So, I decided to stay close to home and receive a great education. However, I came to school not sure what to expect with athletics.

Preseason is only two weeks long, and cannot be wasted on getting the team physically fit. Your summer preparation is very important. You should start the strength and conditioning program as soon as you receive the packet. It will not be easy, and there will be days where you do not feel like doing it, but if training for Division I was easy, then everyone would do it. While training, you have to continually remind yourself that the men you will play against in the fall are working just as hard as you are, if not harder. Therefore, every day you have to go out there and work as hard as you can. The key to being successful in Division I athletics is hard work.

I played on one of the nations top club teams in my age group and my high school team was ranked as high as third in the nation. Like all of you, I knew Division I sports were going to be tougher than any level I had played at before. The main thing about coming to a Division I program is to make sure you are physically and mentally prepared. There will be times during training when you are physically drained and you think you cannot push yourself any farther. It is times like this when you have to be mentally tough and push yourself. Fitness is one of the most stressed topics in college because it helps you both physically and mentally.

Initially, respect is not given to freshmen on this team. You have to prove to everyone that you want to be on that field just as bad as the upperclassmen do. With everyone working hard and pushing each other beyond their limits, our team will succeed. When we hold up the championship trophy, we all will forget about those hundred degree days when we were suffering in June. If everyone puts in the time and effort now, we will all be rewarded throughout the season. Muhammad Ali summed it all up well, “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’”

Your teammate

Throughout my career motivated individuals have surrounded me. This inspiration at times was tough to feel during the daily grind, and other times the real life energy was obvious. When our paths cross, I am proud to see that the athletes come up to me for a handshake or high five and the stories they remind me about put an instant smile on my face.

This new segment will showcase the letters that many have written, myself or the athletes and coaches that I have worked with; to share their inspiration with those we call “teammates.” As you read through the messages that are shared, please remember that what is inside you can separate you from the rest. Look around and you may be surprised how many others are in need of just a little enthusiasm to push them closer to their goals: professionally, physically, mentally, etc.

I will begin with a letter that I sent to a team that I am still very proud of to this day. No names needed. Just a sincere message that I hope can impact others to pay it forward by giving energy to those around them.

Please leave your feedback in the comments section at the bottom. How are you preparing your team, coaches, administrators, staff, co-workers, sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers to have a positive mindset in both good and challenging times?

This week on iTunes, Stitcher and Spreaker, STT interviews an enthusiastic and passionate young NFL assistant coach. Chad Englehart is an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Washington Redskins. Prior to coming to Washington, Englehart served as the head strength and conditioning coach with the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League in 2009. He was a member of Redskins defensive coordinator Jim Haslett’s staff, who at the time was the Tuskers’ head coach. The Tuskers finished with a perfect 6-0 regular season record before losing in the UFL’s inaugural championship game. In 2008, Englehart served as director of strength and conditioning at X-Cel Sports Performance in Louisiana. Before that, he was head strength and conditioning coach at HS2 Athletic Performance in Mandeville, La. (2007) and at the University of New Orleans (2006).

The SMARTER Team Training Audio Interview Series has been developed to share insights from some of the best in the industry. Stay tuned for more insights, tips, drills, and techniques to come from STT on iTunes, STT on Stitcher and STT on Spreaker. Be sure to share the STT Audio Interview Series with coaches, trainers, parents, and athletes too.

I am sure by now that you have received your “secret” summer football conditioning manuals. Let me guess it is filled with workouts like 300-yard shuttles, 110-yard sprints, “Gassers” and repeat 40’s? Yes, these drills make up the “meat and potatoes” of just about every summer football-conditioning program. But, let’s make your summer football-conditioning program more sport-appropriate.

If you are a student of the game, find time to look at film and track the average time a play takes (5.5 seconds), the average rest between plays (32 seconds) and the average rest between series (7 minutes). Remember that there is roughly 16-20 minutes between the end of the second quarter and the beginning of the third. Record how many snaps you play per game too.

Remembering that the more specific your conditioning can come to that which you will experience on game day, the great the chance of carry over. The predominant energy system when playing football is anaerobic the “Gold Standard” exercises described at the beginning of this article definitely task them. The ability to recover from repeated high effort work bouts is critical for you to compete at a high level late in the game. If I told you that you would be asked to be at the top of your game for anywhere from 3.5-4 hours, what type of activity would you think you were about to participate in? Prepare for 60 plays and you will be ready for 60 plays.

