm Newton HA Lynn Stadium

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HOmE GAmES iN RED

Date/Opponent

Saydel Community Schools 7:30pm Newton HA Lynn Stadium

Friday, October 19 7:30pm Newton HA Lynn Stadium

Ballard

7:30pm Ballard HS

Friday, September 21 Grinnell

7:30pm Grinnell HS

FOOTBALL RECORDS

ALL STATE SELECTIONS

1982 Chris McCormick 1986 David Rose 1988 Chad Guthrie Derek Moore Reagan Maher Clint Jensen

Head Coach: Ed Ergenbright Assistant Coach: Chris Bieghler Andy Cazett Charlie Hawkins Darren Hurt Managers: Ben Fox Dave Hegstrom Athletic trainer(s): Matt Scotton Jenifer Anderson DPT Dr. Duane Jolivette Cheerleading advisors: Heather Ross Statisticians: Scott Enyart Tom Weeks. Eric VanderVelden

James Jenkins

Brian Smith

Steve Pearson

1989 Rob McCarville Chris Martin 1990 Tony Arrowood Paul Van Maaren Kevin Mortensen Luke Peterson 1991 Trent Vansice Jack Mich

1992 Eric Rinderknecht 1993 Josh Foreman Ike Hammerly Todd Scott Eric Karsten 1994 Josh Foreman (2) 1995 Brian Merryman

1996 Luke Peterson (2) Nathan Stewart Grant Wesson Blake Hansen 1997 Nick Matsen Wade Rinderknecht Craig Wilkening David Foreman Ed Machin

ReCoRDs

1980 Treye Jackson

1998 Joe Illingworth

Tom Weeks

Team Physician

For more information call or email Coaching Management Publisher Mark Goldberg 607.257.6970 Ext. 11 | mg@momentummedia.com Newton School Administration Principal: Bill Peters Asst. or Associate Principals: Dave Kalkhoff Athletic Director(s): Scott Garvis C.M.A.A. Band Director(s): Jim Beerends School colors: Red and Black

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BULLETIN BOARD

A capital campaign for the Johns Hopkins University football program has allowed each full-time coach to have his own office, as well as enjoy new locker rooms, a conference room, and a media center. The renovations are now close to ribbon-cutting time. “We’re about 70 percent finished,” says Kelly. “One locker room is done, along with the coaching suite and conference room. All that is remaining is the second locker room and some miscellaneous design aspects in the hallway leading to the offices.” Kelly believes a key to the campaign’s success was utilizing the opportunities a large network provides. “In my past experience working with capital projects, we’ve heavily involved ourselves with lead donors exclusively, those individuals who make six- and seven-figure gifts,” he says. “But in this project, we tried to incorporate all levels of contributions to accommodate as many people from the network as possible—gifts from over $100,000 to less than $100—and prove that every gift helped. After all, with small gifts of $1,000

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Circle No. 105

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Coaching Management Preseason 2013 9

QUESTIONS

Pat Fitzgerald is on a mission. Entering his eighth year as Head Coach at Northwestern University, he’s out to prove that you can succeed at the NCAA Division I level without compromising your integrity. A member of the AFCA Ethics Committee, he prides himself on closely following all NCAA rules, and he has publicly condemned other football programs that don’t make academics their top priority. Fitzgerald brings the same level of integrity to recruiting. He compares verbal commitments to an engagement and has rescinded scholarship offers when verbally committed prospects visited other schools. So far, Fitzgerald’s focus on ethics has paid off for Northwestern. The 2012 squad went 10-3, tying the school record for victories in a season, and posted its first bowl win in 64 years. After signing a solid 2013 class, he has the Wildcats poised for another successful season. We talked to Fitzgerald about balancing ethical behavior with the pressures of running a winning D-I program.

Running an Ethical Program What is your definition of ethics? Ethics is respecting the university, respecting myself, and most importantly, respecting the young men that I get the opportunity to influence. Most of my staff members played football and had a coach make a significant impact on their lives, pushing them into the profession themselves. We can’t lose sight of that while trying to develop our own student-athletes. But being ethical does not mean being perfect, which is something former Northwestern Head Coaches Gary Barnett and Randy Walker taught me. You should try to do the right thing, but accept that you’re going to make mistakes. If you have good intentions and the outcome goes the wrong way, take responsibility for what happened, learn, grow, and get better. How do your values affect the way you recruit? At the end of the day, recruiting unethically minimizes the true meaning of being a coach. There are a lot more coaching staffs doing things the right way than not, but I’m not naïve. I’m sure there are coaches taking advantage of the gray areas in the rules without the NCAA noticing.

Because of that, I ask prospects: If those coaches are going to cheat to get you, what do you think it’s going to be like to play for them? For example, during one of my recent recruiting trips, a high school head coach approached me with an athlete and said, “Coach Fitz, this is my junior standout. I wanted to give you a chance to talk with him.” Because of the NCAA rules that ban off-campus contact with juniors, all I could say was hello and good luck. The coach took my business card, and I told him to have the prospect call me. Then he said, “But the coaches from University A and University Z sat and talked with my player for 20 minutes.” I replied, “That’s against the rules, and that’s not the way I do things.” How do you evaluate the ethics of a recruit? We investigate our prospects as much as we possibly can. High school head coaches, athletic directors, athletic trainers, and teachers are all valuable resources in learning about players. We also look into their social media accounts. More often than not, if a young man is a highly motivated student and a talented player, he’s going to be a good person. But you have to turn over every stone. A lot of our current players were captains of their high school teams, and we use that as a way to measure integrity. When players have a foundation of leadership, we can cultivate it to help foster the culture we want in our program. I scratch my head when a player with the academic credentials to get into Northwestern hasn’t been elected captain by his coaches or his teammates. In that case, I’ll ask the head coach, “Is this player a captain kind of guy?” Those aren’t the only kids we recruit, but it’s a characteristic we look for.

For Northwestern University Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald, coaching ethically means respecting the opportunity to influence players.

Management Preseason 2013 10 Coaching Management

CoachesNetwork.com CoachesNetwork.com

BULLETIN BOARD we sponsored half of our lockers and raised $50,000. That money really added up. “The economic climate is not what it used to be,” Kelly continues. “So we were thrilled to see a lot of alumni and parents contribute even if they didn’t have the resources to give as much as they would have liked. This project is going to provide our athletes with some of the best facilities in Division III football.” Coaching Life

From Field to Court to Field

Stephen Carrera/Northwestern Athletics

Much has been made of increased specialization by high school athletes. But less attention is paid to a similar trend among coaches. It’s a situation that bothers James Lawwill, who coaches football and baseball at Tanque Verde High School in Tucson, Ariz., and girls’ basketball at Tucson’s Catalina Magnet High School, where he also teaches history. “The mindset of some administrators is that coaches should coach only one sport,” says Lawwill, who has coached in California, New Mexico, and Arizona during his 30-year career. “But that’s like saying athletes should only play one sport.” While he readily admits that the overlapping times when one sport season ends and another begins can be challenging, especially if a squad is in postseason competition, Lawwill says coaching three sports comes to him naturally. “I played three, and even four, sports a year when I was in high school, and I’ve always enjoyed making the transition from one season to another,” he says. “I think I would get bored if I was only coaching one sport all year long.” Lawwill identifies two factors that have reduced the number of multi-sport coaches: family demands and liability concerns. “There’s a lot of talk about burnout among coaches, but I don’t think they burn out because of the demands of coaching. They burn out because of the demands of family life,” he says. “I raised two boys and a girl who were all fairly athletic, so we were able to share that, but not everyone is so fortunate. Then there’s the concern about supervision and liability, which wears on coaches.” For Lawwill, the pros of going multi-sport have always outweighed the negatives, however. One aspect he enjoys is how discussions in one sport often lead to conversations about another. “For example, on our way back from a baseball tournament, one of my

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Circle No. 106

BULLETIN BOARD

James Lawwill, Head Coach at Tanque Verde High School in Tucson, Ariz., moves on to coach basketball and then baseball after the football season ends.

assistants, who is also an assistant football coach, started talking about hitting and how we needed to focus on the fundamentals,” he says. “The next thing I know, we’re talking about blocking schemes in football and how we would teach those in the fall. There have been things in all three sports that have helped me in the other sports. “When you get right down to it, success to me is about the fundamentals,” Lawwill continues. “Whether it’s blocking and tackling in football, making layups in basketball, or throwing strikes and eliminating errors in baseball, if you can master the fundamentals, you’re much more likely to be successful regardless of what particular scheme or system you use.” Lawwill adds another challenge to his plate by coaching at two different schools. He was an assistant football and baseball coach at Catalina when Tanque Verde opened its doors in 2006. The school was less than five minutes from his home, and when he was offered the opportunity to start the baseball program there, he jumped at the chance, eventually leading the team to state titles in 2009 and 2011. He became Tanque Verde’s head football coach in

2008, but remained girls’ basketball coach at Catalina. “I’d certainly prefer to be on the same campus as the team,” Lawwill says. “When you’re not at school all day, it’s a lot harder to know what’s going on with your players. But opportunities arose at Tanque Verde, and I felt it was best to pursue them. “The biggest thing that has made the situation work is communicating with the athletic director,” he continues. “We all have cell phones and e-mail, and the athletic director at Tanque Verde and I communicate every day so we’re able to avoid surprises.” Ultimately, Lawwill just loves to coach. “I spent 12 years in the 1980s and 1990s working in marketing and broadcasting with the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Triple-A team in Albuquerque, and I really enjoyed it,” he says. “But I missed coaching, a lot more than thought I would.” CM MADE IN IUSA

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Q&A

bORN & RAISED

Jimmy Coy executes St. Xavier’s no-huddle spread offense during an NAIA first-round playoff game last fall.

Q&A with Mike Feminis | St. Xavier University

MONTE GERLACH (BOTTOM)

Mike Feminis, Head Coach at St. Xavier University, loves three things: family, football, and Chicago. He played at Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, was a star linebacker at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, a suburb of Chicago, and his current office on the South Side is 15 miles from where he grew up. He is adamant that family comes before football, but that hasn’t gotten in the way of his professional success. When he took over at St. Xavier in 1999, the six-year-old program had only won eight games. Since then, the team has compiled a 127-43 CoachesNetwork.com

record, won or shared seven conference titles, appeared in the NAIA postseason eight times, and brought home the first national championship in St. Xavier’s history in 2011.

a consistent staff, running a no-huddle spread offense, and why he rarely recruits outside Chicago.

Feminis is a three-time Mid-States Football Association Mideast League Coach of the Year, two-time Schutt Sports NAIA Coach of the Year, and was AFCA National Coach of the Year in 2011. Prior to St. Xavier, he served as the linebackers coach (1990-93) and defensive coordinator (1994-98) at St. Francis. He has also been president of the NAIA Coaches Association since 2007 and a member of the NAIA Raters Committee since 2000.

Feminis: We had to create a new culture for the program, so we cleaned house and started from scratch. We needed student-athletes with better attitudes and who would be more committed. Our first recruiting class added up to more than 35 players. We told them, “If you give our program a shot, you’ll have a heck of a chance to start as a freshman.” From a coaching perspective, I brought in a completely new staff. I looked for coaches who were on the same page as I was and were more interested in developing young men than moving up the coaching ladder.

