Team bonding, 1on1 conversations, goal setting, mid-season evaluations, and forming personal connections with athletes have become as important as building effective practice plans. Boys volleyball is becoming increasingly popular, as many decide to leave the field and step onto the hard court. With the transition, male athletes are entering an entirely new competitive environment. In […]

We hit the trifecta with former NFL player and Super Bowl champion (with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) Roman Oben; athlete, sports dad and founder of the Oben Flag Football program. Roman has experienced sports from every possible angle and has some great advice for athletes and sports parents alike. Q: As a two sport college athlete, […]

If you ask any youth athlete in any sport what their favorite thing about practice is, not too many would list drills at the top of their list. Drills, while important to teaching athletes proper form and technique and helping the movement become second nature, aren’t usually the most interesting or fun part of a […]

Playing other sports expands a child’s athleticism by developing more motor skills, agility and coordination through the use of different muscles with different ranges of motion. Whether your favorite player is T.J. Oshie (Warroad) of the Washington Capitals, Riley Tufte (Blaine) of Minnesota Duluth or Hannah Brandt (Vadnais Heights) of the U.S. Women’s National Team, […]

Drafted with the No. 20 pick overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Nick Schmaltz made his professional debut on Oct. 12, 2016. Q&A With Chicago Blackhawks forward Nick Schmaltz At a young age, Nick Schmaltz knew he wanted to play college hockey. The Madison, Wisconsin, native grew up idolizing players at […]

How to clarify expectations, establish realistic goals, and set a positive tone for the season

Parents, coaches, and trainers are constantly debating the pros and cons of early specialization among youth athletes. Many parents believe that if their children are going to have any chance of earning an athletic scholarship to college one day they simply have to become a master of one sport as soon as possible. Having an […]

If you don’t have access to a gym or performance training coach, there are still ways to improve at home. Take your game to the next level with this equipment-free home workout to improve your vertical jump. Warm Up (3 Rounds): 5 Burpees, 10 Air Squats, 12 Lunges Lateral Hops: First cycle to be performed […]

A few weeks ago we came across this New York Times story about a high school soccer player who was being recruited for a college team. Now obviously high school athletes get scouted and recruited every day, but the real crux of this story is that this soccer player is only 15. She’s a freshman but, “Before […]

High school football season is just around the corner and that means teams are ramping up their practice schedule. Some high school football players might have been attending camps all summer, working on their strength and conditioning in the high school weight room, playing another summer sport to stay active and more. But once football […]