What should you do? Meet with your position coach to establish a list of routes that your position commonly performs and supplement those patterns one day a week. On a non-consecutive day, include sprints with changes of direction, resisted sled/prowler sprints, drills that put you in a situation to overcome a resistance then sprint, jumps into a sprint, reacting to a visual and audio cues, etc. You can get creative with your exercises. Remember that the closer these drills come to your position, the greater the carry over will be. Therefore, skill position players should be performing “longer” sprints then the lineman, etc. The options are truly endless.

Here is a 6-week template to use as a starting point:
Six weeks before camp – Two quarters of 20 and 15 reps with 2:30 minutes between quarters (35 plays with 40 seconds rest between plays)
Five weeks before camp – Two quarters of 20 and 20 reps with 2:30 minutes between quarters (40 plays with 38 seconds rest between plays)
Four weeks before camp – Three quarters of 15, 15 and 15 reps with 2:15 minutes between quarters (45 plays with 36 seconds rest between plays)
Three weeks before camp – Three quarters of 20, 15 and 15 reps with 2:15 between quarters (50 plays with 34 seconds rest between plays)
Two weeks before camp – Four quarters of 15, 15, 15 and 10 reps with two minutes between quarters (55 plays with 32 seconds rest between plays)
One week before camp – Four quarters of 15 reps with two minutes between quarters (60 plays with 30 seconds rest between plays)

I hope you are finishing up your senior year with a great deal of success. This is an awesome time in your life. I encourage you to fully enjoy it. But I also want you to realize that you are now part of something more than your high school glory days.

As a program, we have come a long way from when I first joined the team. Much of our success begins with our approach to the summer workouts and fall practices. Practices will be more competitive than anything you have been a part of, and it will be overwhelming at first. This is why it is necessary to come to campus in the best shape that you possibly can. Any struggles you might have can be made up for through hustle and hard work. The learning and adaptation will come with time and upperclassmen leadership.

Next year, we will be defending our conference title, which has allowed us to go back to the tournament for a second straight year. We will now be the hunted in our league, with many of our rivals looking for payback. This is why we need you to begin to prepare at a very high level right now.

I return next year as a fifth year senior who has seen a lot, but I can tell you right now that you are off to a better start. I tried out to make the team in my freshman year, having no idea of my standing or what it would be like. It took some struggle, but here I am returning for an extra year, and I couldn’t feel more blessed. I tell you this to show you that anything can happen with hard work.

When you come to school as a recruited freshman, there is even more expected of you. You are not as good as you might think you are, but you are never as bad as you will think of yourself at times. What you must focus on is bringing an attitude to practice every single day that will allow you to take a step forward to help not only yourself, but our team. We need every single member to push each other each and every day!

Get yourself ready for a grind, but realize this can be one of the most meaningful experiences of your life. These will be some of your best friends for the rest of your life. We are team of united brothers that you will look forward to going to battle with.

We lose a senior class that has brought our program back to the playoffs two years in a row. Together, it will be on all of us to keep that going. We lose some very valuable players, and some incredible leaders who have guided us back to the field of 16. Next year, expectations will be even higher. We return enough to repeat, and make a run deep into the tournament, but we cannot do it without being in great shape and coming back ready to compete in the fall.

Have a great summer.

Your teammate

Throughout my career motivated individuals have surrounded me. This inspiration at times was tough to feel during the daily grind, and other times the real life energy was obvious. When our paths cross, I am proud to see that the athletes come up to me for a handshake or high five and the stories they remind me about put an instant smile on my face.

This new segment will showcase the letters that many have written, myself or the athletes and coaches that I have worked with; to share their inspiration with those we call “teammates.” As you read through the messages that are shared, please remember that what is inside you can separate you from the rest. Look around and you may be surprised how many others are in need of just a little enthusiasm to push them closer to their goals: professionally, physically, mentally, etc.

I will begin with a letter that I sent to a team that I am still very proud of to this day. No names needed. Just a sincere message that I hope can impact others to pay it forward by giving energy to those around them.

Please leave your feedback in the comments section at the bottom. How are you preparing your team, coaches, administrators, staff, co-workers, sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers to have a positive mindset in both good and challenging times?

The game of women’s lacrosse takes an immense amount of skill to catch, throw and cradle the ball while moving a full speed. A wall ball program can help you be more confident when you need to thread the needle for the game winning feed. Develop both your left and right hand to make sure your scouting report reads, “Can go either way. She’s a handful to defend. Bring your ‘A’ game defense.”

