Sports Performance & Ohio Schools

Hello Everyone,

How can Akron General Sports Performance help enrich your students and school system?

There are many options, with the primary mission being to:
"Improve the health & performance of Ohio School System's students & athletes through proper education on athletic performance and its many variables (nutrition, injury prevention, etc.)."

Guest Speaking
Teach a physical education class? Want to expose your students to different applications of fitness? Akron General Sports Performance's Coaches are eager to guest speak in the area. All of our coaches are college educated in exercise science and have been working with athletes for multiple years. There are a wide variety of topics that we speak on. Please email us (aharen@agmc.org) and find out if we can guest speak at your class! Most guest speaking is complimentary!

Guest Coaching
Want to spice up practice? Expose your athletes to proper speed mechanics? Akron General Sports Performance Coaches can help liven up practice in multiple ways. You let us know what can help your team improve (better warm-ups, speed training, power development, agility training, etc.) and we'll do the rest. All coaches/teams receive the first guest coaching complimentary! Email or call today!

Health & Fitness Fairs
Is your school holding a Health & Fitness Fair? Akron General Sports Performance would enjoy being a part of it! Depending on the theme of the fair we can hold demonstrations, give talks, meet and greets, etc. Having AGSP at your school's fair is complimentary! Contact us with the details!

Coaches Education Seminars
Looking to enhance the knowledge of your school's coaching staff? AGSP Coaches are eager to better equip today's sport coaches with a better understanding on strength, conditioning, injury prevention, program design, etc. School's can have as many coaches at a seminar as they want (which makes for a great deal per person!). We ask that a school commit to 6 seminars. The seminars will be geared to the goals of the school, so you only learn about the topics you are interested in. We are willing to work with each school's needs and limitations. The seminars can be spread over any length of time (days, weeks, months, etc.) , each individual seminar is between 60-90 minutes in length. This is a great event for booster clubs to fund as it benefits the school, the coaches, and the athletes. Contact us today!

Have an idea or event you think Akron General Sports Performance can enhance? Interested in any of the above opportunities? We look forward to bettering our local school's and communities!

Keep training!
Coach Amanda Kephart

Speed Camp this Saturday July 18!

Hello Everyone!

A Special Announcement, this Saturday July 18, AGSP will be hosting a Speed Camp at our Montrose Facility!

Led by Director, Coach Craig Sowers (who is also an assistant sports performance coach at UCLA), this one hour speed camp will teach athletes how to:
- Run FASTER!
- Be more EXPLOSIVE!
- Change direction QUICKER!

This camp is a great compliment to athletes currently doing summer training in preparation for fall/winter!

Don't miss out! Coaches and athletes (12+ years) of all sports are welcome!

AGSP SPEED CAMP
West Performance Center
4125 Medina Road
Akron, OH 44333
Saturday July 18, 2009
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM in the main gym

Only $10 at the door! No need to RSVP, just show up and get faster!

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart

AGSP on Sports Time Ohio (STO)

Hello Everyone!

I wanted to give everyone a heads up that AGSP will be featured during the Akron Racers Insider show this upcoming Monday June 8 at 6:30 PM.

Our segment is narrated by yours truly and features two of our hardest working female athletes!

* STO is an Ohio sports television channel.

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart

AGSP trains The Akron Racers

Hello Everyone!

I have some exciting news, Akron General Sports Performance is now the Official Sports Performance Training of the Akron Racers!

AGSP will be training our local Women's Fastpitch Professional Softball team throughout the 2009 Season. AGSP will be helping to increase The Racers' strength, power, and speed while decreasing their risk for injury as they try to bring the National Pro Fastpitch (NFL) Championship back to Akron, Ohio!


Keep Training! (The Akron Racers will be!)
Coach Amanda Kephart

Athlete Spotlighting #2: Andrea Gordon

Hello Everyone!

Our next Athlete Spotlight is very different then the first. This athlete is newer to AGSP, but has hit the ground running. Motivated and focused, we will be tracking her progress as she prepares for her senior year of high school basketball. Let's get to know...

