Speed Boosters

Thirty Dollar Thursdays - Complete Baseball Instruction & Training

2009-11-08T20:09:00.005-06:00

As a baseball player you must be physically ready to perform the skills the game requires. What distinguishes the great players from the good players? Great players are dedicated to improving their overall game which includes baseball skills such as hitting and throwing as well as conditioning for baseball specific movements. You may now meet all of these baseball specific training needs at St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy in a convenient and affordably priced format. Each Thursday beginning December 3rd you may now receive 30 minutes of hitting instruction followed by 45 minutes of Nike SPARQ training. That is 75 minutes of total baseball instruction for just $30. Space and time is very limited so sign up today. For more information please contact Sean Erwin at sean.erwin@speedboosters.net

Fall/Winter Sessions

2009-09-28T08:43:00.002-05:00

Speed Boosters will again be offering their "Open" fall/winter sessions at St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy beginning November 3rd. Open sessions will be offered on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 5:15-6:00, 6:00-6:45, and 6:45-7:30. Sessions are only $10 per 45 minute session. Speed Boosters also allows you to pay as you go! For more information contact sean.erwin@speedboosters.net

Speed Boosters session days and times for Grizzlies Baseball Academy at GCS Stadium coming soon!

Fall Sports Season

2009-06-29T20:08:00.003-05:00

Are you ready for the fall sports season? Speed Boosters offers customized sports specific training programs to meet your needs. Whether you are preparing for football, volleyball, softball, or cross country Speed Boosters has you covered. Speed Boosters will even travel to you, a small group, or even to your team to do the training. Getting a training program started with Speed Boosters is simple. If you are interested in setting up training prior to the upcoming fall sports season visit http://www.speedboosters.net/SessionInfo.htm for additional information.

Female Speed & Agility Camp

2009-05-25T19:37:00.002-05:00

Speed Boosters will be offering a Speed and Agility Camp specifically designed for females at Lafayette High School this summer. The camp is designed to meet the pre-season needs of female athletes prior to entering the fall sports season. Each participant will receive SPARQ training as well as a SPARQ rating from Speed Boosters nationally certified staff. The camp will run on Monday/Wednesday/Friday beginning on July 20th and end August 7th for a total of 9 training sessions. Camps will be as follows on the campus of Lafayette High School:

Elite Camp (Grades 9-12) 8:00-9:00 a.m. ($215)
Basic Camp (Grades 6-8) 9:15-10:15 a.m. ($135)
Basic Camp (Grades 6-12) 10:30-11:30 a.m. ($135)

For more information or a flyer contact Sean Erwin at sean.erwin@speedboosters.net or Lafayette High School Head Softball Coach Scott Denoyer at denoyerscott@rockwood.k12.mo.us

Spring Session Times

2009-03-04T08:02:00.003-06:00

Our spring SPARQ Training sessions have now begun. Below you will find the days and times of our sessions at both of our locations. Whether its preparing for the spring season or in-season training Speed Boosters will meet your sports performance training needs. Summer session schedule, SPARQ Testings, and summer camp times coming soon.

Spring SPARQ Training Sessions
Location: St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy
Tuesday: 4:15-5:00, 5:15-6:00, 6:00-6:45
Wednesday: 5:15-6:00 & 6:00-6:45
Thursday: 4:15-5:00, 5:15-6:00, 6:00-6:45
Cost: $10 per session
Pay As You Go!

Spring SPARQ Training Sessions

Location: Grizzlies Baseball Academy @ GCS Stadium

Tuesday: 7:15-8:00 & 8:00-8:45

Thursday: 7:15-8:00 & 8:00-8:45

Call about Team Training Sessions.

Cost: $10 per session

Pay As You Go!

Thank You!

2009-02-24T21:25:00.003-06:00

Speed Boosters would like to thank the 102 and 108 athletes who have trained with us the past two weeks at St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy and the Grizzlies Baseball Academy. Speed Boosters would like to wish all spring athletes the best of luck as they prepare for the start of their high school seasons next Monday.

New spring hours begin March 3rd and are listed below:
St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy - Tues/Wed/Thurs - 5:15-6:00 & 6:00 - 6:45
Grizzlies Baseball Academy - Tues/Thurs 7:15-8:00 & 8:00 - 8:45

We look forward to seeing you in our spring training sessions. For additional information contact Sean Erwin at sean.erwin@speedboosters.net

Baseball SPARQ Testing

2009-02-24T21:19:00.002-06:00

On Thursday February 26th, Speed Boosters will be offering baseball SPARQ testing at St. Louis Baseball and Fastpitch Academy. The testing will take place promptly at 3:30 p.m. The baseball SPARQ test consists of the 30 yard dash, vertical jump, 5-10-5 shuttle, and rotational powerball throw. To find out how you rate attend the SPARQ testing session on Thursday.

