Play For Hope!

We are happy to announce a drive for used sports equipment for the kids of Rwanda! Play For Hope, a sports-based organization that ministers to kids in Rwanda will be the recipient of what we collect here at ASPC. Just bring in your "gently used" sports equipment to us here at Arkansas Sports Performance Center. (map)

Play For Hope's vision is for long term, sustainable sports growth that brings holistic ministry to the youth of Rwanda and provides children with professional level coaching.

More info about Play For Hope.

Due to what sports Play For Hope targets, we request that you limit your donations to the following equipment list:

Basketballs
Soccer balls
Jerseys (preferably matching)
Turf shoes, basketball/athletic shoes, cleats (especially turf shoes)
Cones
Ball pumps


If you have equipment for other sports (like football & baseball/softball) bring it to me & I will get it to a local needy organization.


If You Bring In Some Equipment .....


.......then we want to say THANKS!!!

If you bring in some equipment before Dec. 17, and sign up for a training program, you get 20% off!

Ask us about details!

"Man, I Gotta Do Something..."

In my line of work, I hear this phrase a lot. It usually is preceded by a few sentences describing this person's current physical condition, or an athlete's lack of speed or strength. The conversation goes something like this:

"I haven't done any exercise in months, and it's really starting to show around my waist."

OR

"I was fast 2 years ago but now I have lost a step or two."


For both of these instances the very next phrase out of their mouth is: "I have to do something to change this." Well, congrats....you have taken the first step. It's sort of like a person with an addiction problem; it is extremely important to come to the realization that you have to make a change in your life. So, for these examples, they have already taken the first step....that is, to make both a mental & verbal decision to take some action.

In response to their phrase "I gotta do something", I like to encourage them that, in fact, they already have done something---they have gone to someone to help them start addressing their issues. So, step one is out of the way. Now it becomes my job to help them along in the next progression of steps.

I encourage anyone---be it the soccer player who needs more speed, the baseball player who needs to throw harder, the weekend runner who needs to get in better shape----to make the first effort to "do something." Let's take the average person who is just wanting to improve their physical condition. Do some simple things like:

* Take the stairs instead of the elevator
* Park farther away in the parking lot
* Eat smaller portions & eat more frequently
* Take an evening walk---even for 10 minutes

Now, let's look at athletes training for a particular sport:

* Do extra sprints
* Every night do 1-3 rounds of 10 no-weight squats, 10 push-ups, 5-10 pull-ups, and 20 sit-ups.
* Stretch your muscles whenever you can

These examples are the most basic, simple steps one can take. If you do these already & want to go to the next level, get in touch with someone who is qualified to help you. I would recommend someone certified by the NATA or the NSCA. Find someone who can help you go to the next level.

Remember, when you get to the point of realizing that you need to do something, anything is better than nothing. Get moving people. Inaction is what hinders people, not action.

November 2, 2009 WORLD SERIES--ARKANSAS

Tonight is a big deal for the state of Arkansas. Let's all think about the biggest moments in sports for the Natural State---in no particular order. (and I welcome any omissions you suggest):

1. National Championships for college sports (Razorback football, basketball, etc.)

2. Jermain Taylor as world boxing champ

3. John Daly's golfing championships

4. Cliff Lee winning Cy Young last year


So let's examine the magnitude of tonight's World Series Game 5. Arkansas boys AJ Burnett (NLR/CAC) & Cliff Lee (Benton) are squaring off. Both have had great major league careers: last year Cliff (link to his bio) won the American League Cy Young Award as the best pitcher in the American League...AJ Burnett (link to his bio) is part of a formidable Yankees rotation, and has a no-hitter under his belt.

With a great performance tonight by Burnett, the Yankees could clinch their 27th World Series title. But, Lee, as the Phillies ace, could be the spark to get the Phillies back into the Series. Both had dominating performances in their last outing.

Tonight, this is the biggest stage in baseball. It is rather amazing that they are both from the central Arkansas area---growing up about 30 minutes apart. It is also amazing that they have the same agent, Darek Braunecker!

Having known both of these pitchers, I am very proud of what they have accomplished over their careers. This is a big night!