Skill transfer is a term used to describe the impact that the practice of one skill has on another. There are three types of transfer: positive, negative and neutral. Positive transfer occurs by rehearsing the exact skills used to perform a task. Motor learning experts agree that it is impossible to reproduce the neuromuscular pattern used to perform a skill, unless that specific skill is performed.

Neutral transfer describes a different skill or activity that will not help or hurt the development of another skill neutral transfer results in no transfer, good or bad. You periodically hear of an athlete touting the positive impact an activity had on her performance. The activities might include karate, judo, ballet, aerobics, juggling, jumping rope and many others. We have all heard, “jump rope to improve foot speed.” Jumping rope will improve your skill to jump rope. These skills do not transfer to the skills used to play women’s lacrosse.

How do you best develop the skills used to play the game? The answer is easy. Improve the skills used to play the game by practicing those skills. Practice those skills under game conditions whenever possible. Do not attempt to mimic or imitate a skill in the weight room. It cannot be done. Strengthen the muscles in the weight room, develop a high level of conditioning and practice the skills used to play the game. It is that simple!

The following wall ball workout can be performed before a strength training as a pre-­warm up, after a conditioning session as a finisher, or as a team competition that tracks hitting the target and successful throw and catches. The following workout is designed to improve your stick skills as well as your hand-­eye coordination. Complete at least five of these drills three times a week to enhance your game. Concentrate on good mechanics for 15­‐20 minutes each session.

1. Right hand up, throw right­‐handed, catch right­‐handed, repeat 10 times. Dip dodge to the left hand and…
2. Left hand up, throw left-­handed, catch left-­handed, repeat 10 times. Dip dodge to the right hand and…
3. Right hand up, throw right­‐handed, catch right­‐handed, extended twirl reaching to the left, then reaching to the right, repeat 10 times. Dip dodge to the left hand and…
4. Left hand up, throw left‐handed, catch left­‐handed, extended twirl reaching to the right, then reaching to the left, repeat 10 times. Dip dodge to the right hand and…
5. Right hand up to weak side…twirl your stick away from your head and throw right-­handed, catch on the weak side. Remember to flip your stick over, soft hands so you can give with the catch, push the bottom hand out, repeat 10 times. Pass your stick through your legs to your left hand and…
6. Left hand up to weak side…twirl your stick away from your head and throw left-­handed, catch on the weak side. Remember to flip your stick over, soft hands so you can give with the catch, push the bottom hand out, repeat 10 times. Pass your stick through your legs to your right hand and…
7. Right hand up…twirl away from your head twice, throw right, catch right, switch quickly to your left, twirl away from your head twice, throw left, catch left, switch quickly to your right, etc. (switch right into your passing position). Repeat 10 times.
8. Right hand up…drop your stick to your right hip, twirl once and pass sidearm,catch right and dip dodge to your left. Drop your stick to your left hip, twirl once and pass side arm, catch left and dip dodge to your right, repeat 10 times.
9. Right hand up…toss the ball high on the wall so you have to really reach for it on the catch. Catch 5 with two hands on the stick (slid almost to the bottom of the stick so you still have some control). Remember to pull the stick in quickly to your head on the catch.
10. Left hand up toss the ball high on the wall so you have to really reach for it on the catch. Catch 5 with two hands on the stick (slid down to the bottom so you get a god extension) and 5 with one hand on the stick (slid almost to the bottom of the stick so you still have some control). Remember to pull the stick in quickly to your head on the catch.

Passionate, confident, fearless, and relentless are all words that represent our team this year. These words describe our feelings about our sport, our teammates, and ourselves. The team goes beyond just the playing field. We have each other’s back everyday. You will quickly learn that we believe in our motto, “One unit, one family, one team!”

When I was a freshman, one of the first things I learned about our program is the extensive tradition. Representing this team is not just about wearing a uniform. It is about working “110%” everyday and turning that work ethic into victories on game days. We want to get better every chance we get. Hard work and determination will help lead us to a National Championship, which is our driving force. We dream of nothing less than being the best.