In this interview, Feminis talks about bringing success to St. Xavier, maintaining

CM: What were the keys to St. Xavier’s turnaround?

Coaching Management Preseason 2013 15

I also worked on developing a family atmosphere. When I first got here, St. Xavier stood on the visiting sideline of its own field because the team was tired of getting heckled by its own fans. I started by making myself completely approachable, distributing my e-mail and phone number to parents and alumni. My door is always open whenever someone wants to meet with me. People responded to my accessibility. Before long, parents and alumni started tailgating in the parking lot outside the stadium on game day. They cook for our players after the games and everybody spends time getting to know each other. What is your coaching philosophy?

My goal is to be fair and honest with my players. There are no hidden agendas, and I don’t make promises I can’t keep. I also believe it’s important to coach each player differently. Every kid has a unique personality, background, and motivation. Some respond well to yelling and screaming. They take it and use it to their advantage. Others will crawl into a shell if you get in their face. You have to learn what’s best for each player.

What is your approach to recruiting?

During my interview for this position I said, “St. Xavier is not only going to win, we’re going to win with kids from our own backyard.” The interviewer asked me if I would be limiting myself with such a philosophy, and I said, “Absolutely not.” We have a large talent pool in the Chicago area to dip in to, and 99 percent of them aren’t going D-I. An added benefit is that it cuts down on travel. I rarely have to drive more than 30 miles to see a prospect. What’s more important is that the high school coaches in the area know I’m sincere. We’ve been able to develop great relationships because of that. If a high school player isn’t going to D-I, his coach will encourage him to look at St. Xavier, knowing our staff takes care of our players. Plus, the South Side community appreciates that they can come to a St. Xavier game and watch kids that they saw play at the local high schools. How have you maintained such a consistent coaching staff?

My current offensive coordinator has been with me since day one, starting as a

part-time offensive line coach. Our defensive coordinator came aboard in 2000, and our special teams coordinator has been on staff for eight years. We keep people because St. Xavier is a great place to work. We have full support from our administration, including the university’s president. A lot of assistant coaches at the small college level use it as a stepping-stone to what they perceive as bigger and better positions. I don’t think anyone on my staff feels that way. Five of my assistants were head coaches before, and they know the headaches that can come with that job, so they’re not eager to do it again. I think a lot of the consistency also comes from a love of the game. Seven of my nine assistants are part-time—some are teachers, some are former players, and some are retired. We only pay them enough to basically cover their gas money. They coach here because they’re dedicated to the kids, the program, and St. Xavier. What do you like about coaching in the NAIA?

People frequently ask me if I’ve ever

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Q&A aspired to be an NCAA Division I coach, and I think I surprise them when I say no. Between my playing and coaching careers, I’ve been in the NAIA for 27 years and it’s where I want to stay. The D-I athletes are 20 pounds heavier and a step faster than our guys, but in my mind, our quality of play is just as good. Sure, I’ll never coach in front of 80,000 people, but football is football. Additionally, I get to stay near my family on the South Side of Chicago, which is a dream come true. If I were to go the D-I route, this would probably change. My family is first and foremost to me, and I’m not willing to give them up to move to the next level. How did you develop your no-huddle spread offense that’s been described as “faster than the University of Oregon’s?”

We started experimenting with some no-huddle plays in 2007, and it slowly progressed from there. The more we did it, the more success we had, and we finally said to ourselves in 2009, “Let’s commit to this and see where it goes.” Once we made that decision, we had

consecutive 13-1 seasons during which we averaged over 40 points a game. I think it’s successful because it catches teams off guard. Even if you scout us, there’s no way to prepare for the pace we play at. The defensive coordinator doesn’t have time to call anything, so it makes his playbook irrelevant. I was a defensive player, and going against our offense feels like you’re in a tornado. We scaled it back somewhat during the 2011 season. We got a transfer quarterback who went on to become the 2012 RawlingsNAIA National Player of the Year but couldn’t play at our normal tempo because he wasn’t as quick of a decision maker as his predecessor. From a physical standpoint, though, he was able to do some things that we’ve never had a quarterback do. That season served as a learning experience for our staff: We could X and O until we were blue in the face, but we were only going to go as fast as our players were capable of. What was it like to win the NAIA national championship in 2011?

To be honest, the attention was absolutely mind-boggling. The Blackhawks and

White Sox honored us at home games. The Mayor of Chicago invited us to city hall, and the Governor had us come to the state capitol. I’d say it was a once in a lifetime feeling—but I’m hoping to feel it nine or 10 more times. How do you balance your work with your family life?

I think any coach who puts their profession ahead of their family is making a big mistake. Sure, there are unavoidable times when you’ll be gone for a full day, but you can find ways to balance that. For example, you’re not going to find me in my office at 7 a.m. or 9 p.m. I try to see my daughters every day before they go to school and before they go to bed. When I do have extra work, I’ll do it before they wake up or after they’re asleep. My family has always been involved in my athletic career as well. In the 14 seasons I’ve coached here, my mother—who will be 85 in June—has only missed two games. My wife and three daughters also attend as often as possible. No amount of wins or championships would make coaching worth it if I had to sacrifice my family life in the process. CM

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READY TO RUN Preseason camps are right around the corner. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a look at how some coaches are adding extra meaning to this important time. | By Patrick Bohn

Most coaches would agree that the seeds of success for an upcoming season are sown during preseason camp. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a time for getting players in tip-top shape, teaching offensive and defensive schemes, and getting the team to jell. But some coaches are going the extra mile, or 100, to do so more effectively. rie, provide a new level of focus, and help players reach new heights by taking them out of their comfort zones. HOME AWAY FROM HOME

Several programs have enhanced their preseason camps by traveling to an off-campus location. Prior to the 2012 season, Arizona State Head Coach Todd Graham decided to have the team return to Camp Tontozona, located near Payson, Ariz., which has historical significance for the program. The Sun Devils held part of their preseason camp there every year from 1960 to 2007 but had STEVE RODRIGUEZ

At Arizona State University, the squad spent five days in August 2012 at a rustic camp 100 miles away from campus. Another college team took two of its preseason practices to unfamiliar facilities to get ready for tough early-season road games. One high school squad works out at a National Guard Training Center for a few days each preseason, and a co-op program kicks off camp with a sleepover and sunrise practice. Why are more and more programs adding a little something extra to their preseason camps? Coaches reveal that shaking things up can produce stronger camarade-

At Arizona State University, players bonded at Camp Tontozona last year during the preseason, living in rustic cabins and foregoing contact with the outside world. Above, Sun Devils quarterback Taylor Kelly runs the ball against UCLA in late October.

COVER STORY

not gone back since a 2008 scrimmage. Tim Cassidy, Arizona State’s Senior Associate Athletic Director of Football, says the retreat gave the Sun Devils players a different experience than what they find in Tempe. “The goal of the trip is to help the players develop a sense of brotherhood,” he says. “They’re giving up the comforts of their dorms and apartments and living in cabins. There’s no Internet or phone service, so the players’ focus is on their commitment to each other.” Gordon Leib, Head Coach at Paul VI Catholic High School in Fairfax, Va., has taken teams to the Graves Mountain Lodge in Syria, Va., for three days dating back 13 years ago to his previous head coaching job. “The main thing I want to do during preseason camp is turn 100 pennies into a dollar,” he says. “I need to get the players playing for each other and focusing on the team instead of themselves. By taking them away from their girlfriends, jobs, parents, and ever-present technology, it removes a lot of outside distractions, which allows them to focus solely on the team.” Leib admits that disallowing electronic devices is not easy, but he stands firm. “Kids aren’t used to going without them, so we’ve had to confiscate phones and iPods before,”

he says. “You have to stress to them that your goals are to help them bond with each other, and that phones and music players won’t help them accomplish those goals. “The first year I took the Paul VI team to Graves Mountain, 10 kids called their parents saying they wanted to go home,” Leib continues. “They just didn’t buy into what we were doing. Thankfully, their parents told them to stick it out, and they had a great time. Now, the upperclassmen explain what we’re doing to new players, and things go smoothly.” When Dan Caruso, Head Coach at Steinert High School East in Hamilton, N.J., takes his team to the state National Guard Training Center in nearby Sea Girt he makes sure he gets the most out of the opportunity by forcing players outside their established cliques. “Last season I assigned players to cabins randomly,” he says. “I wanted to make sure that, for example, senior defensive players stayed with underclassmen on offense. This way they had to interact with each other, which they might not have done otherwise.” Leib also takes steps to get the players talking during the first day. “One thing I’ve found effective is to have every player introduce themselves to someone they don’t know,” he says. “That helps get the quiet

SAFETY FIRST While there are a lot of benefits to spending a portion of preseason camp off-campus, taking students away from home means increased responsibility. “Keeping

players safe is really my biggest concern when we have our overnight trip,” says Gordon Leib, Head Coach at Paul VI Catholic High School, in Fairfax, Va. “I need to constantly be aware of safety issues. We went on a hike one year, and the players wanted to dive off a six-foot cliff into a pond. We wouldn’t let them, because I knew if a player got hurt, I wouldn’t be able to justify the activity to their parents.”

Dan Caruso, Head Coach at Steinert High School East in Hamilton, N.J., and his staff keep a close tab on players throughout the team’s preseason camp at a National Guard training center. “I make sure my coaches are walking around keeping an

eye on things or staying with groups of players,” he says. “There’s a firing range at the camp, and while we trust our players, we can’t take the risk of anything bad happening.” Safety concerns extend into the evening hours. “Hazing is such a big worry at these camps, so we have to be proactive to prevent it,” Leib says. “After lights out, the coaching staff walks through cabins every half hour until we’re sure players are asleep. We take certain ‘high-energy’ kids and put them in the cabin closest to the coaches so we can keep an eye on them.” Neither Leib nor Caruso bring freshmen on their trips. “You have to know your players before you take them away, because their parents put their trust in you,” Caruso says. “If a freshman just joined the team a few days ago, I might not know enough about his medical history to keep him safe. I also may not be sure that he won’t act up.”

kids, especially those who might not contribute as much on Friday nights, out of their shells.” From there, coaches take advantage of their new surroundings. Arizona State coaches lead their position groups on a hike up “Mount Kush,” named after former Sun Devils Head Coach Frank Kush, who started the Camp Tontozona tradition. “It’s only a 20- to 30-minute hike, but the coaches talk a lot about how important it was to former players like Pat Tillman,” Cassidy says. “When the players reach the top, they share their thoughts about what it means to be an Arizona State football player and sing the school fight song. It’s a great experience.” Leib does something similar with his team. “Every year, we tell the players we’re taking them to a remote field to practice, but instead, we drive them to a nearby trail where we go on a hike,” he says. “It’s supposed to take an hour, but one year, I took a wrong turn and the trek lasted three times as long. When we were about to turn back we found a pond the players could swim in. Even though it wasn’t planned, the kids had a lot of fun.” It’s important, however, to not let the fun get out of hand. Caruso recalls the year his players wrestled in giant plastic sumo suits brought by the National Guard. “One of our guys got hurt, and I had to think about what we were doing,” he says. “I realized we got a little too unfocused, and we were doing things that wouldn’t benefit our team in the long run, and might even hurt us, so we chose not to do that again.” To make sure everyone is on the same page, Caruso has players and their parents attend a meeting before the trip where he goes over all rules and has players sign an honor code. “During this meeting I outline my expectations for their behavior,” he says. “I remind the players that they’re on federal property and that any behavioral problems will not be tolerated.” Leib says you have to be willing to follow through and enforce the rules if a player acts in an unacceptable manner. “One year, I called a player’s parents and told them to be in the school parking lot at 2:30 a.m. because a member of the coaching staff was going to drive their son back,” he says. “Trips like this are a time to grow as a team, not a time to fool around. You need to be prepared to take the necessary steps to ensure that’s what takes place.” Finally, don’t forget that camps don’t have to be just for the players. Arizona State finPATRICK BOHN is an Assistant Editor at Coaching Management. He can be reached at: pb@MomentumMedia.com.