Transition of the Sports Seasons--BASEBALL & SOFTBALL COMING SOON

As we rapidly approach the end of October, it brings us to an interesting point of the year. Football is coming to a close for youth teams, while high school & college are either at or just past the midpoint. Volleyball is in tournament mode, as their seasons are winding down.

On a bigger scale, I love this time of year because you have: post-season MLB, the NFL & college football are in full swing, and basketball is about here. There is no shortage of sports around here!!

So what's the point?


For those whose sports are either not in-season or are coming to a close real soon: after taking some time to let your body recover, you really need to start thinking about what to do now. Were you happy with your performance this past season? What are you doing to get ready for next season? As referenced in an earlier blog (see below), it's important to always be looking at what you can be doing better instead of just relying on your strengths.

In particular, baseball & softball players need to be using this time of the year to commit 6-8 weeks to work on their game. Do you need to be faster? What's your arm strength like right now? Having trouble exploding out of the box to run down the line? These are all things that are good to look at.....and now is the best time to start correcting these issues. Don't wait until February---it will be too late then.


THINGS BASEBALL & SOFTBALL PLAYERS NEED TO FOCUS ON:

SPEED: you need to be able to perform for that scout timing you, as well as getting around the bases. I had one baseball player who, after he finished training, was playing in a game & hit a ball to the shortstop. He knew he had hit a easy grounder for a sure out, but like you all do, ran it out anyway. To his surprise, he heard the umpire call "SAFE!" as he hit the bag. He didn't even have to think about it & his speed had improved!! Another player told me that he was able to get the extra base in a game that he NEVER would have gotten before. So, bottom line, YOU NEED SPEED!!

TRUNK: like all athletes, you have to have a strong core---note, not a strong six-pack; these are USELESS for athletes if you are not functionally strong---but baseball & softball players have to pay special attention to this area in order to perform. It helps with hitting & throwing. You need explosive hips in order to be good out there on the field.

THROWING: Listen up: the human arm was not designed to throw overhead repeatedly. So we have to do extra things to make it last through a season. This doesn't just mean to do a few sets of tubing exercises----it means an extensive, head-to-toe throwing program to best utilize your entire body to perform the act of throwing.


I welcome any & all comments regarding baseball & softball training.....I have been around baseball my entire life, spending almost 15 years as batboy & clubhouse boy for the Arkansas Travelers, then 6 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals as an athletic trainer. So I love all discussion about the game. Hit me with any questions!

My thoughts on the Arkansas-Florida game

Just in case anyone cares (ummm, probably not, but I will do this anyway)

* Great effort by the Hogs: they keep improving & improving, especially on defense.
* Florida loses without Tebow: I have even more respect for this guy. He is a winner. The rest of the team is questionable regarding #1 status. Depending on their effort tonight, I like Bama as the best team in the country.
*Brandon Spikes: not sure Arkansas does as well as they did running the ball with him off the field for Florida
*Tejada: yeah, he missed 2 FGs. Arkansas had other chances to score (Mallet's inaccuracy for one thing). Florida's kicker missed also. It's tough not to point the finger at him, but let's be careful.
*Refs: I try to stay away from the "The Refs Are on the Gators Payroll" argument. But it's real hard in this case. I am reminded of how Michael Jordan always got away with calls when he played. I think this is entirely possible that it plays out in other sports & leagues.

What's next for Arkansas? look for a group of confident, highly-motivated, vastly improved & angry Hogs to go on a tear from here on out. It looks very promising for a strong finish to the season.


Athletic thoughts: very impressed today with Dennis Johnson. His has an incredible combination of strength & speed. He can shed tacklers just from his size alone. I wonder if his small steps are holding him back even more. Maybe his hip flexors are too tight....who knows. But I genuinely think he can be an even better athlete with some work.

Ryan Mallet's arm strength is just amazing. That TD pass he threw was off the wrong leg. Incredible.

Jake Bequette has become the most-improved player on defense. What an incredible first-step.


Not sure right know about the Razorback's injuries right now....will try to find out.

Athletic Trainers in our Schools

I want to take this opportunity to get on my soapbox. It's really time to do something.

