Strength and conditioning program to offer training for club sport athletes

Strength and conditioning program to offer training for club sport athletes

Last year, Campus Recreation’s fitness trainers decided to provide strength and conditioning training to all club sport teams.

Since this is a new add-on to the classes, the problem has been getting the word out. Darren Hansen, the head trainer for the strength and conditioning program, said he has reached out to each club team in attempt to bring in more club athletes. Hansen said they were able to get the men and women’s rugby teams and the women’s lacrosse team to commit to the program but only the women’s lacrosse team ended up following through. Hansen also said the men’s lacrosse team knows about the program as well but it isn’t in the position to make the transition.

Through student feedback, the trainers have been able to find techniques that work. They realize although the athletes put in the dedicated work that is required to succeed, they were not focusing on their health. In order to do that, the trainers plan to focus a lot on longevity and pushing slower.

“The best thing I can give someone is strength,” said Clint Nardoni, one of the coaches for the strength and conditioning program. “But the only way I can give that to them is to train the individuals in the program on how to understand their bodies and to know how to maintain their bodies’ health. This will be done by teaching them the importance of safe movements and safe positions.”

Nardoni is the trainer for the women’s lacrosse team and coaches it twice a week. He has been the trainer for the team since last spring when the team joined the program looking for help with its conditioning workouts.

“This is the team’s second semester in the program and since we started, I, personally, feel faster and stronger. I know what I’m doing when I go to the gym, and I feel like my endurance has gone up,” said Hali King, the president of the women’s lacrosse team. “I’m not afraid to push myself harder and I can be on the field longer. With the help of the strength and conditioning coaches, I now know my limits and I know how to stay focused and in the zone.”

King has been on the team since her freshman year in 2012. She said now that the team has joined the strength and conditioning program, its conditioning is a lot more organized. King said although the workouts are harder, there are no longer any authority issues from the teammates running conditioning themselves.

             “The trainers are really good at helping everyone in the class reach their goals. Working with the club teams has not had a negative effect on the time they dedicate to the other classes,” said Karl Folland, an engineering student taking the strength and conditioning classes. “I think the trainers made the right move. They incorporate CrossFit styles and techniques, but they program workouts that will be most beneficial for the overall wellbeing of their students.”

            More information about the strength and conditioning classes is available from Darren Hansen at (208) – 569 – 1533.