20 Coaching Management Preseason 2013

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ished up its Camp Tontozona experience by hosting a public scrimmage in front of nearly 5,000 supporters. “The fans love coming to watch the team scrimmage up here,” Cassidy says. “It’s a great way to close camp and create a buzz for the upcoming season.” UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY

For University of Dayton Head Coach Rick Chamberlin, the impetus to shake up

season practice under the lights at a local high school. I thought it was a great experience for the players, and that doing so again would help acclimate the team to playing in unfamiliar places.” Chamberlin scheduled two practices away from the Flyers’ usual digs, the first one at the Athletes in Action (AIA) Headquarters in Xenia, Ohio. After a week and a half of two-a-days at their home field, the

preseason so this was the perfect time to shake them out of it.” Before the squad even boarded the bus, Chamberlin knew the plan was working. “That morning, we had guys running to get to the bus on time because they hadn’t planned their morning routines accordingly,” he says. “You wouldn’t think something like needing to get to a bus by a set time would be difficult for players, but it can be if

“The main thing I want to do during preseason camp is turn 100 pennies into a dollar. I need to get the players playing for each other and focusing on the team instead of themselves. By taking them away from their girlfriends, jobs, parents, and ever-present technology, it removes a lot of outside distractions, which allows them to focus solely on the team.” GORDON LEIB, PAUL VI CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL, FAIRFAX, VA. his team’s traditional routine last preseason came from the Flyers’ 2012 schedule. The squad’s first two games were on the road, and the opener against Illinois State University would mark the first time Dayton visited Hancock Stadium. “I knew it was going to be difficult to start the season on the road, and I realized I could use preseason camp to help the players get ready,” Chamberlin says. “Years ago, when I was an assistant here, we had a pre-

Flyers boarded buses and made the 45minute trip to AIA facilities for an earlymorning practice. “Something as simple as playing in a new place can create stress for college kids, especially underclassmen,” Chamberlin says. “By moving off campus, we were able to simulate the stressful environment of a road game without changing anything else about our practices. We knew the players would fall into a routine that first week of

it’s not what they’re used to, especially early in the season.” After arriving at AIA Headquarters, Chamberlin and his staff balanced creating a stressful environment with maintaining a sense of consistency. “We made sure that the practice was run the same way it would have if we had been in our stadium,” he says. “Even when you’re trying to create a little bit of discomfort among players, you can make it too stressful if you alter too much.”

BASIC TRAINING Several college athletic departments have standing relationships with nearby military bases, in which players visit the base and soldiers go to campus for athletic events. But few schools take that relationship as far as Syracuse University did last August, when the Orange spent an entire week of preseason camp at Fort Drum, near Watertown, N.Y.

“We’ve always had a good give-and-take with Fort Drum, but we wanted to do something more,” says Bob Brotzki, Assistant Athletics Director for Football Player Development at Syracuse. “In addition to getting the players out of their normal preseason housing for camp, we wanted to give them a chance to interact with the soldiers and listen to their stories to get a better idea of what they go through.”

22 Coaching Management Preseason 2013

The players learned things would be different at the camp right away when drill sergeants woke them up early their first morning and led them in calisthenics and other physical activities. Soldiers also took groups of teammates to load up a truck with equipment and pull it across a field. “The players loved that,” says Brotzki. “They learned that they had to work together and figure out the best way to accomplish a task. It wasn’t just about being the strongest or fastest.” One of the most meaningful aspects of the camp came in the evening. Each night, a different solider would spend a half hour speaking to the team about his or her experiences overseas. “That really humbled some of the players,” Brotzki says. “Here they are, thinking life is tough because they have to go through training camp. Hearing

the soldiers’ stories made them realize that we just play a game. For the soldiers, it’s life and death.” One of the last days of camp featured a paintball tournament between position groups. “The night before the tournament took place, soldiers got the players in groups and gave them ‘briefings’ detailing their objectives and the other groups’ strengths and weaknesses,” Brotzki says. “That got everyone really excited.” Overall, Brotzki says the event was a rousing success, and the team hopes to go back again in the future. “We all appreciate what the military does for us,” he says. “So to be able to make the players aware of the soldiers’ sacrifices while spending a week at camp working on football was fantastic.”

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COVER STORY

The change in venue proved to be challenging enough. “We had a bad practice,” Chamberlin says. “There were a lot of mental mistakes, and the energy level was lacking. When you’re not doing things the same way you always do, things don’t flow as easily, and I think it tripped some players up. However, we didn’t correct much during that session. We wanted the players to fight through it so the next time it hap-

when the preseason starts, and that gives the team a lot of pride.” Players arrive at the Epping gym at 5:00 p.m. and enjoy dinner donated by a local pizzeria. After that, Salovitch and his staff divide the team up for icebreaker activities. One is a skit performed by the senior class, in which the players dramatize a memory they have of the coaching staff. “Two years ago, one of our assistant

Coach at West Orange High School in Winter Garden, Fla., Petree now uses it as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach and Defensive Coordinator at Ocoee (Fla.) High School. “I feel it’s important to promote great team chemistry and help players develop leadership skills,” he says. “The weightlifting mentoring program is a great way to do that.”

“This has helped develop a mentality that we’re going to have fun but also work hard. In addition, we’re the first team in New Hampshire on the field when the preseason starts, and that gives the team a lot of pride.” ross salovitch, Epping-newmarket (N.H.) high school pened, they could adjust on their own.” The next “road” practice a few weeks later was held on intramural fields on Dayton’s campus, and Chamberlin noticed a change. “That practice was much better,” he says. “Even though students would walk by and watch us, the players weren’t fazed by it.” While the Flyers’ first two games were defeats, Chamberlin believes the team benefited from the unique start to camp, and he’d like to do something similar this season. “It absolutely helped us,” he says. “Even though we lost those two games, the players weren’t bothered by playing on the road. It also broke up the monotony, and the players appreciated that as well.” FIRST ON THE FIELD

Making sure players bond is always an important part of the preseason, and Rich McFadden needed this to happen in a big way five years ago. As Head Coach of a new co-op team joining Epping (N.H.) High School and Newmarket (N.H) High School, he was faced with building camaraderie between kids who did not even go to school together. The solution? A team sleepover the night before preseason camp officially kicked off. And when Ryan Francouer became head coach before the 2009 season, he added another wrinkle that has become a part of the Epping-Newmarket preseason tradition: a 6 a.m. practice the morning after. Current Epping-Newmarket Head Coach Ross Salovitch, who had been an assistant coach under Francouer before taking over in 2012, sees the sleepover and early practice as a way to quickly set a good tone for the season. “This has helped develop a mentality that we’re going to have fun but also work hard,” he says. “In addition, we’re the first team in New Hampshire on the field CoachesNetwork.com

coaches was showing a player proper kicking technique and when the coach went to kick the ball, he missed completely and fell on the ground,” Salovitch says. “The next year, the seniors did a skit based on that, and the team loved it.” Other activities include a screening of the coaches’ high school highlight tapes and math problems courtesy of the team’s offensive coordinator. “The players actually enjoy the math problems a lot, because they have to work together to solve them,” says Salovitch. “It’s a way to expand the players’ thought processes.” Salovitch says the sleepover helps the coaches bond too. “At a small high school, you don’t always have the opportunity to meet with your whole staff because many of them have other jobs,” he says. “I use the time right before the players go to sleep to organize our game plans and talk with my assistants about our goals for the season.” Lights go out around 11 p.m. Players wake up just after 5 a.m., enjoy a light continental breakfast provided by the booster club, and are on the field by 6 a.m. “At first, the kids are pretty tired, but they get with it quickly,” Salovitch says. “There’s always a lot of energy that first day, and the practice is pretty sharp. If we did this during the season, I don’t think the players would be as focused. But having this event kick off preseason camp allows us to capitalize on the excitement of a new season.” SENIOR MENTORS

Chip Petree also believes in the power of helping players form bonds, and he accomplishes this through a preseason mentoring program where upperclassmen work with freshmen in the weightroom and then lead conditioning drills out on the field. After initially implementing the idea as Head

In Petree’s program, the seniors and some junior leaders are paired with freshmen at the start of summer workouts. Those upperclassmen show the younger athletes proper lifting technique and how to read a percentage chart. “There’s so much great teaching going on,” Petree says. “Eventually, the seniors will see freshmen as ‘their’ kids. I love it when a senior and I are watching a freshman do a lift properly and he’ll turn to me and say, ‘I taught him how to do that.’ I can hear the pride in his voice.” That leadership carries over to preseason drills. “I have the seniors run the conditioning drills for the whole team,” Petree says. “They work with the position coaches and decide what drills to run, write the chosen ones on the chalkboard, and demonstrate them. Then, the seniors line the players up, direct them to the right stations, and are responsible for both positive encouragement and corrections of their teammates. “The kids absolutely love it,” he continues. “A lot of them have never been placed in a position where they can empower others—they’re used to being given orders. This allows the seniors to grow into coaches on the field. At the same time, the younger players learn to listen to their peers who have emerged as leaders. And they know they’ll be the ones doing that in a few years, so they buy in quickly.” Since starting the mentoring program four years ago, Petree says he’s noticed that players’ attitudes during preseason camp are much better. “It’s cut down significantly on the drudgery that sometimes infects a team in the preseason,” he says. “It helps players feel good about the football experience and brings something new to the table. When you’re doing that, it creates a great energy level that carries over into the regular season.” CM Coaching Management PRESEASON 2013 23

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“The program is more than a source of revenue for our athletic department,” Garvis continued. “It’s such a great PR piece, and it’s helped us build support in our community. “We can’t thank Athletic Management enough for helping us create a phenomenal game program for our fall sports teams. After the first weekend’s games, the program sold out. It more than exceeded our expectations.” Circle No. 130

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Leadership

STRATEGIES fOR SOCIALIZING

How do you ensure that social media mishaps don’t happen on your team? This author suggests putting proactive policies in place. By Steve Trifone

james f. kraus

On the one hand, social media is an amazing tool that has made a coach’s job easier. A coach can check the league Twitter feed while watching the team warm up. He or she can relay information to the media CoachesNetwork.com

while on the team bus. And a coach can quickly contact the athletic trainer if there’s an injury. On the other hand, this new way of communicating has handed coaches complicated issues to deal with, many of which have no existing guidelines. Is it okay for coaches and athletes to text each other? What should a coach do if someone anonymously forwards him or her a negative photo of an athlete? The explosion of social media is not new, but its increasing presence in society means we need to think more deeply about its use and misuse. For many years, school districts tried to ban cell phones and student use of social media while at school. That has become unrealistic. Instead, the trend is to develop policies and procedures on social Coaching Management PRESEASON 2013 27

media behavior, along with educating students about using it properly. In athletics, we need to do the same. While following their schools’ rules, coaches should consider outlining additional specific policies on social media for their athletes. They also need to educate everyone involved about the capabilities and hazards of these communication tools. EMBRACING CHANGE

If you do not text, are not on Facebook, or have never checked out Twitter, you need to revamp your communications toolbox. Social media has become such a huge part of American society that you risk being perceived as out of touch among student-athletes if you don’t embrace it. You will also be missing out on tools that can help you do your job. For example, texting can streamline communications because it is so quick and easy to do. Our busy lives do

STEVE TRIFONE is Director of Athletics and Department Leader in Applied Technology at Cheshire (Conn.) High School. He can be reached at: strifone@cheshire.k12.ct.us.

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not always allow for phone conversations so a text has become a helpful resource. Using Facebook to reach out to constituents is also a time-saver. You do not need to use Facebook in your personal life to set up Facebook groups that keep you easily connected to others in your coaching life. This could include a Facebook group for parents of student-athletes, or another for alumni athletes. Many coaches set up Facebook groups for their teams as a way to quickly and easily communicate important information. Items such as practice schedules, team outings, upcoming events, and parent information make these sites a worthwhile tool. A group can be set up to include parents and athletes by invitation only, thereby restricting access by others. One rule to follow at the high school level is that whenever you allow access by athletes, you need to give their parents access, too. Twitter is one of the fastest growing electronic message tools used today. Setting up a Twitter account can allow you to update followers on game results, changes in schedules, and general information. Today’s parents want to be in the know and the need for up-

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to-date information is important to them. Posting on Twitter is fast and easy and can be fun to do. EDUCATING OTHERS

Along with all the wonderful things social media can do, it’s no secret that it can be destructive. From trash talking opponents to the posting of inappropriate materials that violate codes of conduct, online communication can lead to problems, both minor and major. I recently presented a class to my coaching staff here at Cheshire (Conn.) High School on social media mishaps. It was well attended and the topic stimulated great dialogue among the attendees. Here are some of the things we discussed: Privacy: I explained to our coaches that the most important thing for everyone to understand is that nothing on the Internet is private. Once you send or post something, you have relinquished control over it. That picture you only wanted friends to see can easily be forwarded to others, either intentionally or inadvertently, by anyone who received it. Pictures and messages can be eas-

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ily saved or copied, and the privacy controls used by social media sites are not foolproof. Plus, a defense based on, “I never thought anyone else would see it,” isn’t likely to carry much weight. Proper use: We talked a lot about how to use social media responsibly, and why it’s a bad idea to communicate with students through these tools unless it’s a formal team Facebook page that includes parents. If a coach friends an athlete on Facebook, then the athlete’s posts can appear on the coach’s page. If the coach needs to discipline that same player, it’s easy to imagine the athlete posting something negative on his or her page about the coach. This post can then appear on the coach’s page, creating tension. Another problem is if a coach went to a player’s Facebook page and saw inappropriate photos of the player or teammates. Ideally, athletes never do anything wrong, but in reality they do, and post things they shouldn’t. You probably don’t want to become a Facebook police officer. We also discussed the use of our personal Facebook accounts and how “secure” they truly are. Students will seek out Face-

book accounts and often find a way to view personal accounts that you think are protected. High school coaches should never use their formal name (which is easy to find) for their Facebook account and should be very careful what they post, even if they are using enhanced privacy settings. It can work well to have one Facebook account for your personal life, and one that is more public to use with school groups. Properly using social media also means not posting anything negative about the athletic program. This includes refraining from talking about opponents, officials, or studentathletes. Coaching is such a high-profile job, it’s easy for even a casual comment to blow up into a social media crisis. Know your audience: All too often people will send a message without fully thinking about the content. Even worse, sometimes we are careless about who will receive the message. Before hitting “send,” make sure you know who your words are going to. The “reply all” button can cause huge difficulties when unintended recipients are included. Keep it simple: Less is more when replying to messages from parents. Quick answers

are a better response than a journal of your deepest thoughts. If you find yourself having a lengthy conversation via e-mail or text, cut it off. A face-to-face meeting is more effective at that point. Understand the consequences: During our class, we discussed a coach who had the cell number of a student-athlete in his phone. The coach accidentally sent a text, which was meant for his girlfriend, to the student. Needless to say, the text spread rapidly and the situation became very embarrassing for the coach. The coach was suspended pending further investigation. ATHLETES & PARENTS

After getting up to speed on social media best practices for themselves, coaches should educate athletes on the topic. Along with a discussion on privacy, similar to what is in the above text, here are some areas I discuss with our student-athletes: Blogs and electronic chat rooms: Student-athletes need to be educated on the potential pitfalls of using these sites. Many times athletes will post comments hoping to stimulate conversation with another school.

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Coaching Management PRESEASON 2013 29

Most, if not all, comments posted on blogs and chats are based on emotion, not a thoughtful expression of ideas. People can hide behind fictitious names, and there are usually no boundaries. Student-athletes can be quickly lured into replying to comments on such sites. My advice to athletes is to stay away from the temptation by simply not reading them.

my freshman baseball coach caught a player texting a friend in the dugout during a contest. Needless to say, that athlete spent the remainder of the game on the bench without his cell phone. Online photos: Most high school students have a Facebook or Instagram account. I ask all of my athletes to look at their photos on these accounts. I then ask them if they would

people they know, I remind them that in reality nothing on the Internet is completely private. Once one other person has access, there is no way for you to control who can and cannot view it. In discussing photos, we also talk about how camera phones are prevalent. Students take pictures wherever they are, and it’s easy to unknowingly be in a photo posted on

You can also require parents to abide by a “24-hour rule” ... The tone of an e-mail or text written one hour after a game is going to be quite different from one addressing the same issue 24 hours later. Texting: The main message here is to think before you send. A hasty negative message by one athlete can cause dissention among teammates. In addition, student-athletes need to be reminded that once sent, text messages cannot be taken back. Some students also need instruction on when it is not appropriate to text. Last spring,

show those same photos to their grandparents. If they answer, “No,” it is time to remove the picture. While I do get some laughter from the audience, there are also some rumblings from those who realize a few of their photos are not grandma-appropriate. When athletes counter that their Facebook page is private and they only “friend”

do’s & don’ts Last fall, the University of Michigan implemented a social media policy that requires its student-athletes to inform the athletic department of all their accounts and follow some specific guidelines. Below are those guidelines.

dO set your security settings so that

only your friends can see your account.

dON’T accept friends or follow

requests if you are not sure who they are coming from.

dO understand that who you have

listed as followers or friends is a reflection on you.

dON’T put anything on social media

that you would not want your family, your future employers, those reading the front page of the paper, or the whole world to see.

dON’T post when you are emotional, like right after a game. You are most likely to say something you will regret.

dO be familiar with the department’s

social media policy and the consequences for violating it.

dON’T post anything about a recruit, even if it is someone you know, as this will result in an NCAA rules violation.

dO ask questions if you are not sure what you are doing is ok.

dON’T post anything that could be

retweet—will this positively reinforce my brand?

construed as an endorsement or promotion of a business product or service, even if the business is owned by a relative or friend.

dON’T post offensive language, per-

dON’T post or tweet anything dur-

dO talk to your sports information

dON’T publicize information about

dO think before you post, tweet, or

sonal attacks, or racial comments.

director about how to use social media to your advantage.

30 Coaching Management PRESEASON 2013

ing a class.

your team, the athletic department, or the University that is not considered public knowledge.

someone’s Facebook page or Web site. If you are doing anything that might be seen as negative, it can very easily end up in a photo for the world to see. These can be found by a college coach or employer or used as evidence of illegal activity. We stress two things: do not attend events that could endanger your reputation; and do not jump into every picture being taken without thinking about what it shows. Twitter: Similar rules apply for Twitter accounts. We explain to student-athletes that the world does not need to know about every minute of their life. Overuse of a media tool will most likely lead to something you did not want people to know. In addition, when faced with the 140 character limit, it can be difficult to convey exactly the meaning you intend, and tweets are often misinterpreted because of this. Bullying: Kids are accustomed to posting comments about others without a lot of thought. Student-athletes should understand that negative comments towards others can be hurtful, and even seen as cyber-bullying, which is not tolerated in most schools. The ramifications of bullying can be destructive for the victim, and for the one doing the bullying. Remind students that once a comment is in writing, it becomes proof the statement was made and the digital footprint will always be in existence. It can be helpful to also talk about social media to parents during the preseason parents’ meeting. The main point to get across to parents is to stop and think before they express opinions about their children’s sports teams. Being the parent of a student-athlete can stir strong emotions and when something doesn’t go right, it’s easy to vent on Facebook. Ask them to refrain from doing so. You can also require parents to abide by a “24-hour rule” when communicating with you. If a parent has an issue, ask them not to

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leadership

RULES & GUIDELINES

More and more school districts are putting social media policies in place, which is a great way to set expectations for students and staff. Whether or not your school has done this, you should consider coming up with some policies that apply specifically to your team. One rule we have is that coaches and student-athletes may not friend each other on Facebook. Under no circumstances should a coach provide a student-athlete access to their social media accounts. And a coach should also never have access to a student’s Facebook account. The one exception is for team pages. Another policy we’ve implemented is to restrict use of cell phones in locker rooms. All school districts disallow security cameras in locker rooms since their presence would be an invasion of privacy. Yet when a team enters the locker room, the athletes are most likely carrying cell phones with a built-in camera. A quick shot of someone undressing could become problematic. A copy of that photo sent to a Facebook or Twitter account can suddenly put indecent pictures of your players all over the Internet. Our policy states that all cell phones need to be turned off in a locker room. Calls to home must be made in the parking lot or hallway. Anyone found using a cell phone in a locker room faces disciplinary action. While we don’t have a formal policy on texting between coaches and athletes, I discourage the practice. Some coaches feel texting players about basic information will get the word out quicker than a phone tree. While this may be true, I do not like the practice of coaches having personal cell phone numbers of athletes—or athletes having the coach’s cell number. It can easily lead to conversations that should never happen. Any message to an athlete should take the conventional avenue: phone call at home or personal conversation. As an alternative way to get information such as schedule changes out quickly to the team, the coach can speak with a team captain, who then disseminates it via text. ONE STEP AHEAD

The social media craze is here to stay, and one thing we can be sure of is that it

will continue to change. Coaches need to be in tune with the communication tools student-athletes are using right now. Some of the latest social media platforms are already old news (remember MySpace?) and the Facebook explosion may be replaced by something else before we know it. We also need to be ready to navigate any hazards the next craze may bring. Because of the reach and immediacy of social media, making sure we communicate properly is more important than ever. We

can’t forget about the importance of faceto-face conversation, while at the same time keeping up on how our students are communicating through electronic devices. Know what’s out there now and be ready for what will come next. CM

A version of this article was previously published in our sister magazine, Athletic Management. For more articles, visit: www.AthleticManagement.com.

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Circle No. 119

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

FIRST AND TEN In five short years, Colorado State UniversityPueblo has gone from nonexistent to a top 10 NCAA Division II team. One piece to the puzzle was implementing the right strength and conditioning program. By Allen Hedrick

CoachesNetwork.com

Finishing 12-1, winning a conference championship, and advancing to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II playoffs is certainly a great season for any football team. But what if I told you the squad was in just its fifth year of existence? This is exactly what the ThunderWolves of Colorado State University-Pueblo accomplished in 2012. A Division II school with a modest budget, CSU-Pueblo revived its football team in 2008 after it had been eliminated 20 years prior, and then took no time becoming a team to beat. Coaching Management Preseason 2013 33

strength & conditioning

While a number of factors have contributed to the squad’s success, its strength and conditioning program has played a big role. Although I was not hired at CSU-Pueblo until early in the 2009 season, I have been involved with the football program from the beginning ALLEN HEDRICK is the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Colorado State University-Pueblo. He formerly held the same position at the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s national headquarters and the U.S. Air Force Academy. He can be reached at: allen. hedrick@yahoo.com.

of its rebirth. Working as a volunteer during the first preseason in 2007, I designed the players’ workouts and led early morning sessions before going to my full-time job. In this article, I will explain how, with limited resources, we created and implemented a strength and conditioning program that took a new team to remarkable results in a brief period of time. While the weightroom workouts were key, cultivating relationships, building trust, and selling the training program were all parts of the equation, too.

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Football is a power sport and the average play lasts about six seconds, so I want to develop players who can achieve a high level of power instantaneously. To accomplish this, I place a big emphasis on performing the Olympic lifts—each of our three strength/power training workouts per week begin with two Olympic lifts. At the same time, because football is an athletic competition and not a weightlifting competition, I am willing to sacrifice the athletes’ ability to demonstrate strength in the weightroom in order to build better players. The team’s most important tests do not occur in the weightroom, but rather each Saturday on the field. For example, players at all positions participate in dumbbell training where the

The most effective way I have found to ensure correct technique is through peer motivation. We have 12 athletes performing a lift at the same time. If I see only 11 athletes squatting with good technique to proper depth, I stop the entire group, coach the mistake, and restart the group again. entire workout consists of dumbbell exercises—skill players twice a week and other players once a week. Dumbbells provide the opportunity to perform movement patterns and develop neuromuscular abilities that cannot be accomplished if the focus is strictly on barbell training. We also make use of implements such as water-filled kegs to help mimic what the athletes will experience in competition. During a football game, players encounter active resistance from their opponents, rather than the static resistance that a typical barbell or dumbbell provides, and the water-filled kegs replicate this active resistance.

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Regardless of the exercises being performed, I continually emphasize technique. I have observed far too many weightrooms where the primary focus is on the training load rather than technique. The most effective way I have found to ensure correct technique is through peer motivation. For example, we have 12 platforms in our facility, meaning we can have up to 12 athletes performing a lift at the same time. If I see only 11 athletes squatting with good technique to proper depth, I stop the entire group, coach the mistake, and restart the group again. We continue with this approach until all 12 players demonstrate perfect technique, so it isn’t long until each athlete is following through. We use this same procedure for every exercise we do, including our speed, plyometric, and conditioning activities. I use a form of undulating periodization in which we have a primary physiological

goal and a secondary physiological goal. Performing resistance training three times per week, the primary physiological goal is stressed twice per week and the secondary physiological goal is stressed once per week. For example, during the hypertrophy cycle, the primary goal of training is hypertrophy and the secondary goal is increased strength. Combining high repetition training with brief rest times is great for developing hypertrophy, but is not effective at developing strength because of the lower training loads required. Using an undulating approach allows us to develop hypertrophy while doing a better job of training for strength as a secondary goal. Also, while football is very much a power sport, there is also an endurance component. For example, we may have a 15-play drive where we need to punch the ball into the end zone to win the game. At this point, we need our athletes to have the necessary

YEAR AT A GLANCE What does our team’s strength and conditioning program look like? Here is a quick overview. Following the final game of the season, we give our athletes a few weeks off to recover psychologically and physiologically from the stress of playing college football. Following this break, we provide them with a two-day per week introductory training program to take home over the winter break. I stress to the athletes how important this cycle is in preparing them for the physically challenging hypertrophy cycle that we initiate with the start of the spring semester. During the hypertrophy cycle, we combine high repetitions with short rest times, which is effective at increasing muscle size. This is important because of the relationship between a muscle’s cross-sectional area and its force development capabilities. The secondary goal during the hypertrophy cycle is increases in strength. Following the hypertrophy cycle, we perform our first of two strength cycles sandwiched around spring practices. The purpose of these strength cycles is to maximize strength levels because of the relationship between strength and power. The secondary goal during the two strength cycles is muscular endurance and maintenance of hypertrophy where we revert back to a higher repetition and short rest time format. During our three lifting days that we perform each week, we use a training protocol that combines training for strength twice per week and training for muscular endurance and hypertrophy once per week. Then, we perform two consecutive power cycles where our primary goal is developing power (training emphasis twice per week) and our secondary goal is muscular endurance and maintaining hypertrophy (training emphasis once per week). At this point, we are working towards bringing our athletes to a physiological peak just prior to the start of practice. Finally, with the start of practice, we initiate our in-season phase in which we train for strength and power twice a week, using a protocol similar to the spring cycle.

Circle No. 122 36 Coaching Management Preseason 2013

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strength & conditioning

muscular endurance to finish the drive successfully. As a result, during our power cycles, we train twice per week for power and once per week for muscular endurance. Finally, this approach provides the athletes with variety. Rather than following the same

much of the year. Additionally, a recent peer-reviewed article demonstrated that the best complex training results appear when the plyometric movement is complexed with an Olympic lift. So I adjusted our complex training accordingly.

in playoff games, and win national championships. Further, he told me he wanted to operate the program as if it were a Division I program. I took that to mean that the athletes would have assigned workout times, they would be expected to show up and

That first off-season we trained strictly with dumbbells ... We split the team into two groups, training in consecutive sessions, and did not allow the lack of equipment and space to be an excuse for not getting better. training protocol throughout the week, they have two different training schemes each week. This reduces the monotony of training, which is important in achieving optimal results. The last piece of my coaching philosophy is that the science of strength and conditioning is ever-evolving, and it is my responsibility to keep up with it so I can consistently review my program and update it. For example, research has shown that complex trainingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;pairing a strength training movement with a plyometric activityâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;is an effective way to train for power, so I have our athletes perform complex training during

BUY IN

I believe a major key to our training program has been the standard that Head Coach John Wristen and his staff set from the very beginning and continue to communicate to the players. I have been a collegiate strength and conditioning coach long enough to know that my level of effectiveness is impacted to a large degree by how much emphasis the head coach places on strength and conditioning. The first time I met with Coach Wristen he told me his goal for the program was to win conference championships, participate

train at those times, and if they failed to do so there would be consequences. Fortunately, the coaching staff has bought into my philosophy. Coach Wristen allows me to do my job without interference and is very supportive. The coaching staffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to success, and to viewing and treating the strength and conditioning program as an important part of achieving this success, has played a big role in what we have accomplished. Though securing buy-in from the coaches is paramount, getting the same from the players is extremely important as well. When I

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Coaching Management Preseason 2013 37

met with the team just prior to our first preseason in 2007, I told the players it was going to be a very important year of training for the program. We needed to establish a tradition of working with a high level of intensity and focus. I knew that it would be easier to build on this tradition rather than have to break bad habits. Part of my approach to establishing relationships with athletes is stressing that they can question me about any aspect of the training program. I don’t want to be a coach who only tells his athletes what to do. I want them to know why we do it. My feeling is that if the players understand why they are asked to perform a certain task, and not just told to perform the task without explanation, they will buy into the program more completely and better understand why our training program is designed the way that it is. They will then have greater confidence in me as a coach. A great indication of the players’ commitment is their voluntary participation in our training program over the summer. The number of athletes who have decided to stay in Pueblo and train on campus over the summer has continued to grow each year. A lot of credit goes to the athletes themselves, who have bought into the program and train with tremendous discipline and intensity.

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Like many colleges, CSU-Pueblo has faced financial challenges over the past several years. Despite this, our athletic department has been willing to support the team and the strength and conditioning department as much as possible while we continue to work toward improving the level of service we provide our athletes. In the past few years, we have been able to make a number of improvements in our facility, including upgrading the bars and bumpers our athletes use during training. In the near future we plan on purchasing a video analysis system to enable us to better coach our athletes. Regardless, financial resources are tight and we’ve made our fair share of adjustments. The first year I started working with the team was the toughest because the new weightroom had not yet been built. I had to design workouts that could be completed in a facility that was too small and under-equipped. The weightroom only had two squat racks and two bench press stations and no platforms. There was a large number of dumbbells, however, thanks to a significant donation by a local fitness equipment company. As a result, that first off-season we trained strictly with dumbbells, including all of the Olympic style exercises. Fortunately for me, I had

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strength & conditioning

emphasized dumbbell training in my prior strength and conditioning position, so I was familiar with teaching all of these exercises. We split the team into two groups, training in consecutive sessions, and did not allow the lack of equipment and space to be an excuse for not getting better. Remarkably, the team went on to win four games that first season. Another challenge was staffing. It is very difficult for one coach to handle an entire football team’s training program. I made this clear to the athletic department, but unfortunately, the funds to hire an assistant strength and conditioning coach were not available. However, the department did agree to let a volunteer assistant work in our strength and conditioning program. In return, this individual is allowed to use our strength and conditioning facility to train his private clients so he is able to generate income for himself. We also increased supervision by having position coaches present when the players are training. The position coaches timed our workouts until I turned that duty over to assigned position player leaders. Since then, the position coaches have been responsible for evaluating the players’ training intensity, with the standard being that if an athlete is not working at the intensity necessary to win a national championship, it will be addressed. To coach effectively with a limited staff, I separated the players into three groups so that the athlete-to-coach ratio was improved. We have three groups of athletes come in each hour, beginning at 5:45 a.m. We combine our big athletes with our skill athletes and have one group train with barbells while the other group trains with dumbbells. We mix offensive and defensive players together as well, as a way to foster team unity. As a strength coach, I know that nutrition is a key component of successful football programs. Because we don’t have the resources to hire a dietitian, I looked elsewhere for help. We have been fortunate to create a relationship with a local university that offers an advanced sports nutrition program. Their students are eager for practical experience, so we’ve asked that they regularly come to our campus and make nutritional presentations based on scientific information to our players. It’s a winwin arrangement because our athletes get high quality information and the students get the opportunity to present to and interact with athletes in a real-world setting. One of the things we’ve learned about nutrition is that chocolate milk is a great recovery drink because of its combination of protein and carbohydrates. Coach Wristen worked with a local distributor who has been generous enough to supply us with chocolate

milk that our athletes drink after each weightroom session. FIVE YEARS LATER

The first year the ThunderWolves were on the field, they finished with a 4-7 record. The following season the squad improved to 7-4, then 9-2 in season three, and 11-1 in 2011. Last fall, we went 12-1 and were ranked sixth nationally in the final NCAA Division II poll. I believe this improvement over our first five seasons shows that our

approach has been successful. Coach Wristen and his assistants have of course had a major impact. The rest of the credit goes to the players’ dedication and hard work. Our teamwork and drive to be successful proved fruitful in a very short amount of time. And we look forward to continuing it. CM A version of this article was previously published in our sister publication, Training & Conditioning. For more articles, visit: www.Training-Conditioning.com.

Introducing...

A Dynamic Neck Strengthening Rotary Cable Attachment The Halo builds a stronger neck using horizontal rotary resistance. Greater

Helps prevent and minimize concussions!

force dissipation upon impact will help reduce the occurrence and severity of neck injuries and concussions.

Clients using The Halo:

Visit our new website: www.HaloStrong.com

www.HaloStrong.com info@HaloStrong.com 310.776.0621

Watch the Halo in action!

Circle No. 126

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Coaching Management Preseason 2013 39

PMX_T+C_AD2013_PRINT.pdf 1 9/10/2012 11:48:30 AM

Directory

Advertisers Directory Circle #. . . . Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page #

Circle #. . . . Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page #

103 . . . . 1800athlete.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

121 . . . . Powernetics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

108 . . . . Aer-Flo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

128 . . . . Pro Look Football. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC

105 . . . . American Public University. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

109 . . . . Rogers Athletic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

116 . . . . Coaching Management e-Newsletter Service. . . . . 26

129 . . . . Rogue Fitness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC

104 . . . . Coaching Management Program Service. . . . 8, 24-25

117 . . . . Salsbury Industries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

101 . . . . Cutters Gloves. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

122 . . . . Samson Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

100 . . . . Gatorade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC

112 . . . . Shockbox® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

113 . . . . GearBoss® by Wenger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

102 . . . . Sports Attack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

123 . . . . Infinity Flooring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

110 . . . . Sports Tutor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

106 . . . . K&K Insurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

126 . . . . The Halo (Mission Competition). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

131 . . . . Kay Park Recreation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

120 . . . . The Vise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

118 . . . . OakWood Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

124 . . . . TurfCordz®/NZ Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

125 . . . . Porta Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

107 . . . . Waterboy Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

119 . . . . Power Lift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

111 . . . . Wizard Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

127 . . . . PowerMax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Products Directory

Circle #. . . . Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page #

CMY

519 . . . . 1800athlete.com (Certified Creatine™). . . . . . . . . . . 44

534 . . . . Pro Look Football (uniforms). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

516 . . . . 1800athlete.com (Pure Creatine™). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

518 . . . . Rogers Athletic (TEK Sled™). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

505 . . . . Aer-Flo (Tuffy Ballasted Windscreen). . . . . . . . . . . 42

517 . . . . Rogers Athletic (Trap Chute). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

506 . . . . Aer-Flo (Tuffy Windscreen). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

541 . . . . Rogue Fitness (Monster Series Rigs). . . . . . . . . . . . 44

530 . . . . Bison (“Big B”). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

542 . . . . Rogue Fitness (Rogue Bar). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

529 . . . . Bison (PerfectGoal™). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

504 . . . . Salsbury Industries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

509 . . . . Cutters Gloves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

511 . . . . Samson Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

528 . . . . Gatorade (Energy Chews). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

508 . . . . Shock Doctor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

527 . . . . Gatorade (Recovery Beverage). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

531 . . . . Shockbox® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

507 . . . . Infinity Flooring (iTurf). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

523 . . . . Shockbox® Impact Sensor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

503 . . . . Infinity Flooring (Max tile). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

543 . . . . Southern Bleacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

513 . . . . K&K Insurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

500 . . . . Sports Attack (Snap Attack). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

526 . . . . Kay Park (fiberglass players’ benches). . . . . . . . . . . 43

502 . . . . Sports Attack (universal cart clamp). . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

524 . . . . Kay Park (“SPEEDY BLEACHER 108”) . . . . . . . . . . . 42

501 . . . . Sports Tutor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

512 . . . . McDavid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

539 . . . . Swivel Vision. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

510 . . . . Mission Competition (The Halo). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

532 . . . . The Vise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

525 . . . . OakWood Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

538 . . . . TurfCordz®/NZ Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

537 . . . . Porta Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

515 . . . . Waterboy Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

521 . . . . Power Lift (Indoor Cycling Bike). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

535 . . . . Wenger (GearBoss®/GearBoss II™). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

520 . . . . Power Lift® (Laser Rack). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

536 . . . . Wenger (GearBoss® lockers) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

540 . . . . Powernetics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

522 . . . . Wizard Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

® ®

533 . . . . Pro Look Football (stretch tackle twill). . . . . . . . . . . 43 Circle No. 127 40 Coaching Management Preseason 2013

CoachesNetwork.com

PreSeason

Camp Products

Ultimate Training Tool

Great Training Target

The Snap Attack Football Machine has solid, polyurethane wheels with wheel guards—no more inflating or burns. Its passing stand allows the throwing head to pivot instantly in any direction, accurately throwing passes, punts, and kick-offs to any location on the field. Elevation changes are quick and easy with the Snap Attack, and the machine can also be locked in for precise repetition. With a lowered position at ground level and realistic angles, the machine snaps the ball to any depth in shotgun and pistol formations for extra points and punts.

The QB5 Quarterback Passing Net is available at Wizard Sports. This product is a great quarterback training target net and features five 12” x 12” target pockets. It also has easy and quick set-up and take down, an included small durable Cordura carry case, and an affordable price.

Sports Attack 800-717-4251 www.sportsattack.com Circle No. 500

Secure Attachment

The universal cart clamp allows the Snap Attack Football Machine to mount onto any cart. It is uniquely designed to fit any round or square mounting post or pedestal from two and a half to four inches. The clamp securely attaches Snap Attack to the cart, allowing the operator to swivel the machine in any direction for punts, passes, and end-over-end kickoffs. It also quickly and easily detaches the Snap Attack for use in snapping drills. Sports Attack 800-717-4251 www.sportsattack.com Circle No. 502

CoachesNetwork.com

Wizard Sports Equipment 888-964-5425 www.wizardsports.com Circle No. 522

Stay Low on Drills

Linemen can practice staying low on pulling and trapping drills in the Trap Chute. Free to move laterally—but limited in height—the linemen learn to evade detection by defensive players. You can run reps of short traps, long traps, kick-out blocks, counter schemes, picks, scoops, and double-team with the Trap Chute. Choose a height from 45 to 70 inches, with an unlimited angle adjustment from 0 to 90 degrees. The Trap Chute is constructed with powder-coated steel. Rogers Athletic Company 800-457-5337 www.rogersathletic.com Circle No. 517

Realistic Movement

Saves Quarterback’s Arm

The Rogers TEK Sled™ moves like a blocker, allowing defenders to work on shocking the offense, creating leverage, and violent separation. Other products cannot simulate the weight, resistance, and natural movement of a defender like the TEK Sled. Its lateral movement simulates the realism of facing a live opponent and its coil-over-shock gives realistic resistance that increases as a player progresses into the pad. Plus, the TEK Sled’s Drill Cartridge allows flexibility in the variety of drills it can be used in.

Many college and high school football programs are discovering the benefits of training their receivers with tennis ball machines. The ProLite tennis ball machine provides close-range drills to sharpen hand-eye coordination and enforce proper catching technique. With the ProLite, a player can catch 100 throws in less than 10 minutes— and several machines can be set up to simulate various catching angles. Plus, it reduces wear and tear on quarterbacks’ arms. Compact and lightweight, the ProLite transports easily and is available in batterypowered or AC models. Prices start at $699.

Rogers Athletic Company 800-457-5337 www.rogersathletic.com Circle No. 518

Sports Tutor 800-448-8867 www.sportsmachines.com Circle No. 501

Coaching Management Preseason 2013 41

Football Facility Products Stands Up to Abuse

Infinity Max 1.25-inch-thick tile stands up to the constant abuse of heavy weights being dropped directly on the weight room floor without denting, tearing, or splitting. This tile is backed by the company’s exclusive 10year warranty—and you can even use the floor itself as an Olympic Lifting Platform. The tile is available in 10 standard colors and an unlimited number of custom colors, with custom logos also available. This product contains up to 95-percent recycled content and may qualify for up to eight LEED Points. Infinity Performance, Inc. • 888-479-1017 www.infinityflooring.com

Circle No. 503

Easy Installation and Removal

PerfectGoal™ gooseneck football goalposts are easy to install and compatible with Bison’s unique adjustable-height ground sleeves that allow goalpost removal for multipurpose fields or grounds maintenance. Goalposts options include high school, college, and combination widths; 4-1/2 inch or 5-9/16 inch diameters; and a 72-inch or 96-inch setback. They also feature durable powder-coat finishes in yellow or white and a five-year warranty. Bison, Inc. • 800-247-7668 www.bisoninc.com

Circle No. 529

Saves Fences from Damage

The newly patented Tuffy ® Ballasted Windscreen can save chainlink fences from high-wind damage. Each unit attaches only at the top, while the bottom edge is weighted to keep the screen vertical in low winds. When wind velocity exceeds 20 miles per hour, downwind sections begin to billow out, allowing damaging wind to escape through. This screen was engineered to save fences in winds up to 90 miles per hour. It is available in 20 Vipol® colors and with Chroma-Bond® multi-color imprinting. Aer-Flo, Inc. • 800-823-7356 www.aerflo.com

Circle No. 505

Seating Solutions

A Professional Look

OakWood Sports is a premier custom wood locker builder, experienced in design, construction, delivery, and installation. Whether it’s a new build or renovation, the company handles locker needs from start to finish and beyond with LEED-compatible finishes, glues, and veneers. OakWood has completed more than 500 locker rooms since 1991, and uses this experience and knowledge to ensure visually stunning and highly durable locker systems. OakWood understands the construction requirements of athletic lockers and prides itself on applying that expertise for each customer’s needs. OakWood Sports, Inc. • 517-321-6852 www.oakwoodsports.com

Circle No. 525

Vented Space

Salsbury believes its standard lockers were too small for some football, baseball, and softball teams. But Salsbury Industries’ Open Access Lockers provide large vented space for clothing, uniforms and many other applications—and they include a coat rod, a lockable upper shelf, and foot-locker for secure equipment storage. Salsbury Industries’ trained and knowledgeable staff will get you what you need on time and on budget. For a free catalog or additional information, contact Salsbury Industries. Salsbury Industries • 800-LOCKERS www.lockers.com

Circle No. 504

Portable and Functional

Bison’s “Big B” portable football team benches are exactly what football coaches have been asking for—double-wide seats for comfort, a rear shelf for gear or extra seating, and school color options. Each bench is 15 feet long, with 20-inch deep seating and a 10-inch-deep back and rear shelf. The powder-coated steel structure, extruded aluminum planks, and molded rubber risers ensure weather resistance and are covered by a lifetime limited warranty. Bison, Inc. • 800-247-7668 www.bisoninc.com

Circle No. 530

Save Space

“SPEEDY BLEACHER 108” is a folding, highway-towable, and versatile seating solution. It seats 108 people and has an aisle and handrail. It moves easily from one field to another with a conventional vehicle, and comes complete with an electric folding mechanism and telescoping tongue. Set-up is quick and easy—one person can get the job done. More economical than having permanent bleachers sitting empty for most of the year, this product has seven rows, is 27 feet long less than nine feet high, and is built to meet recent safety codes.

Wenger’s GearBoss® and GearBoss II ™ storage systems improve inventory management, space utilization, and sanitation. Requiring significantly less space than traditional shelving, these flexible, high-density carts are easily configurable for a variety of equipment. Carts roll along a fixed track, allowing easy access and minimizing wasted space. The open design enables equipment to dry quickly, improving sanitation. The GearBoss II system incorporates key GearBoss features and innovations at half the cost.

Kay Park Recreation Corp. • 800-553-2476 www.kaypark.com

Wenger Corp. • 800-4WENGER www.wengercorp.com

42 Coaching Management Preseason 2013

Circle No. 524

Circle No. 535 CoachesNetwork.com

Football Facility Products Super-Premium Windscreen The Tuffy® Windscreen lasts for years, because it’s made with Aer-Flo’s exclusive VIPOL® Matrix. Plus, with its five-year warranty, thousands of high schools and colleges—as well as MLB teams and NASCAR facilities— have put them to the test. This windscreen is available in 20 standard colors, and with super-durable Chroma-Bond® Imprinting for multi-color logos that will not fade like digital printing. The Tuffy is the Official Windscreen of the U.S. Professional Tennis Association. Super-premium but surprisingly value-priced for school budgets, this windsreen is sold only by Aer-Flo Authorized Dealers. Aer-Flo, Inc. • 800-823-7356 www.aerflo.com

Circle No. 506

Enhanced Functionality

GearBoss® team room lockers strengthen program pride and enhance team room functionality. This product features more than 1,000 possible configurations--sizes, features, and accessories--with either metal or wood construction, and is available in a variety of colors/finishes, from school colors to wood-grain laminates. Metal AirPro™ lockers feature an open grid design that promotes air flow, sanitation, and visual inspection. The integrated, hinged seat saves valuable floor space, and is lockable over a security box and footlocker. Wenger Corp.• 800-4WENGER www.wengercorp.com

Circle No. 536

Best of Both Worlds

The 1.25-inch-thick Infinity iTurf is the perfect companion for the Infinity Max tiles. Both have the same thickness, which allows you to have the best of both worlds in your weight room in a flush installation. The Infinity iTurf is perfect for running, jumping, and agility drills. This product does not have rubber infill. It is available in 16 colors, with an option of customizing with your layouts and logos. Infinity Performance, Inc. • 888-479-1017 www.infinityflooring.com Circle No. 507

A Distinctive Look

Fiberglass players’ benches from Kay Park Recreation add team color to your field and enhance team spirit. They come in six-, eight-, and 15-foot lengths (with or without backrests) and with your choice of stationary or portable lets. Many colors are available to meet your needs. Custom school colors can be matched, and emblems can be inlaid for a distinctive look. Other products offered by Kay Park include bleachers, tables, bike racks, and planters. Call today for a free catalog. Kay Park Recreation Corp. • 800-553-2476 www.kaypark.com Circle No. 526 CoachesNetwork.com

Team Equipment & Uniforms/Apparel Hardcore Protection

Protection meets comfort in the ShockSkin 5-Pad Impact Shirt. ShockSkin is lightweight protection that moves with the body. It is designed with integrated fabric and vented foam padding, which is secured by highfrequency seams that bend and move with ease. The ShockSkin 5-pad system expertly protects the shoulder, rib, and spinal areas with a pad/mesh combination allowing for protection and ventilation in one package. This shirt offers hard-core protection for fearless performance. Shock Doctor • 800-233-6956 www.shockdoctor.com

Circle No. 508

Unstoppable Uniforms

Since 1996, Pro Look has developed awardwinning uniforms for title-chasing athletes. The company is proud of its innovation and attention to detail. Its garments work with athletes when they need it most. Pro Look fabrics and construction methods stand up to abuse season after season. The stretch tackle twill technology creates tackle twill that is designed to soften and move with players, all the while maintaining traditional tackle twill strength and longevity. Combine stretch tackle twill with innovative moisture management fabrics, and make your next set of uniforms virtually unstoppable. Pro Look Sports • 800-776-5665 www.prolook.com

Circle No. 533

Clear Communication

Comstar is a revolutionary “All In One” wireless headset that features a miniaturized transceiver built right into the earcups. This breakthrough system is more affordable than traditional wireless systems because it operates without complicated belt-worn radios. Comstar wireless headsets operate in full duplex mode, which means that coaches communicate simultaneously and without pushing buttons. The system will accommodate the needs of high school and college football staffs with up to 23 coaches. Porta Phone • 800-233-1113 www.portaphone.com

Circle No. 537

Durable Grip

Featuring proprietary C-TACK Revolution™ Performance Grip Material, Cutters football gloves exceed other gloves on the market. Simply put, C-TACK provides the strongest, most consistent, most durable grip possible—and the X40 glove is the ultimate combination of performance, fit, and lightweight glove. Machine washable, the glove’s C-TACK Performance Grip material restores itself with every washing to keep your players at peak performance. No other glove performs like this™. Cutters • 800-821-0231 www.cuttersgloves.com

Circle No. 509

Just What You Want

Pro Look Football is where tradition meets innovation. Combine the latest in material technology with the unique ability to create any style uniform for one low price, and you get a superior uniform experience. In fact, Pro Look uniforms are so good that they are backed with a limited lifetime manufacturing warranty. Call today for your free custom design mock-up. Pro Look Sports • 800-PRO-LOOK www.prolook.com

Circle No. 534 Coaching Management Preseason 2013 43

Strength & Conditioning/Nutrition Products Concussion Prevention

Mission Competition Fitness Equipment created and manufactures The Halo, a dynamic rotary neck strengthening cable attachment. The Halo works out the neck by applying horizontal resistance during neck rotation. Mission Competition’s goal is to help prevent concussions and neck injuries by increasing the athlete’s neck strength. Neck strength allows greater force dissipation upon head impact, which results in fewer neck injuries and concussions. For more information, please e-mail info@halostrong.com. Mission Competition Fitness Equipment • 310-776-0621 www.halostrong.com Circle No. 510

A Unique Design

The new Functional Training Rack Series is setting the world of strength and conditioning ablaze. This unique design combines a fully functional Power Rack with two adjustable cable column machines—all within a compact area. With this equipment, an athlete can now perform all the core lifts a rack/platform provides with the multifaceted capability of a fully operational functional trainer. This product is extremely easy to adjust and use quickly, as it gets your athletes in and out of every facet of a workout much more effectively. The new 111FTR Rack Series is only from Samson Equipment. Samson Equipment • 800-472-6766 www.samsonequipment.com

Improve Strength

Create more effective workouts with the Resist Assist, a TurfCordz® product featuring a 10-foot nylon strap that connects two belts for two-person resistance drills. Athletes improve core strength and agility by pulling against the resistance provided by the strap, which is held by or secured around the waist of the other athlete. Resist Assist improves acceleration and explosiveness through quick start drills and power-building footwork exercises. TurfCordz resistance products provide a versatile, safer and more comfortable workout. NZ Manufacturing • 800-886-6621 www.turfcordz.com

Circle No. 538

Supports Muscle Rebuilding

G Series Protein Recovery Beverage is a protein and carbohydrate beverage formulated with the consistency of a thirst quencher. It has an effective amount of protein that contains essential amino acids needed to help support muscle rebuilding after training or competition. G Series Recover should be consumed within about 60 minutes after exercise for maximum muscle benefit.

Gatorade • 800-884-2867 www.gatorade.com

Circle No. 527

Circle No. 511

View Power and Velocity The Laser Rack is one of the first barmeasuring units that calculates peak power and velocity using patented notouch infrared sensing technology. The Laser Rack allows users to view their peak power in horsepower or watts. Users’ peak velocity can be measured in either feet-per-second or meters-per-second. Power Lift ® • 800-872-1543 www.power-lift.com

Circle No. 520

Total-Body Power

Powernetics offers many products— including the Bulldog and the Attacker—for your players’ strength training needs. The Bulldog isolates the hamstrings and glutes, without putting stress on the knees and back. It also offers an explosive hack jump 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 through the hands. Powernetics • 800-829-2928 www.powernetics.com

Circle No.540

Superior Performance

Harnessing the power of Creapure® creatine, Certified Creatine™ works like a battery charger in your muscles by regenerating ATP and igniting superior performance. Featuring a proprietary combination of Creapure® creatine in combination with Vitamin D3, CoffeeBerry ®, and patented FruiteX-B® Boron, Certified Creatine™ is NSF Certified for Sport and available exclusively from 1800ATHLETE.com. Certified Creatine™ supports muscle strength and size, endurance in training, and fast recovery as well as healthy brain function. Purity Products • 800-ATHLETE 1800ATHLETE.com 44 Coaching Management Preseason 2013

Circle No. 519

Virtually Immovable

The Rogue Fitness Monster Series Rigs are the ultimate gym accessory. Built with the collegiate athlete in mind, the Monster Rig is a classic example of Rogue’s “over-built” construction that will suit any affiliate or gym with its immovable capacity. The standard Monster Rig is built with 11-gauge, 3” x 3” steel tube uprights. This is a virtually immovable piece of American-made training equipment. Rogue Fitness • 614-358-6190 www.roguefitness.com

Circle No. 541 CoachesNetwork.com

Strength & Conditioning/Nutrition Products Maximize Back Support

The Vise has become an essential tool to help any athlete achieve maximum lower back support. With proper support, athletes can lift more weight thereby increasing their lower body strength. Easy to use, The Vise properly tightens weigh belt which prevents strain and injury. A demonstration of The Vise is available online. Product is custom made in the USA. Place one at every rack station in the weightroom, call for volume discount. The Vise • 855.535.VISE (8473) www.visepower.com

Pre-Game Fuel

G Series Energy Chews are a pre-game fuel in a convenient form. They are designed to be used about 15 minutes prior to training or competition to provide energy from a concentrated blend of carbohydrates to fuel athlete performance. G Series Energy Chews help make carbohydrate energy rapidly available to working muscles for the start of activity, so athletes might feel the difference at the beginning of training or competition. Gatorade • 800-884-2867 www.gatorade.com

Circle No. 528

Circle No. 532

Indoor Cycling Options

Understated Knurling

The Power Lift® Indoor Cycling Bike is available in both a chain- and belt-driven version. The belt-driven version allows users to pedal backwards with resistance. Standard features for both bikes include: dual-sided pedals with a clip-less system on one side and toe-cages on the other; adjustable positions for the seat height and forward/back position; and adjustable positions for the handlebar height.

The Rogue Bar is a polished 28.5-millimeter bar with no center knurling—and both powerlifting and Olympic lifting knurling marks. This bar has the great understated knurling that has made Rogue Fitness’ bars famous. It features high-quality brass bushings for reliable spin, and will whip enough for use in Olympic Weightlifting.

Power Lift ® • 800-872-1543 www.power-lift.com

Rogue Fitness • 614-358-6190 www.roguefitness.com

Circle No. 521

Circle No. 542

More Products Affordable Coverage

Purchase affordable insurance for your sports teams, leagues, tournaments, events, camps, and clinics from K&K Insurance. Conveniently available online, the company’s Web site is simple to use and provides an option to buy coverage immediately when using a credit card. Sexual abuse and molestation coverage is now available when purchasing liability coverage. Celebrating 60 years of insuring the world’s fun, K&K Insurance is a trusted provider of coverage for the sports and recreation industry. K&K Insurance • 800-426-2889 www.sportsinsurance-kk.com

Circle No. 513

Sensor Alerts on Hard Impacts

The Shockbox ® impact alert sensor, developed by Impakt Protective, provides an immediate visual alert, via wireless transmission to a smartphone, that a player has experienced a hit that may result in concussion. Studies show that many concussions go undetected and that multiple impacts can lead to serious lifelong health issues. Shockbox also allows coaches and athletic trainers to keep a history of impact data for players, assisting them in making more-informed decisions for player safety. Shockbox • 855-872-0100 www.theshockbox.com CoachesNetwork.com

Circle No. 531

Designed for Athletics

Waterboy Sports’ Hydration Systems are designed with the needs of the athletes, coaches, and athletic trainers in mind. These units are constructed of sturdy aluminum components and have 10” x 3” rubber tires on metal casters—they’re strong, yet lightweight and easy to move. The double-sleeved manifolds are durable, and Waterboy Sports’ patented Safety-Spouts protect against bacterial transfer. Vertical or horizontal, Chiller or Power Model, Waterboy Sports has you covered. Waterboy Sports, Inc. • 888-442-6269 www.waterboysports.com

Circle No. 515

Enhances Focus

Swivel Vision, made in the USA, enhance athletes’ peripheral vision and improve focus. The concept is simple—by covering peripheral vision, when the goggles are removed after training, the athlete quickly recognizes an enhancement of peripheral vision that is quite enlightening. The goggles force athletes to keep their heads on a swivel, and square up to the object of interest. This promotes sound fundamental mechanics, strengthens hand-eye coordination, quickens reaction time, and enhances situational awareness. Swivel Vision • 951-318-7637 www.swivelvision.com

Circle No. 539 Coaching Management Preseason 2013 45

Case Study

A Dynamic Neck Workout

hile traditional neckstrengthening machines enable users to work on flexion and extension, there aren’t many options for developing rotational strength. Last spring, however, William Hicks, Assistant Athletics Director for Athletic Performance at Syracuse University, saw a new product—the Halo—invented by Mike Jolly at Mission Competition Fitness Equipment. The circular device weighs 11 pounds, fits completely around an athlete’s head, and provides a dynamic workout experience. “Everyone uses manual resistance-type exercises, but the Halo adds a different dimension,” Hicks says. “Training the neck in all planes is important, and the natural, fluid way the Halo allows athletes to do that appeals to me.” One of the Halo’s unique aspects is an air-filled bladder that inflates to fit any athlete’s head perfectly—much like a football helmet. It also has a chinstrap, ensuring that the Halo will stay on, regardless of the movement performed. “This is a major benefit,” says E.J. “Doc” Kreis, a former strength and conditioning coach at UCLA, Colorado, and Vanderbilt, who also is the co-founder of the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa), and currently trains athletes at an Olympic training center in Southern California. “It really frees you up to do a number of different sport-specific exercises,” he says. Another benefit is that it allows athletes to progress slowly. “You can start with a light horizontal resistance and progress at a speed that’s comfortable for you,” Kreis says.

The Halo uses horizontal resistance by attaching to an adjustable cable machine, or a bungee cord, as a series of functional rotary movements are performed to simulate what an athlete experiences on the field, mat, or court. Kreis says the Halo can provide an optimal workout. “You don’t have to strap on a leather harness and hang 50 pounds from your head to work out your neck,” he notes. “You can get a complete workout in about eight minutes.” Neck workouts are an important part of Syracuse athletes’ strength and conditioning, and Hicks says his players have seen immediate benefits. “While we don’t just use the Halo, in the time since we’ve started using it, we’ve seen players’ neck circumferences go up and their injuries go down,” he says. While the research on neck strength’s role in concussions doesn’t draw definitive conclusions, Hicks believes strong necks are vital for athletes. “You’re doing the right thing by getting it stronger,” he says. “There’s really no drawback— if we can help one player not suffer a serious injury due to having a stronger neck, it will be well worth it.” Likewise, neurosurgeons agree that force dissipation is key in protecting the valuable cargo in our craniums, and a stronger neck will help dissipate the force of a blow to the head. Kreis agrees. “When it comes to the head and the neck, we see the injuries occurring,” he says. “But we’re not doing enough to prevent them. The Halo is a step in the right direction because it does a fantastic job promoting overall neck strength.”

Mission Competition Fitness Equipment | info@halostrong.com | www.halostrong.com

46 Coaching Management Preseason 2013

CoachesNetwork.com

Product Launch

7332 Hex™ Integrated Girdle 5-pad

Pure Creatine™ Purity Products 1800athlete.com 800-ATHLETE Circle No. 516

McDavid www.mcdavidusa.com 800-237-8254 Circle No. 512 Unique features:

Benefits for the user:

• Nine-millimeter patented Hex™ Technology at hips and tailbone • Integrated hard-shell thigh guards engineered to meet all high school football regulations • Hex is machine washable/dryable

• Hex hip pads feature newly engineered shape for more precise coverage • McDavid Hex went head-to-head with the big guys, and came out on top—find out more online • Six-thread flatlock technology provides strength at the seams and added comfort, while hDc Moisture Management keeps athletes cool and dry

Unique features:

• Micronized Creapure® Creatine monohydrate is top-quality creatine proven safe and effective in more than 50 clinical trials • Proprietary combination of Creapure® Creatine, Vitamin D3, CoffeeBerry, and patented FruiteX-B Boron • Delicious berry flavor

Benefits for the user:

• Third-party tested for banned substances • NSF Certified for Sport

Shockbox® Impact Sensor Shockbox www.theshockbox.com 613-271-3780 Circle No. 523

Elite Seat with Backrest

Unique features:

Benefits for the user:

• Sends wireless alerts to sideline when head impact occurs • Set to monitor impacts above set threshold • 1/4-inch-thick sensor installs in any football helmet

• Data sent to any smartphone or tablet up to 100 meters away • One smartphone monitors more than 120 players at once • Provides trainers a tool to help start sideline assessments

CoachesNetwork.com

Southern Bleacher Company www.southernbleacher.com 800-433-0912 Circle No. 543

Unique features:

• Mechanically fastened to the aluminum bench and aluminum backrest • Available in several colors

Benefits for the user:

• Affordable enhancement for new or existing grandstands • Comfortable option for all-day events Coaching Management Preseason 2013 47

Company Testimonial

Reliable Versatility

Shown lowered in Snapping position.

Shown on passing stand for Pass, Punt and Kick-Off positions.

oaches and equipment managers across the country, on all levels of the sport, are turning to the Snap Attack Football Machine to take their teams’ practice sessions to the next level. Precision, accuracy, and the extreme versatility of this professional training tool add up to enable hundreds of reps for receivers, returners, punters, and kickers. Whatever their needs, coaches agree that the Snap Attack helps them get the most from their practices. “During our football practices, there is no wasted time or room for error. We use the Snap Attack to make every rep accurate and consistent. The machine’s versatility makes it an asset.” —Ryan Grooms, University of Notre Dame

“Here at Georgia Tech, we use the Snap Attack for catching drills and to get quality reps for our punt returners—especially before we face a left-footed punter. We also use it to challenge our kickoff returners and snap for our punters, who previously never seemed to get enough catches in. And the Snap Attack is key during special teams drills. There are no wasted plays with this machine—it lands it perfectly every time.”

into his hands—before looking up to watch reactions of the defense. This approach has helped eliminate fumbles.” —Roger Frazier, University of Tennessee

“The Snap Attack has been great for us. Despite all of the use we give it, we rarely have to re-set its wheels or other parts. It has been very durable and reliable.” —Matt Lewis, Texas Christian University

“An NFL special teams coach wanted five balls shot in a row while working with Dexter McCluster, and the old machine was not able to accomplish this. We ordered the Snap Attack and now have a continuous flow of balls shot out to kick returners and wide receivers—without waiting on the machine to pick up speed. The Snap Attack handles easily, the balls are shot out smoothly, and we don’t have to worry about air in tires.” —Charles “Ken” Crain, University of Mississippi

“It’s absolutely the latest technology. We are light-years ahead of where we were with our previous ball-throwing device. The capabilities with the Snap Attack are essentially endless.” —Tino Dominguez, University of Southern California

—Punt Windham, Georgia Tech

“The Snap Attack is versatile and easy to use. We use ours for special teams during practice and individual work before and after. It adjusts quickly from pass to kick, helping to keep things simple on the practice field.”

“The Snap Attack is a total practice machine. Having two motors makes all the difference—we are able to do drills faster and more efficiently. It will do things that I won’t even tell my coaches about.” —Kevin Purvis, University of Georgia

—Dylan Marinez, Michigan State University

“The Snap Attack is key in skeleton drills for practicing our offense. The ball is snapped back four to five yards to the quarterback and he must focus on watching the snap 48 Coaching Management Preseason 2013

Sports Attack 800-717-4251 www.sportsattack.com

CoachesNetwork.com

SUPERIOR TEAM APPAREL

COMPRESSION FIT PRO FLEX MOISTURE MANAGEMENT MATERIAL

PRO STRETCH MESH INSERTS STRATEGICALLY PLACED MESH INSERTS FOR INCREASED BREATHABILITY

KISS CUT NAMES AND NUMBERS

LASER KISS CUT STRETCH TACKLE TWILL FOR STRENGTH AND WEIGHT

CUSTOM SLEEVES

CHOOSE SPECIFIC SLEEVE CUTS FOR SPECIFIC PLAYERS

UNLIMITED LOGO PLACEMENT

LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY NO MINIMUM ORDERS

FOOTBALL

IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO ORDER CUSTOM

C O N TA C T Y O U R PROLOOK D E A L E R F O R M O R E D E TA I L S 1-800-PROLOOK or www.PROLOOK.com Circle No. 128

TODAY

YOUR

TEAM UNIFORMS

Circle No. 129