Have you ever watched a professional or college sporting event on TV and seen an athlete go down with an injury? They lay there on the field or court, writhing in pain, until a couple of people wearing fanny packs or something come sprinting out to them & immediately begin to assess the damage. These people start to figure out what's wrong with the athlete, and begin a course of care right there on the spot that, hopefully, leads to minimizing any further damage & getting that athlete back to playing again as soon as possible. So, who are these people?

If it's a TV game, there is probably a sports medicine physician out there, and that's a great thing. But the odds are very good that one of these people is a certified athletic trainer, an allied healthcare provider whose medical training ensures that they are there for the athlete & their injuries. Read more about the profession of athletic training here. Ask any athlete in the professional or collegiate ranks who has been injured & they will say that they are glad that there is a medical professional on hand for them at all times---not just for games, but also for practices & travel time.

Now, let's shift our focus to the high school ranks. Imagine yourself at a game, and the scenario described above happens....a player goes down, and....who runs out there to tend to them? Picture that being your son or daughter....you want to know "Who is the person giving immediate care to my kid?" Or does anyone run out there at all?

In the state of Arkansas, LESS THAN 12 school districts employ their athletic trainer....out of 271! This number is staggering. Some schools contract out with a local medical group or hospital to provide an athletic trainer. This is good, but what if their employer wants to do put them at another school in the area, or what if they eliminate that position to save funds?? We spend millions of dollars on coaches, turf fields, and indoor practice facilities---please note, I am in 100% favor of these things, as long as there is also education going on!---but no one can seem to find funds for one or two qualified medical professionals who can:

1. Prevent Injuries
2. Lower Medical Costs & Insurance Premiums
3. Provide Rehabilitation Services
4. Administer First Aid Care
5. Ensure a Higher Level of Medical Care for Student-Athletes


What's wrong with this picture? Why don't more schools have an athletic trainer? Read this great article on this topic.

Ask your athletic director why your kids don't have a higher standard of care....ask your school board where your athletic trainer is.....demand it. Ask your legislator why every school doesn't have an athletic trainer? It's NOT a luxury, it's a necessity. In today's litigious society, a school really can't afford NOT to have an athletic trainer on hand at all times, for all student-athletes.


BJ Maack,ATC, LAT, CSCS
President
Arkansas Athletic Trainers' Association

For more information:

National Athletic Trainers Association
Arkansas Athletic Trainers Association

What Are You Training For?

In the business of training athletes, I am often approached with this general line of question: "Can you help me (or my child) get faster/stronger/better?" This general question is easily answered with a general answer of "Yes." But if you really want to help someone who asks you a question, sometimes it is better to answer a question with a question. So I usually avoid the general "Yes" answer and replace it with a question back to them. Something along the lines of: "What exactly do you do & want to improve?"

The point of this is to get the athlete to focus on exactly what the goals are. One of the best quotes that is relevant here goes like this:

"If you don't know where you are going, you will never get there."

If you want to improve your game, it is vital that you look at yourself and ask: "What am I NOT good at?" Be honest. What areas do you feel are not your strengths? What are your weaknesses? By starting here, you then can get a better handle on how to improve. A baseball player may have outstanding speed running the bases, but they have a poor first-step getting out of the box. He needs to focus on making his feet quicker & more reactive. A basketball player may be able to shoot the ball lights-out, but she isn't effective going to her left while dribbling. So she needs to spend more time with ball-handling skills.

Are you training to get better at one sport, or just a better overall fitness standard? Is your goal to make the varsity next year, or just to enjoy the sport? Do you want to drop your running time? If so, have a goal in mind---BE SPECIFIC WITH YOUR GOALS!! Write them down where you can see them...make them a part of your everyday routine.

So, for performance training, when meeting an athlete for the first time, we try to drill down into the most appropriate physical skills needed. We do an initial assessment & test session to see where they are, then look at the areas where we can make the most improvement. This way, we maximize our time & energy with the athlete. If they have blazing, God-given speed, then we want to focus more on their first-step or start....or train them to be more explosive with their hips. The point is that the athlete needs to be doing a training program that fits them & their unique set of physical ability, not a general training program that only gets a little bit of improvement out of them.

Remember, one size does not fit all in this business...it fits ONE.