Athlete Name: Andrea Gordon
Sport(s): Basketball
Position(s): Point Guard, Shooting Guard
School: Woodridge High School
Graduation Year: 2010
AGSP Athlete Since: March 2009

Favorite Professional Sports Team: Cavaliers
Favorite Professional Athlete: LeBron James
Favorite Lift: None...yet
Favorite Movement Skill: Acceleration

When I am not at AGSP, I am:
"Playing Basketball and hanging out with friends at the movies, Chipotle, and/or Applebee's."

What are your short-term goals?
"To make 1st Team All-Conference and All-Star Team my senior year."

What are your long-term goals?
"Go to college and become an architect."

How has AGSP impacted your performance as an athlete?
"I feel stronger and more educated about how to do things correctly, so that when I'm not at AGSP I can think about and work on certain skills."

Check out some video of Andrea training hard at AGSP!

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart

Athlete Spotlighting #1: Danny Dunn

Hello Everyone!

Its time we start congratulating some of our hard-working athletes.

Its time we...
...share their accomplishments
...share their journeys
...share their commitment
...share their results

Introducing, Athlete Spotlighting, a time where we learn through others and acknowledge them for their hard-work, consistency, and passion.

Our first athlete was an easy choice. Since starting his training at AGSP over a year ago, he has been one of our most consistent, open-minded, eager, hard-working athletes to ever step under the barbell. Without further delay, its time to spotlight...

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT #1: Danny Dunn

Sport(s) Played: Football
Position(s) Played: Defensive End & Tackle
School: Stow-Munroe Falls High School
Graduation Year: 2012

AGSP Athlete Since: January 2008
Favorite Lift: Back Squat
Favorite Movement Skill: Acceleration

Favorite Professional Sports Team: Denver Broncos
Favorite Professional Athlete: LeBron James

When Danny is not at ASGP, he is: "Training with the high school football team"

His short-term goals? "Start on the Varsity Football Team this fall"

His long-term goals? "Play college football at Ohio State University"

How has AGSP impacted his performance as an athlete? "I've gotten faster and stronger"

Check out some video of Danny training hard at AGSP!

Stay tuned for more Athlete Spotlights!

Until then...

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart

What is a Sports Performance Coach?

Hello Everyone!

Whether its from a friend, sport coach, athlete, parent, or curious passer-by, I'm often asked, "What is a Sports Performance Coach?"

So let me answer the question clearly...

A Sports Performance Coach (SPC) is:
An Expert in Exercise Physiology
- Understands how all the systems of the body; muscular, nervous, skeletal, endocrine, etc. effects the entire human body. This understanding allows the SPC to teach athletes how to maximize human performance.

An Expert in Human Movement Pattern
- Not only does the Sports Performance Coach know how the body works, but also how the body moves. Angles, force production, stability, balance, edges, etc. are the meat and potatoes of the SPC's coaching. A good SPC understands all these movement variables and how they change depending on application. Whether its acceleration, squat, maximum velocity, olympic lifts, change of direction, etc. the SPC can get an athlete to perform all of these skills at a higher, more optimal level.

Has the Ability to Uncover the Cause of Pain
- Athletes train hard and pain is common. A good SPC, because of his/her above knowledge has the ability to start uncovering the cause of some pains. Especially when they are caused by poor movement patterns. Many pains, whether knees, backs, shoulders, etc. can cease when the SPC teaches proper movement and removes poor, unhealthy movement. Of course, a good SPC does not hesitate to get further opinions from physical therapists and doctors.

A Sports Performance Coach (SPC) is NOT:
An Expert on Individual Sports
- A SPC does not understand the details behind a good jump shot, the perfect swing, the perfect spiral, etc. This knowledge belongs to the Sport Coach, not the Sports PERFORMANCE Coach. This is why its important for a SPC to compliment the Sport Coach by building stronger, healthier, faster athletes. That way the Sport Coach can teach the perfect swing and the Sports Performance Coach can teach power generation. Perfect Swing + Power = Powerful Perfect Swing

Should a Sports Performance Coach try to be a Sport Coach? NO!
Should a Sport Coach try to be a Sports Performance Coach? NO!
Should a Sport Coach and a Sports Performance Coach work together to develop the best athletes possible? YES!

Hopefully that answers things. :-)

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart