Introduction Utilizing a multi-disciplinary approach, my mission is to maximize athletic ability for the student-athletes I teach.

In order to reach this objective, I will take my athletes through a fourstep process. Step 1: Testing The components for power-sports include lower body power, agility, and acceleration. An increase in these indicators is highly correlated to an improvement in on-field performance. Testing is conducted as a team-competition; including the vertical jump, pro agility, 10-yard dash, hang clean, and squat. Step 2: Evaluation An effective program will show athletes gaining weight and improving in the hang clean and squat. This eventually leads to improved performance indicators. For each event of the team-competition, athletes receive points based on three criteria: gender, bodyweight, and performance. This points system allows all athletes to compete against each other regardless of sport or position. Only with a point system controlling for bodyweight can the pound-for-pound most talented male and female athletes be identified. An awards program is implemented for motivation. Step 3: Goal Setting At the appropriate time, a strength competition is held allowing athletes to accomplish challenging, yet realistic goals for the hang clean and squat. Setting goals only comes after athletes write their own personal mission statements. When athletes set and accomplish their own goals, they become motivated to continue training hard to accomplish even more. Step 4: Program Design A well designed strength and conditioning program will be based on scientific principles that have been proven over a long time-period. When used correctly, the following principles will enhance performance for athletes while reducing the likelihood of injury.

Principle 1: Ground-Based Actions Ground-based exercises, especially the Squat, will develop the inner core muscles to a large degree as they work to stabilize the torso to keep it upright. When seated during exercise, the seat or board does the stabilizing, and as a result, little carryover for performance improvement is achieved. The same holds true for wearing belts. The belt acts as a stabilizer of the core instead of the deep inner core muscles doing the stabilizing. Principle 2: Multiple-Joint Actions Principle 2 involves selecting multiple joint actions as much as possible. Two conditions must be met: first, each joint must be firmly stabilized before the lift, and second, the movement must be timed in the proper neuromuscular recruitment pattern. The triple extension is executed when the ankles, knees, and hips are extended in a straight line. Principle 3: Three Dimensional Movements Athletes move in three planes of space while competing in sports: forward-backward, up and down, and side-to-side. Only free weights allow movement in three dimensions simultaneously. Athletes who use free weights can take advantage of the stretch shortening cycle, allowing for more explosive training. Principle 4: Train Explosively The main objective is to become more powerful. The hang clean teaches the fast-twitch muscle fibers to generate maximum force in a short period of time. Only explosive lifts have transfer of training for power sports. Principle 5: Progressive Overload In order to stimulate strength gains, the program must be progressive. The two fundamental ways of doing this is by adjusting the volume and intensity. High volume and low intensity builds muscle mass, while lower volume and higher intensity builds maximum strength. Principle 6: Application of Periodization

When the same methods of training are utilized over and over, the body becomes accustomed to the stimulus, often resulting of overtraining. Periodization attempts to avoid overtraining and stimulate peak performance by using different combinations of sets and reps for running and lifting programs. Principle 7: Split-Routine The split routine involves splitting the exercises in half and doing them on separate days. For example, speed drills and explosive lifts (i.e. hang clean, & split jerk) are done on Monday and Thursday and Agility drills and strength lifts (i.e. squat, deadlift, bench press, etc) are done on Tuesday and Friday. Principle 8: Hard-Easy System Training at full intensity every day is a fast ticket to burnout. To avoid this setback, and achieve long-term gains, schedule the first part of the week to be hard, and the end of the week to be easy. Reduce either the intensity or volume. Train smarter, not harder! Principle 9: Train the Correct Energy System All power sports involve short bursts of speed and agility. Therefore, power sport athletes should train the same way. Long distance running, or aerobic conditioning, trains the oxidative system and slow twitch muscle fibers, neither of which are called into play for power sports. It would be counterproductive to build an aerobic base for any power sport. Principle 10: Interval Training Most power sports have a work-to-rest ratio of 1:10. That is for every second a play lasts, there is about ten seconds of rest after that play. If the rest interval is too short, athletes result to pacing themselves just so they can get through the workout. As a result, force production goes down and the wrong energy system is trained. Conclusion The bottom line in strength and conditioning is the mind controls the body. If athletes do not believe in the program, they will not put forth the effort needed for success. Another aspect of a

successful program is unity. A good sign of unity is when athletes play well under adversity. Finally, I believe the chief characteristic of my program is adaptability. As new scientific discoveries are made and my knowledge is enhanced, I will make the necessary changes to the program to allow for better results. Without belief, unity, and adaptability, no program can survive over the long-term.