5 Tool Players

2009-02-08T11:13:00.006-06:00

The "Five Tools" for a baseball player are speed, hitting for average, hitting for power, arm strength, and fielding. It amazes me that many players address the last four tools but do not work on the first tool (speed) and probably the most important. Speed really effects each of the other four tools. A player with speed stands out among others.

Yes, speed can be developed through a program that addresses form, first step quickness, explosive power, and efficient movements. Just by taking 1/10th of a second off your time from home to first you are taking one less step down the first base line. How many times over the course of a season is a player thrown out by one step? I would argue it happens from 8-12 times per season. Increasing your speed by just that 1/10th of a second would give you 8-12 additional hits over the course of the season. That will give a player a huge increase in batting average. Don't overlook the importance of speed!

To begin a SPARQ training program with Speed Boosters at one of our two locations or at your team practice contact Sean Erwin at sean.erwin@speedboosters.net

Talent is Overrated?

2009-01-28T10:20:00.003-06:00

I'm in the middle of reading Talent is Overrate by Geoff Colvin. The title really grabbed my attention. The premise of the book is very simple: you are not born with certain abilities or talent, you gain the ability to perform at a high level (regardless of activity) through "deliberate practice." Basically you must develop a specific program where you can improve your abilities which will then carry over to your sport, activity, job, or trade. Colvin uses examples of such high level achievers as Mozart, Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Tiger Woods, and Jerry Rice.

The story of Jerry Rice's rise to a great performer was interesting. He was talked into playing high school football. He was not highly recruited out of high school. Division IAA Mississippi Valley State was the only program to really show interest. How did Rice go from his humble beginnings to being one of the greatest players to every play in the NFL? His approach. No one put in as much time as Rice did to prepare for the game. It is estimated that only 1% of his time was spent playing on the field in the NFL compared to the other 99% which was spent preparing for that time using "deliberate practice." Amazing yet not surprising.

How do we improve our performance? Deliberate practice. Athletes will not improve their performance on the field by playing 100 games a year regardless of sport. Improved performance will come through a well designed "deliberate practice" routine. Building a good strong foundation for future development in your sport will come through a sports performance training program as well as your sport specific skill instruction. How much "deliberate practice" are you taking part in?

For more information on Speed Boosters training sessions as St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy and the Grizzlies Baseball Academy @ GCS Stadium contact Sean Erwin - sean.erwin@speedboosters.net

Grizzlies Academy

2009-01-20T08:30:00.005-06:00

Speed Boosters Nike SPARQ sessions have begun at the Grizzlies Baseball Academy. Every Monday & Wednesday night from 5:15-6:00 and from 6:00-6:45 you can Nike SPARQ train with Speed Boosters nationally certified staff. Sessions are only $10 for a 45 minute session. As well as Speed Boosters training you can get professional hitting and pitching instruction from the staff of the Grizzlies Baseball Academy which includes former and current pro players as well as the current coaching staff of the minor league Gateway Grizzlies. Begin your pre-season training today with Speed Boosters training and professional instruction by the Grizzlies Baseball Academy staff. For more information contact Sean Erwin at sean.erwin@speedboosters.net

Grizzlies Academy Sessions Beginning

2009-01-14T15:16:00.004-06:00

We will be beginning our SPARQ training sessions at the Grizzlies Baseball Academy beginning Monday January 19th. Sessions will be offered on Monday & Wednesday nights from 5:15-6:00 and from 6:00-6:45. It is open enrollment which means you can attend on the nights and time that fit best into your schedule. The cost is just $10 per training session. Along with the training sessions on Monday and Wednesday nights we will also be offering team SPARQ testing and training. To arrange your team sessions please contact me at sean.erwin@speedboosters.net To learn more about SPARQ visit their website at http://www.sparqtraining.com/

Becoming A Better Athlete

2009-01-12T13:19:00.004-06:00

How important is sports performance training in your quest to becoming a better player? Extremely important! Just ask Urban Meyer and Bob Stoops. The NY Times had a great article on the importance of the strength coaches for the Oklahoma and Florida football programs. The role that these strength coaches play within each program is ever expanding. At the college level an athlete will spend more time with his strength coach than he will with their position coach. How much time do you spend focusing on strength and conditioning? Many coaches at the collegiate level see the hiring of the strength coach as the most important hire they can make. If you get a chance check out the article http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/sports/ncaafootball/08college.html?_r=2

If your looking to prepare and improve your strength, speed, and agility prior to the season now is the time. For information on Speed Boosters training and facilities visit www.speedboosters.net

How are you preparing for the season?

2008-12-24T09:19:00.003-06:00

The high school baseball season is a little over 2 months away from beginning. The difference between making and not making the team will be an evaluation over the course of 3-4 days which is often indoors. You need to stand out as a player and be fully prepared by tryouts. How are you preparing for the season? Speed Boosters has teamed up with St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy to offer 90 minutes of baseball training for just $10. On Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning January 13th athletes will be able to compete in Nike SPARQ training for 40 minutes followed by 40 minutes of hitting (tee, soft toss, short toss, live). All sessions take place from 3:30-4:45 p.m. at St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy. For more information contact sean.erwin@speedboosters.net

Speed Boosters & Grizzlies Baseball Academy

2008-12-19T06:56:00.003-06:00

Speed Boosters is proud to announce the addition of offering training at a second facility. For the past three years we have been training out of St. Louis Baseball and Fastpitch Academy (STLBA) and have traveled to many other facilities, practices, and showcases to not only train but to also SPARQ test nearly 4000 athletes. The involvement and development of athletes at STLBA has been outstanding. We will now be bringing our proven and innovative training to the metro east through a partnership with the Grizzlies Baseball Academy. On January 10th the Grizzlies Baseball Academy will open the doors to their new state of the art training facility at GCS Stadium. The facility will be a one stop shop for a players baseball training needs. The facility is a great place to get individual instruction from former pro players or to bring your team to practice. Additionally they have the Pro Batter PX2 which is a real life Major League pitching simulator that is the first of its kind in the St. Louis area. To finalize a players baseball training needs we at Speed Boosters will be offering multiple services including SPARQ training and testing, sports performance training (combining strength & SPARQ training), sports nutrition consulting, and sports performance training consulting. We are excited about this partnership and are looking forward to helping metro east athletes reach their full potential and achieve their goals. For more information on the Grizzlies Baseball Academy visit their website at www.grizzliesbaseballacademy.com

When To Begin Training

2008-11-25T06:58:00.002-06:00

"When should my son/daughter begin training?" This is a question that I am often asked on a daily basis. With schools increasing time spent in Language Arts, Math, and Science time is being taken away from other areas. Unfortunately one such area is often Physical Education. Some students are now only getting Physical Education once or even twice a week. Where are these young students going to learn movement skills and how are they going to build a foundation and general understanding of fitness and sports related movements? Over the course of the past year I have seen a large increase of young athletes (7,8,9,10 years olds) coming to speed training. Through speed, agility, and explosive movement training young athletes are taught proper form and technique that will create a good base or foundation for all fitness or sport related movements. Learning proper form and movement patterns is also a great way prevent injuries. So when should your son or daughter begin training? Whenever they begin to compete in athletics. Giving your young athlete the proper foundation that all sport specific movements are based on will not only help in injury prevention but will also help them increase their athletic performance. The younger kids love doing SPARQ training. They see it as "fun" and not work and look forward to the training every week. Have your young athlete start off on the right foot by joining a Speed Boosters training sessions.
TRAIN BETTER, TRAIN SPEED BOOSTERS!

Speed Boosters Developments

2008-11-20T07:19:00.003-06:00

Over the course of the past couple years Speed Boosters has greatly expanded. We are at an all time high for athletes participating in our programs. As athletes begin to see the importance of sports performance and SPARQ training and continue to reap the benefits of being involved in our training programs the numbers will only expand more. In a continued effort to offer the best possible experience and results and at the most affordable price for our athletes, Speed Boosters will be offering new services and a greater number of programs. Within the next week or two we will be announcing the new developments and opportunities we will be offering for athletes in the St. Louis and Metro East area. TRAIN BETTER, TRAIN SPEED BOOSTERS!

STL Softball Showcase

2008-11-07T22:53:00.006-06:00

Myself and the Speed Boosters staff had the opportunity to work with ESPN Rise Magazine, Nike, and SPARQ at the annual St. Louis Softball Showcase last weekend. It was a great event attended by well over a thousand of the areas top softball players. Over the course of the weekend we had the opportunity to SPARQ test 1,323 players. It's always great to see young athletes compete and see the results of their dedication and hard work. There were several athletes that really stood out from the rest. What did these athletes have in common? They were part of a well designed sport specific training program to increase speed, power, agility, reaction, quickness, flexibility, and injury prevention. The gains received from training have carried over directly to the diamond and have put them at the top of their game. Below is a list of the "Top 10" from the weekend that can also be seen at http://myespn.go.com/blogs/highschoolsoftball

TOP OVERALL SPARQ RATINGS
Mackenzie Sykes -2010-2B-Originals (RE) -133.02
Brandee Bohr -2009-OF-S E Iowa Softball Allstars -126.75
Brianna Corwin -2010-C-Originals (RE) -120.27
Jenna Marston -2009-SS-St Louis Diamond Cats -120.12
Marissa Mersch -2011-OF-Lemont Rockers (DD) -120.09
Cynthia Miller -2010-OF-Illinois Bandits 18U Gold -118.65
Alyssa Smith -2011-2B-Oak Park Windmills (MS) -115.68
Allie Anttila -2010-OF-Illinois Chill (BE) -115.26
Staci Bonezek -2011-3B-Homer Hawks Black 16-U -113.82
Lauren Ackerman -2009-C-St Louis Diamond Cats -111.6

What are you doing to improve? TRAIN BETTER, TRAIN SPEED BOOSTERS

Speed Boosters SPARQ Team Challenge

2008-09-29T21:21:00.005-05:00

What are St. Louis area high school basketball programs doing to prepare for the basketball season? Competing in the Speed Boosters SPARQ Team Challenge training sessions with Speed Boosters. Speed Boosters SPARQ training sessions consist of dynamic flexibility development, speed, linear and lateral footwork progressions, and explosive movement training that prepares the basketball player for the rigors of the high school basketball season. Check back soon for basketball specific development drills from the training sessions as well as updates on how the players are progressing.

TRAIN BETTER, TRAIN SPEED BOOSTERS.

Speed Boosters Football SPARQ Training Top 10

2008-08-01T21:25:00.003-05:00

Congrats to all of the football players that completed 6 weeks of SPARQ training. The results that were obtained are a testament to what a well designed program based on research and a strong work ethic can accomplish. Below are the "Top 10" SPARQ ratings with the increase each athlete saw in their SPARQ rating from the first week of training.

1.)Mike Heumann - 110.25 (Increase 56.76)
2.)Robert Pratt- 108.27 (Increase 37.35)
3.)Randy Emilien -85.5 (Increase 20.10)
4.)Sean Alexander- 81.33 (Increase 34.83)
5.)Sam Smith- 77.16 (Increase 26.91)
6.)Steve Wiley- 75.36 (Increase 22.16)
7.)Ryan Campbell- 74.58 (Increase 38.01)
8.)Garth Shermann- 71.94 (Increase 29.88)
9.)Kyle Portell- 69.36 (Increase 32.22)
10.)Dylan Bannecke- 67.14 (Increase 31.11)

Again, congrats to all that trained this summer and good luck as you enter your fall seasons.

TRAIN BETTER, TRAIN SPEED BOOSTERS.

Fall & Winter Training Sessions Announced

2008-07-29T08:16:00.004-05:00

It's been a while since I had the opportunity to post to the blog. So far it has been a crazy summer full of camps, training, and SPARQ testing hundreds of athletes within the St. Louis area. I have also been working on several projects with SPARQ that I will hopefully have more info on soon. We just recently completed our summer training sessions and had some unbelievable results. I will post the top SPARQ results soon. Many have inquired about our fall and winter SPARQ training schedule at St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy. I have provided our schedule below for those that are interested in increasing their on field performance. If you are interested in SPARQ team training or having your team SPARQ tested please feel free to contact me at sean.erwin@speedboosters.net . Speed Boosters is dedicated to helping individual athletes and teams achieve their goals and can come to your practice to train or SPARQ test your athletes. TRAIN BETTER, TRAIN SPEED BOOSTERS!

FALL SESSION
(Begins August 25th)
Nike SPARQ Training Sessions
Days: Monday & Wednesday
Times: 7:00-7:45 p.m.
Location: St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy
Cost: $10 per session
Open Enrollment- Attend on days and times of your choice

WINTER SESSION
(Begins November 3rd)
Nike SPARQ Training
Days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Times: 5:30-6:15, 6:15-7:00 p.m.
Location: St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy
Cost: $10 per session
Open Enrollment- Attend on days and times of your choice

Is Your Better Really Better?

2008-05-07T18:50:00.004-05:00

What are you doing this summer to increase your performance? Speed, Power, Agility, Reaction, and Quickness are vital to every sport. Athletes are not born with these attributes, they are developed. Through a well designed functional training program you can take your game to the next level and make your better even better.
Speed Boosters, a leader in sports performance training, offers Nike SPARQ training and functional sports training sessions to improve your on field performance. The sessions are geared towards middle, high school, college, and pro athletes who want to maximize and reach their full potential. Training sessions will enhance speed, power, agility, reaction, quickness, flexibility, and improve fundemental movement skills while aiding in injury prevention.
Speed Boosters uses your SPARQ rating to develop an individualized training program aimed at improving your sport specific performance. Make your on field performance better! For more information on Nike SPARQ training with Speed Boosters visit http://www.speedboosters.net/ or email sean.erwin@speedboosters.net

TRAIN BETTER. TRAIN SPEED BOOSTERS.

Metro United SPARQ Testing

2008-05-03T16:00:00.002-05:00

Today myself and the Speed Boosters staff headed out to the Metro United Soccer Complex in Collinsville, Illinois to do the first piece of the SPARQ Test before the U 15/16 and U 17/18 teams head up to the Development Academy Spring Showcase in Rockford, Illinois May 23-26. Dale Schilly has a great program going and just a great group of kids in the program.
Today the players were having their height and weight measured as well as running the YIRT 2 Test. The YIRT 2 Test is designed to test the players endurance and recovery capacity. Both teams today had several players score at or above the 90th percentile. I was impressed by the conditioning levels of the guys.
On May 23-26th they will take the second portion of the SPARQ Test. Below are the specific tests in the Soccer SPARQ Test as well as what each test is measuring.

20 Meter Sprint - Speed - measures linear speed and high end running
Arrowhead Agility - Agility - measures speed, agility, and change of directon
Vertical Jump - Power - measures explosive power
YIRT 2 - Endurance - measures endurance and recovery capacity

For more information on SPARQ and U.S. Soccer check out www.sparqtraining.com or http://ussoccer.com

TRAIN BETTER. TRAIN SPEED BOOSTERS.

Grizzlies Open Try-Out

2008-04-27T20:32:00.003-05:00

This moring I was out at the Gateway Grizzlies open try out at GCS Ballpark. I was there to time the 30's and 60's of the players. Using the SPARQ XLR8 Cones makes this process so easy and accurate. Using the cones I was able to get split times. This makes large testings and assessments so much more efficient because your killing two birds with one stone. With 1 sprint I was able to get the 30 and 60 times of each athlete. The best 30 time today was a 3.64 while the best 60 was a 6.8.
Every player in attendance regardless of their time had one thing in common, poor running mechanics. It is amazing that athletes can make it to such a high level of play with very little knowledge or previous training mainly with running mechanics. These athletes could greatly improve on field performance by improving their running mechanics. In baseball, 1/10th of a second off your 30 time is 1-2 steps down the first base line. Over the course of a season how many times is a player thrown out by 1-2 steps at first? How many times could a ground ball or fly ball have been caught if you had 1 or 2 more steps? Now you can see how important speed is in the game of baseball. In future blog postings I will take a step by step approach to form running so that you can improve your speed and on field performance.

TRAIN BETTER, TRAIN SPEED BOOSTERS.

Fastpitch Clinics

2008-04-25T22:24:00.002-05:00

It's been a busy and crazy week since my last post but I just wanted to keep everyone informed of another great camp opportunity this summer. Scott Sullivan, owner of St. Louis Baseball and Fastpitch Academy will be offering one day fastpitch clinics every Wednesday in June. The clinics will be offered to girls ages 10U - 18U and will offer some of the best instructors and college coaches in the area.

The clinic includes the following:
Softball 2.0 SPARQ Testing by Speed Boosters
Arm Strength & Throwing Evaluation
Bat Speed & Mechanics Checklist
CD Highlighting Clinic Events
Lunch
T-Shirt & Prizes

Special Guest Instructors:
June 4th - Kim Schuette, Eastern Illinois University
June 11th - Craig Nicholson, Ball State University, Chicago Bandits
June 18th - Rich Sturm, Oakville High School
June 25th - TBA

Clinic Instructors:
Scott Sullivan
Jim Greiner
Randi Null
SLU, Mizzou, Kansas, Ball State, & Bradley Players

For more information on the fastpitch clinics visit www.stlacademy.com

TRAIN BETTER, TRAIN SPEED BOOSTERS.

Summer Training

2008-04-13T11:55:00.002-05:00

Does your training need a SPARQ? We will be offering several options for athletes who are interested in increasing their athletic performance. Listed below are several options for training with us this summer. We also do group and team SPARQ Training and SPARQ Testing sessions and will come to your facility or practice. Check back often for more offerings.

New Summer Training Sessions begin June 9th.

SPARQ Training Sessions
Days: Monday and Friday
Times: 9:00-9:45, 9:45-10:30, 10:30-11:15
Location: St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy
Cost: $10 per session
Open Enrollment- Attend on days and times of your choice

Female Functional Strength Training w/SPARQ Training Sessions
Days: Monday & Friday
Times: 9:00-10:30, 9:45-11:15
Location: St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy
Cost: $15 per session

Open Enrollment- Attend on days and times of your choice

For more information contact:
sean.erwin@speedboosters.net

TRAIN BETTER, TRAIN SPEED BOOSTERS.

Dynamic Stretch: Inchworm

2008-04-06T20:39:00.003-05:00

Here is Dynamic Stretch 7 of 7. I hope that you have implemented these into your warmup and pre-game routine. Remember we must prepare for dynamic activity by stretching dynamically.

7.) Inchworm - Start in the up position of a pushup. Walk your feet up towards your hands while keeping your hands on the ground. Once the feet reach the hands, walk the hands away from the feet. Keep hands flat on ground. Perform 8-10 reps and then jog it out 10 yards. This stretch targets the lower back, hips, and hamstrings.

TRAIN BETTER, TRAIN SPEED BOOSTERS.

U.S. Soccer & SPARQ

2008-04-04T14:00:00.002-05:00

Speed Boosters in collaboration with Nike and SPARQ will be participating in the training and testing of young National Teams and Developmental Academy Clubs. Speed Boosters looks forward to working with some of the top soccer players in the St. Louis area as well as the country. The following release comes from the U.S. Soccer Official Website:

U.S. Soccer Partners With Nike and SPARQ Training to Provide Training Expertise For Youth Players

SPARQ Will Provide Physical Testing and Training Component to Players on Youth National Teams and All Development Academy Clubs;
Training Revolution Will Begin this Spring and During Academy Showcase in Rockford, Ill.

CHICAGO (April 2, 2008) — As part of its commitment to provide elite youth players with the best possible environment and tools for training and development, U.S. Soccer is partnering with Nike and SPARQ to enhance training for players on the men’s and women’s Youth National Teams and all clubs in the Development Academy. All athletes from the Youth National Teams and the Development Academy will be tested this spring and each athlete’s test results and subsequent SPARQ Soccer Rating will serve as the foundation for a comprehensive individual program to focus training and track progress and improvement over time.

What is the Sparq Soccer Rating?
The SPARQ Soccer Rating is a proprietary, standardized method for evaluating match-relevant athletic and functional ability. It is a single number derived from performances on four soccer-specific physical tests of speed, power, agility and endurance capacity. The results serve as the foundation for individualized training programs.

“Partnering with Nike and SPARQ is another step in providing the absolute best atmosphere to improve the development environment for the elite soccer players in our national teams and in the Academy,” said U.S. Soccer Development Academy Director and Men’s National Team assistant coach John Hackworth. “We are excited about SPARQ training because it is another tool players can use to achieve their highest soccer potential.”

SPARQ stands for speed, power, agility, reaction and quickness, and is a training resource that uses a standardized method of testing to provide athletes with an assessment and training tools to help them improve. The standardized testing environment enables players to measure themselves against their peers and international caliber soccer players.

Nike Athletes Using SPARQ
Landon Donovan (MLS)
Kevin Durant (NBA)
Steve Nash (NBA)
Adrian Peterson (NFL)
Lindsay Tarpley (U.S. Women)
LaDanian Tomlinson (NFL)
Hope Solo (U.S. Women)
Abby Wambach (U.S. Women)

SPARQ trainers will test athletes at their local club and at the Development Academy Spring Showcase from May 23 to 26 in Rockford, Ill. Once tested, players receive an individualized program designed to provide meaningful training by addressing personalized areas of weakness and focus on areas of strength. The physical training element is focused on developing soccer athleticism, which is a major component of successful professional clubs’ programs, along with tactical and technical training.

Launched in the fall 2007 after a comprehensive review of the player development systems in the U.S. and across the world, the Development Academy will provide the best possible opportunity for players to develop. Teams in the Academy are required to train a minimum of three times a week, eliminating the growing trend of playing excessive games in lieu of consistent training patterns, while also playing relevant weekly matches at a high level against other teams in the program.

More than 3,000 players are part of the Development Academy, which includes clubs with teams in each of the two Academy age groups: Under-15/16 and U-17/18. The clubs are divided into eight conferences (based on geographic proximity), with each team playing 30 matches during the eight-month season. The winner of each conference will participate in the Academy Finals Week at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., in July.

ussoccer.com is the official website of U.S. Soccer, the governing body of soccer in the United States

TRAIN BETTER, TRAIN SPEED BOOSTERS.

Dynamic Stretch: Long Step Backpedal

2008-04-04T13:58:00.001-05:00

Here is dynamic stretch 6 of 7.

6.) Long Step Backpedal - Jog backwards with your legs. Try to increase the length of each step. Reach backwards with each step. Perform 8-10 reps and then jog it out for 10 yards. This stretch targets the hip flexors.

Dynamic Stretch: Straight Leg Run

2008-03-31T19:40:00.000-05:00

Number 5 of 7 is the straight leg run. This is excellent for the hamstrings and also adds the leg movement used during sprinting. Add it to your routine today.

5.) Straight Leg Run- Run while keeping your legs in a locked position. Keep your feet in front of your body. Your feet should contact ground in front of hips. All weight should be placed on the ball of the foot. Perform for 8-10 reps and then jog it out for 10 yards. This mimics the leg movement during top speed sprinting.

Train Better, Train Speed Boosters.

Dynamic Stretch: Over & Under the Fence

2008-03-30T16:14:00.000-05:00

Here is dynamic stretch 4 of 7.

4.) Over and Under the Fence - Step laterally over an imaginary fence (one foot at a time) and then slide under another imaginary fence. Your feet should never cross at anytime during this drill. Step as high as possible for maximum range of motion. When going under the fence step as wide as possible and be sure to touch your chest to the top of your quadriceps. Perform 8-10 reps alternating legs and then jog it out for 10 yards. This will help to loosen hips and groin while also improving your change of direction.

Train Better, Train Speed Boosters.

Dynamic Stretch: Russian Kicks

2008-03-29T09:25:00.000-05:00

Here is dynamic stretch number three of seven. I hope these prep movements are giving you a SPARQ prior to training or competing.

3.) Russian Kicks – Keep your legs straight at all times and maintain an upright posture. Kick as high as possible while keeping the knee slightly bent. Kick your toes to your opposite hand which should be held at shoulder height. Alternate legs while walking for 8-10 reps and then jog it out for 10 yards. This will help target hamstring flexibility

Train Better, Train Speed Boosters.

Dynamic Stretch: Quad Walks

2008-03-28T08:18:00.000-05:00

Dynamic Stretch 2 of 7 is the quad walk. This is an excellent stretch for the hip flexors.

2.) Quad Walks - Take a step, grab your ankle, and pull it back toward your gluts. You should now be balancing on one foot. Walk for 8-10 reps alternating legs and then jog it out for 10 yards. This stretch helps to target flexibility in the front of the thigh and hip flexors.

Train Better, Train Speed Boosters.

Dynamic Stretch: Shin Grabs

2008-03-27T10:01:00.000-05:00

Here is dynamic stretch 1 of 7. Implement this stretch into your routine today!

1.) Shin Grabs – Maintain an upright posture while grabbing your shin and pulling it deep into the chest. Be sure to point your toes upward. Hold the position for a second. This requires great flexibility and body control. Support all weight on the front of the foot. Walk for 8-10 reps alternating legs and then jog it out for 10 yards. This will help to improve flexibility in the quadriceps.

Check back tomorrow for the second of seven effective dynamic stretches.

Train Better, Train Speed Boosters.

Dynamic Stretching

2008-03-26T13:44:00.000-05:00

Seven Effective Dynamic Stretches

As the owner of Speed Boosters, as an assistant football and baseball coach at Lindbergh High School in St. Louis, Missouri and working with the Gateway Grizzlies, I have noticed that many young and even collegiate and professional athletes do not prepare themselves properly prior to training sessions or even competition. This is a major mistake that ultimately affects the athletes training sessions as well as on field performance. In order for athletes to reach peak performance a proper warm up and flexibility routine must be established. Below you will find information on dynamic flexibility stretches that will get you on the path to peak athletic performance.

Often times we mistake stretching as part of the warm up when in fact they are two totally different parts of pre training or pre competition preparation. The goal of a warm-up is to get the blood flowing and to raise the temperature of the deep muscles and connective tissues prior to athletic competition and training sessions. It's essential to have the athlete's muscles, ligaments, and joints experience the functional range of motion required of the sport or activity during the warm-up. For the athlete a general 3-5 minute warm up that includes jogging, shuffles, backpedals, skips, and arm circles is an excellent way to increase body temperature.

Once body temperature has been increased we want to move on to addressing flexibility. Flexibility is defined as the range of motion available around a joint. So what type of stretching should athletes perform prior to training or competition to increase flexibility? Dynamic Stretching! Dynamic Stretching consists of slow controlled sport specific body movements that are performed to increase range of motion, balance, coordination, agility, and can even promote muscle strength. Recent research has shown that this is the most effective way to prepare athletes for training or competition.

Dynamic stretching is quite different than the static stretching that many coaches and athletes have been performing for years. The latest research shows that athletes should not perform prolonged static stretching (stretching with no motion) prior to the big game or a key practice session because this slows muscle activation for nearly an hour afterwards and decreases muscle strength and power.

There is a place for static stretching. Static stretching is very important in building flexibility and should be performed regularly, just not immediately before a game or training session. Static stretches are more appropriate and beneficial when used after competition or training during the “cool down” phase. When used after training sessions or competition static stretching provide an excellent way to reduce soreness, increase muscle length, and speed up the healing process.

Now that you understand the importance of the warm up and flexibility routine prior to training and competition over the course of the next seven days we will look at "7Effective Dynamic Stretches" that will help you reach your peak performance and give you a SPARQ prior to training or taking the field.

Espirit Female Performance: Got Espirit Speed?

2008-03-16T18:25:00.000-05:00

Female Sports Performance Training

2008-03-16T09:37:00.001-05:00

I often get the question: "Should females and males train the same way?" The answer to this question is both yes and no. Females and males do need to train the same biomechanical movements but there are some gender differences that need to be addressed while training. Before I get any further, no females will not get bulky or "man like" by sharing some of the same training principles as males. Females lack the capabilities of producing large amounts of testosterone.....naturally.
When training for sport females must address a few areas. The first of which are the hamstrings. Females generally have weaker hamstrings. This comes from using their much stronger quadriceps. How can this cause problems? This is exactly why females are up to 8 times more likely to obtain and ACL injury and most of these injuries occur in females under the age of 23. The ACL is one of four ligaments that help stabilize the knee. One of the functions of the hamstring is to protect the ACL. If the hamstring is weak you can see the problem.
There are measures that can be done to help prevent this type of injury. I like to refer to it as "pre-hab." Which basically means correcting the issue or problem before it occurs. This can be done through a sports performance training program that has been designed with the female in mind. The program should contain dynamic stretching, proprioception drills, agility, explosive movements, and strengthening exercises.
At Speed Boosters we have seen a significant increase in female particpation in sport performance training over the past year not only for its increased athletic benefits but also for injury prevention. We have several females as young as 9 and 10 years old participating in the training to help correct the imbalances which are often present in females. The participation of these young ladies will not only help to decrease the risk of injury but will also increase their athletic performance and on field accomplishments.
For these reasons Speed Boosters will now offer a Female Sports Performance Training program. This program is just for females and will address the needs of female athletes. It is an excellent program that will compliment the demands of summer schedules of many female athletes. Many injuries occur during the summer when fatigue sets in and these imbalances and weaknesses are exposed. The program will address the areas of concern and will provide a solid platform for peak athletic performance throughout the entire summer. This new and innovative program will begin June 9th. Check the blog or our website www.speedboosters.net soon for more details.

New Nike SPARQ Commercial 2

2008-03-14T09:57:00.000-05:00

New Nike SPARQ Commercial

2008-03-13T11:51:00.000-05:00

First Post

2008-03-10T20:55:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my first post on the Speed Boosters Sports Performance Training Blog. I am very excited about this new endeavor. The basis of this blog is to present new research, answer questions, provide innovative training ideas, and provide interviews with coaches, players, trainers, and strength and conditioning coaches. How do high school, college, and pro athletes prepare for their season? How do you improve your 40? How can arm strength be increased? How do you increase bat speed and power? What is SPARQ? All of those questions will addressed on this blog. The blog will ultimately give you the reader insight into the evolution of sports performance training.

Speed Boosters and this blog would not be possible without the help of many hard working people. The following people have been instrumental in taking Speed Boosters to the next level and making it one of the leaders in sports performance training in St. Louis: Tracey Handal (co-owner of Speed Boosters), Darin Scott (Speed Boosters Sports Performance Trainer), Geof Manzo (Athletic Trainer-Gateway Grizzlies), Scott Sullivan (Owner- St. Louis Baseball & Fastpitch Academy), Nate Meyer (SPARQ), and Speed Boosters staff members Bryan Hilton, Bob Fisher, and Nick Fisher.

Speed Boosters continues to greatly expand its services and work towards helping athletes achieve their goals. This summer we will open the "Speed Boosters Sports Performance Training Studio" where middle, high school, college, and pro athletes will train to gain a competitive advantage on the field. We will further expand our training for female athletes as we strive to maintain our reputation as an innovator of female sports performance training. Speed Boosters looks to increase its participation in SPARQ Testing and to add a high school football combine to its events schedule. In the past year over 1000 athletes have been SPARQ tested and many have utilized our training staff to improve their deficiencies and score. We also look forward to working with the minor league baseball Gateway Grizzlies of the Frontier League for the second year. This is just a small sample of changes and things to come in the next few months. Check the blog regularly for updates and announcements.

I look forward to posting on a weekly basis and hearing from you. I hope you find this blog useful and a tool for achieving your goals.

For more information on Speed Boosters or SPARQ please feel free to visit our website: www.speedboosters.net or email me at sean.erwin@speedboosters.net

Sean Erwin