Laser Timer 40 yards

At Akron General Sports Performance we strive to have the best training, best facilities, best coaches, and best equipment that today's sports performance world can offer. We are happy to announce that we have invested in an official 40 yard Laser Timer!

The PowerDash Laser Timer

In fact, this is the same Laser Timer that is used at the NFL Scouting Combine!

Having our athletes use the same equipment as professional athletes give them a great opportunity to practice proper testing and to get the most accurate 40 yard times possible (it also gives us a 10 yard time too!).

We test our athletes once a month on the following performance skills:

• 10 yard dash
• 40 yard dash
• 5-10-5 Pro-Agility 
• Long Jump
• Vertical Jump

3 Other Ways to Get Better

Hello Everyone!

On our Instagram and Twitter accounts I've been using the hashtag #getbettersummer2014 since our athletes are working hard on "getting better". Besides training with us at AGSP, there are other ways athletes can get better and get closer to their goals.

These 3 other ways are geared towards athletes that have the desire to play in college which requires athletes to find ways to separate themselves from their competition.

• MAKE YOUR TWITTER PUBLIC: If I'm a college coach recruiting you and your Twitter is private, what is the first thing I am going to assume? That you are tweeting things that are not good. Why else would you not want to showcase your workouts, skill development, highlights, etc on one of the greatest platforms in the world? A good rule of thumb is: if you wouldn't want your mom/dad to read it, then you probably shouldn't tweet it!
• LISTEN TO SUCCESS ORIENTED PODCASTS: Many of today's athletes have to travel for hours to tournaments and camps. While you are traveling, why not listen to something productive? Something that will motivate you to be better? My personal favorite, that is free, is The Hardwood Hustle. Even if you are not a basketball athlete, you will gain a ton of knowledge, motivation, and insight into elevating your game!
• READ AN ATHLETE'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY: While you are resting or traveling, why not get inside the heads of great athletes? Autobiographies are an opportunity to literally see inside the minds of some amazing athletes! They are sharing their journey with you! Talk about motivating and educating you to a whole new level!

Twitter, Podcasts, and Autobiographies are great ways to become a better athlete!

If you are truly serious about playing at the next level, then you'll WANT to do these 3 things. Do the little things that others aren't doing to elevate your game past others!

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance
@AkronGeneralSP
AkronGeneralSP on Instagram

Why was was he picked #1 in the draft?

Hello Everyone!

Why was Andrew Wiggins picked #1 in the 2014 NBA draft?

Was it because he was the best shooter? 

Maybe he was the best dribbler?

The sharpest passer?

The best defender of them all?

While Andrew Wiggins is very talented in all these areas, the biggest reason he was drafted first was because he was the most athletic player in the draft! His speed, strength, power, and overall athleticism separated him from everyone else.

You have to be a great athlete if you want to be a great basketball (or any other sport) player you want to be.

Check out this awesome pre-draft workout video of Andrew Wiggins. The best parts are:

• He's practicing basketball-specific skills that he will see in a game.
• He's NOT running mindless suicides up and down the court.

AGSP athletes, check out the following details that we coach here all the time!

• Where his chin and shoulders are.
• His shin-angles when he changes direction.

Become a better athlete and all your skills get better! Join us today!
Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance 

Walsh Jesuit Showcase for the Cure 2014

Hello Everyone!

This year's Walsh Jesuit Showcase for the Cure was my favorite so far! It is such a great event with an even more amazing cause.

Showcase day is jam packed as it is the last day of the Walsh Jesuit Baseball Camp, a baseball focused Expo, and a Showcase of most of Ohio's best baseball players. The Showcase is highly attended by collegiate and professional scouts from all over the country. The Camp on this day includes an opportunity for campers to improve their speed and running with me as I am one of the 5 stations the athletes rotate through. The athletes this year were a lot of fun and hardworking as we were sweating in the summer heat!

Coach Kaczmar speaks to the crowd while members of the Walsh Jesuit baseball team wait to release balloons in member of Chad Crawford.

Coach Kaczmar, the head baseball coach for Walsh Jesuit, gave a great speech honoring Chad Crawford, the man who picked the charity that the Showcase raised money for this year. Coach Kaczmar encouraged everyone to live like Chad did, with exclamation marks!!! Live each day fully!!! Love others, like Chad did, with big energy and a bigger heart!!!

Coach Beals, the head baseball coach for Ohio State, shared a powerful story about attitude, Ohio State's "we not me", and having a "next pitch" mentality. He reminded everyone that it is not just skills he's recruiting, but young men with great character.

The Expo always have some great vendors!

AGSP had a lot of athletes participate in this year's Showcase. It was a special feeling looking at Ohio's best and being able to know many of them personally. I took a moment to point out that the biggest difference between collegiate athletes and high school athletes is that collegiate athletes truly are bigger, faster, stronger, and more powerful. Athletes at both levels can hit, throw, catch, and run, but collegiate athletes have trained themselves so they can do all those things with more power, strength, and speed. You have to train your body if you hope to compete at the next level.

Thanks to Coach Kaczmar, Gary Minorik, and the entire Walsh Jesuit Baseball Showcase for the Cure family for such an amazing experience!

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

Details

Hello Everyone!

At AGSP we are constantly focusing on the details of movement as it applies to sports. It's in the details that mediocre become good and good become great. It's in the details that separate a well executed move or a missed opportunity.

The best athletes I've worked with take pride in the details. Note, I did not say the best athletes are the best at the details, simply the best athletes understand the importance of the details and strive to improve them.

Details, like touching the line, show coaches your ability to execute and make you a better athlete.

Details in your practice can make you a better player. Details in the weight room can make you a stronger player. Details in your speed workout can make you faster. Details in the game can produce a win. Details can allow your athletic career to go as far as you want it to go.

But not knowing what the details are, those little nuances that will make you better, will greatly limit your ability to become the best athlete and player you can be.

At AGSP we know the details of speed, strength, and power. We eagerly share them with our athletes to make them the fastest, strongest, most powerful athletes they can be.

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance 

Top Testing Scores: June 2014

Hello Everyone!

Just like the NBA and NFL combines we do similar speed, power, and agility tests here at Akron General Sports Performance. Numbers can be powerful, especially when you know what they mean!

46" approach vertical jump! Click here to learn more!

WOMEN TESTING GOALS
We strive to help our female athletes get the following numbers:
Vertical Jumps over 20"
Long Jumps over 6'2 1/2"
10 Yard Dashes under 1.65 seconds
Pro-Agility Times under 5.00 seconds each side

MEN TESTING GOALS
We strive to help our male athletes get the following numbers:
Vertical Jumps over 26"
Long Jumps over 7'5"
10 Yard Dashes under 1.45 seconds
Pro-Agility Times under 4.75 seconds each side

Here are our Top Testing Scorers for June 2014!

VERTICAL JUMPS
Women Top Scores
22 1/2"     Kelly Fenwick of Stow Basketball
20 1/2"     Regina Reilly of Walsh Jesuit Basketball

Men Top Scores
31 1/2"     Nick Kopczak of Stow Football     
30 1/2"     Mike Peters of CVCA Basketball


STANDING LONG JUMPS
Women Top Scores
7'2 1/2"     Regina Reilly of Walsh Jesuit Basketball
6'9"           Madeline Gaines of CVCA Soccer & Kelly Fenwick of Stow Basketball

Men Top Scores
10'4 1/2"  Nick Kopczak of Stow Football  
9'0"    Mike Peters of CVCA Basketball

10 YARD DASH
Women Top Scores
1.49     Regina Reilly of Walsh Jesuit Basketbal, Madeline Gaines of CVCA Soccer & Kelly Fenwick of Stow Basketball    

Men Top Scores
1.32    Nick Kopczak of Stow Football  
1.33    Mike Peters of CVCA Basketball


PRO-AGILITY (AKA: NFL SHUTTLE)
Women Top Scores
4.55 RIGHT, 4.51 LEFT     Regina Reilly of Walsh Jesuit Basketball
4.76 RIGHT, 4.68 LEFT     Kelly Fenwick of Stow Basketball

Men Top Scores
4.15 RIGHT, 4.15 LEFT    Mike Peters of CVCA Basketball (best time ever at AGSP!)
4.21 RIGHT, 4.25 LEFT    Nate Peters of CVCA Basketball

Testing helps us keep track of our athletes' progress and allows us to make sure we are giving them the results they want!

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

Exercise Video Tutorial: RDL

Hello Everyone!

Check out this video tutorial on an exercise our athletes are doing a lot this month, the RDL (Romanian Deadlift). The RDL is great for developing hip strength and mobility! Crucial for any athlete that wants to play at their best!

*Check the description of the video to learn about something the athlete is forgetting to do in the video.



Keep Training! 
Akron General Sports Performance