Being a modern high school athlete is not for the faint of heart. Think about it, the
generation before you didn't face the same fierce competition for a college scholarship,
playing time, or even just making the cut. Does this mean that athletes are better now
than they were just a few decades ago? Maybe, but the fact is that sport participation is at
an all time high in the United States. Twenty years ago, we were just starting to see the
effects of Title IX (ask your Mom if you haven't heard of it), and there weren't nearly the
amount of club, AAU, or tournament teams as there are today. So you are up against
more of your peers and your time is spread incredibly thin with year-round competition
and school work.

Is it still possible for you to be successful on the field or court? Of course! The good
news is that there are also more resources and qualified instruction available to help you
improve each part of your game. The key though, is to have a plan. With so much on
your plate, wasting even the slightest amount of time and effort could roadblock the path
to full athletic potential. Here is some sound advice on ways to manage two vital high
school athlete responsibilities.

The Balancing Act

Success starts in the classroom. Balancing a commitment to excellence in the classroom
as well as on the field or court can be a very daunting task, but is essential to taking your
game to the next level. Creating good habits early on in high school will give you the
tools for continued achievement in college. Begin by planning ahead to get the most out
of your time. Obviously, games and practices are inflexible in regards to scheduling.
Therefore, be stringent in setting aside your time for studying. Remember that you will
need extra time to study for big exams. Ultimately, plan ahead, stick to the plan, and
know what to expect for yourself. Lay out realistic goals that you would like to
accomplish and begin scheduling the necessary steps that will help you achieve those
goals. Through hard work and effective planning, anything is possible.

Join the Crowd

With your academics in order, now let's look at the physical responsibilities. Normally,
blazing your own path is the way to go. But not when it comes to training for improved
athleticism. Becoming part of the norm here is a good thing. Between private training
facilities such as Velocity Sports Performance, school programs, and Nike SPARQ
trainers, found at Velocity, there are more athletes training than those that aren't training.
But you should know that all training is not created equal. First, make sure you train with
a qualified Performance Coach. Even the best program in the hands of someone without
the proper knowledge can be dangerous. What makes someone qualified? Good
question, here is what to look for in a Performance Coach:
1. Experience training high school age athletes
2. Certification
3. College degree in Exercise Science related field

Secondly, commit to a training plan that is as comprehensive as possible. Athleticism has
so many dynamic parts working together that if you focus on only one piece of the
puzzle, your results will always be cut short. The critical elements of an effective
training plan include:
• Speed: Training to improve linear speed can be divided into acceleration (starting
speed) and maximum velocity (top speed). The focus should be on efficient
technique with an explosive, yet relaxed effort.
• Agility: Focus on balance, coordination, and powerful changes of direction.
Many athletes can make up for a lack of linear speed by minimizing the time
needed to plant and cut out of their breaks.
• Strength: Though related, this is different than "power" training and plays an
important role in reducing the likelihood of injury. Strength training should
emphasize full body development, preferably with free-weight based exercises.
• Power: The goal of power training is to produce high amounts of force in short
amounts of time. Under qualified instruction, plyometric exercises are good for
improving power, as is medicine ball training and Olympic-style weightlifting.
• Endurance: Stamina into the final minutes of competitions will often determine
the outcome. If your sport involves repeated short sprints followed by periods of
rest, then build specific endurance by performing sprint-type intervals rather than
long slow running.
• Dynamic Flexibility: Being flexible means you can move more efficiently and
are probably less likely to have tight muscles that damage easily. But the days of
a "sit and stretch" warm up are over. All athletes are better off using stretches that
emphasize whole body movement and resemble sporting positions.

Lastly, the part of your plan that ties everything together is rest. Without allowing your
highly trained body to recover, even the most thought out and perfectly designed program
will fall short. Scheduling rest days between long practices, workouts, traveling, and
games is difficult. At the least, commit to 48 hour breaks between your Nike SPARQ
training sessions. So if you train on Monday, then don't train again until Wednesday.
This will provide the recovery your system needs to repair it self from the previous
training days and avoid overtraining. Also consider where you are in your competitive
season when scheduling both training and resting days. Generally, shoot for training
three days per week in the off-season and pre-season, and two days per week while inseason.

You're Ready

As the saying goes, "No one said it would be easy". The challenges you face as a high
school athlete exist at an all time high. Speak with your local Sports Performance
Director to plan a strategy that will allow you to reach your academic and athletic goals.