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by Mike Kravik
Back in the day, (“the day” being the 1970’s) summer vacation as a teenager who was too young to drive or work meant kicking back and truly taking it easy. I am sure I did other things but the routine that stands out to me is staying up late to watch Johnny Carson and then sleeping in the next day until at least 10:00am. I might catch Hollywood Squares in the morning, yawn, eat some lunch and then watch Match Game in the afternoon. If I was feeling especially spry I might throw a ball against a wall or saunter down to the pool for the afternoon.
I played baseball every summer but things really got lazy when our baseball season ended in July. I can only imagine just how truly out of shape those of us who played sports were when school began in August. Getting sick during conditioning drills in football became an annual ritual for most. Fast forward 35 years and things have changed for teenagers – for the better.
The North Texas area is one of the most fertile areas in the country for young athletes. Football, basketball, baseball, hockey, softball, volleyball …it doesn’t matter. This area is filthy with young athletes. Some parents in North Texas will also spare no expense because they’re fearful their kids will fall behind the competition. Others are simply looking to give their kid an edge and are willing to pay for it.
I know of a 10 year old golfer who not only received thrice weekly golf lessons but also regularly met with a sports psychologist. Some parents may roll their eyes at such a thought but I don’t think it’s a terrible thing. It is what it is – progress.
Crull Fitness (www.crullfitness.com) is a North Texas company that offers personalized training for young athletes aged 5-18. Al Coseglia is a co-owner of Crull Fitness and a former scholarship athlete who not only played soccer at Quinnipac University but also graduated Phi Beta Kappa.
So what should the 13 year old football player do to make sure he has a good off-season and reports to football practice in August not only shape but also stronger?
Says Cosgelia, “Strength training is appropriate for athletes aged 12 to 14. At that age, learning proper technique and strength progressions are very important. Proper training is also about working out the entire body. Summer workouts should focus on flexibility, upper and lower body strength, speed, agility, conditioning and the core.”
Some aspects of physical training are easier to improve than others. Football players are quite often told to not only get stronger but also gain 20-30 lbs. over the summer – or else. Coseglia explains, “Gaining that much weight over the summer can be done but it requires a combination of strength training, proper nutrition and proper supplementation.”
The individual skills easiest for young athletes to significantly improve upon in the summer are strength, speed, vertical jump, conditioning and core strength. A skill that embodies all of the above and helps almost all athletes improve is the ability to “explode.”
Whether it’s a defensive back, a linebacker, a point guard or a shortstop, the ability to “explode” or get from Point A to Point B in the shortest time possible is an invaluable skill that can be taught by emphasizing unilateral and bilateral exercises that make both sides of the body equal in strength.
I have many fond memories of the 1970’s but given a choice I would have much rather been a young athlete in the summer of 2010.