Nobody said that playing Division I sports was going to be easy. You need to find a balance between practice, academics, and your social life. Your freshman year will be the toughest, but I guarantee it gets easier. When I was a freshman, I had to sit out my first fall and some of my first spring due to an injury I sustained before I got on campus. Dealing with that and my first year of school was difficult. All I wanted to do was be out there with my teammates and I could not. Again, my junior year I injured my foot and could not practice the entire fall. Sitting out and watching everyone else play is the hardest thing I ever had to do as an athlete. Both those unfortunate experiences made me thankful for every day I am able to play. I am more passionate now, than ever before. I am more willing to make sacrifices to help this team become the best team possible.

Always remember that being a part of this team is a privilege and should never be taken for granted. You will face adversities and we will overcome them together. The four years you play here are going to fly by faster than you think. We will stick together, work hard, and continue to work towards our goal of winning a National Championship. Work hard this summer. Come into your first fall ready to make a positive impact on this team from day one!

Your teammate

Throughout my career motivated individuals have surrounded me. This inspiration at times was tough to feel during the daily grind, and other times the real life energy was obvious. When our paths cross, I am proud to see that the athletes come up to me for a handshake or high five and the stories they remind me about put an instant smile on my face.

This new segment will showcase the letters that many have written, myself or the athletes and coaches that I have worked with; to share their inspiration with those we call “teammates.” As you read through the messages that are shared, please remember that what is inside you can separate you from the rest. Look around and you may be surprised how many others are in need of just a little enthusiasm to push them closer to their goals: professionally, physically, mentally, etc.

I will begin with a letter that I sent to a team that I am still very proud of to this day. No names needed. Just a sincere message that I hope can impact others to pay it forward by giving energy to those around them.

Please leave your feedback in the comments section at the bottom. How are you preparing your team, coaches, administrators, staff, co-workers, sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers to have a positive mindset in both good and challenging times?

Lacrosse has been called “the fastest game on two feet.” At any level it is crucial to have amazing stick skills. A wall ball program is a common tool that players are using to improve their game. Having the ability to use both your left and right hand adds versatility to your game. It is what separates the “good ones” from the ones “I need on my team.”

Skill and exercise are two separate qualities. Each must be developed separately. To improve a skill you must practice that specific skill. Realize that skills are learned and they are rapidly forgotten.

Practice your lacrosse stick skills with a wall ball program regularly. Strengthen your muscles in the weight room, condition the cardiorespiratory and muscular systems and practice the specific skills you use to play the game to take your game to a new level.

The execution of any skill requires a sophisticated series of signals sent from the brain to the muscles. Muscle fibers must be activated in the proper sequence to perform a skill with any proficiency. An increase in proficiency will occur if that specific skill, or parts of that skill, is practiced through disciplined repetitions. Focus on a location on a wall and try to hit that spot consistently with the ball during this workout.

The following wall ball workout can be performed before a strength training as a pre-­warm up, after a conditioning session as a finisher, or as a team competition that tracks hitting the target and successful throw and catches. The following workout is designed to improve your stick skills as well as your hand eye coordination. Complete at least five of these drills three times a week to enhance your game. Concentrate on good mechanics for 15-­20 minutes each session.

50 -­ Throw Right, Catch Right
50 – Throw Left, Catch Left
50 – Throw Right, Catch Left
50 – Throw Left, Catch Right
50 – Behind the back – Right
50 – Behind the back – Left
50 – Throw Right, Catch off stick high
50 – Throw Right, Catch off stick hip
50 – Throw Left, Catch off stick high
50 – Throw Left, Catch off stick hip

I would just like to take the time to congratulate you on becoming part of our family. My freshman year I made a tough decision to redshirt and it has honestly become one of the best decisions of my life. I say that because the past four years absolutely flew by. Having the ability to continue my education and come back and work with you towards our goal of a national championship is something I really do look forward to. With that being said we all know you are a great athlete. Take this summer to fine tune those skills and stay in shape, but make sure you have some fun as well. Coming into school in the best possible shape is only going to help you to get onto the field. The summers before and during college will be the best summers of your life so enjoy them.

Being on the older side of the team I have had the chance to grow up with most of these players and they are now my best friends. The bonds and friendships you are going to make over these next four years is something that will last a lifetime. You are going to be forever changed and matured after your time as a student-athlete. I am sure you have heard this a hundred time but these next four years are going to be some of the best years of your life. So make sure your embrace them with an open mind and get ready to buy into the system that makes this place not only great place to further your education, but play some of the best competition in the nation in one of the top facilities in the country.

Good luck this summer. I look forward to seeing you in-shape this fall.

Your teammate

Throughout my career motivated individuals have surrounded me. This inspiration at times was tough to feel during the daily grind, and other times the real life energy was obvious. When our paths cross, I am proud to see that the athletes come up to me for a handshake or high five and the stories they remind me about put an instant smile on my face.

This new segment will showcase the letters that many have written, myself or the athletes and coaches that I have worked with; to share their inspiration with those we call “teammates.” As you read through the messages that are shared, please remember that what is inside you can separate you from the rest. Look around and you may be surprised how many others are in need of just a little enthusiasm to push them closer to their goals: professionally, physically, mentally, etc.

I will begin with a letter that I sent to a team that I am still very proud of to this day. No names needed. Just a sincere message that I hope can impact others to pay it forward by giving energy to those around them.

Please leave your feedback in the comments section at the bottom. How are you preparing your team, coaches, administrators, staff, co-workers, sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers to have a positive mindset in both good and challenging times?

Think about the time you spend warming up. Focus on being at practice, not thinking about friends, parties or other distractions. You will often hear coaches say, “Get your mind right. Right here!”

The second paragraph of every summer workout plan that I have developed has the following reminder:

“Before starting any workout, please remember to warm up and stretch properly. Incorporate speed drills into your warm up to help master the skills associated with proper running mechanics. A good warm up should last between five to ten minutes with the goal of increasing your internal, core body temperature. This increase in core temperature is normally defined when a substantial sweat is achieved.”

The warm-­up is an important part of any workout. It can set the tone for the session. It can also detract from the time that should productive. Ten to fifteen minutes each day can add up big time over the course of a season. Make good use of the time you have to take care of your body.

The following exercises are designed to prepare the body for the specific movements an athlete will perform in their workouts. The exercises should be completed one right after another and treated as a circuit. Heart rate will increase and a sweat will be noticed when done correctly.

Jumping Jacks 20 reps
Body Weight Squat 10 reps
High Knee Pulls 5 reps each leg
Single Leg Squat 5 reps each leg
Front Lunges 5 reps each side
Single Leg Toe Touch 5 reps each leg
Side Lunges 5 reps each side
Push Ups with Rotation 5 reps each side
Prone Back Extension 10 reps

I hope your senior year of high school went well and that you are having a great summer. It is quickly coming to a close and you will soon be on campus. Summers have always been my favorite part of the year but for you, this one is different. The transition from high school to college is one of the most exciting experiences that someone can go through, and I hope your embracing it for what it is worth. This September you are going to be feeling all sorts of emotions from scared to eager to excitement. It is normal to have these mixed feelings, but you will quickly settle in within a couple weeks and the college life will be normal to you.

Upon arriving, you will immediately be part of the team. This is a privilege and an honor to be a part of the tradition that awaits you. It takes hard work, intelligence, planning and focus to be a successful student-athlete. From a personal stand point, take control of your studies right away and do not slack off in the classroom. By doing so, everything else will take care of itself and it will just be an everyday activity that you love to do. When we step out on that field, we are a unit, we are a team. Whether its practice, agilities, a scrimmage, or a game, we are all in it together. I hope you are doing your part this summer in preparing physically and mentally so that we can achieve our ultimate goal of winning a national championship.

While probably the best summer of your life so far is coming to a close, you are getting ready to embark on a mission with a bunch of new teammates. Take this time seriously to prepare yourself for the challenges that your coaches and teammates are going to put in front of you. We collectively have worked hard for years to build towards what we are today and I have no doubt with the addition of yourself and your other classmates we will continue that tradition.

I look forward to you joining our team in the fall. It is just a short time now.

Your teammate

Throughout my career motivated individuals have surrounded me. This inspiration at times was tough to feel during the daily grind, and other times the real life energy was obvious. When our paths cross, I am proud to see that the athletes come up to me for a handshake or high five and the stories they remind me about put an instant smile on my face.

This new segment will showcase the letters that many have written, myself or the athletes and coaches that I have worked with; to share their inspiration with those we call “teammates.” As you read through the messages that are shared, please remember that what is inside you can separate you from the rest. Look around and you may be surprised how many others are in need of just a little enthusiasm to push them closer to their goals: professionally, physically, mentally, etc.

I will begin with a letter that I sent to a team that I am still very proud of to this day. No names needed. Just a sincere message that I hope can impact others to pay it forward by giving energy to those around them.

Please leave your feedback in the comments section at the bottom. How are you preparing your team, coaches, administrators, staff, co-workers, sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers to have a positive mindset in both good and challenging times?