Strength and conditioning program - starting strong!

When I watch high school players from Pleasant Grove, a couple of things stand out. One is that players from the suburbs or from better served areas are quite often better athletes. A little faster, a little stronger, with just a little more shifty agility. In soccer, that matters.

And it’s no mystery as to why: they benefit from better strength and conditioning programs, whether that’s through their school, through community programs, through individual training or just because there is greater awareness of these programs’ collective benefit.  Once again, it’s an area where an underserved community just doesn’t get the same opportunities.

That’s where Pleasant Grove Soccer & Sports comes in – trying to close some of those gaps. As best as we can, at least.

Which brings us to an activation we started last week: a strength and speed program aimed at the young soccer talent in Pleasant Grove. We had 48 kids, ages 11-14, participate in the first week of a free six-week program.

We selected this age group (as opposed to, say, high school kids) because research tells us these are critical years in physical growth and neuromuscular development. 

The kids benefit from motor skill learning and make gains in mobility, coordination and flexibility. It is also a safe age for kids to start learning basic resistance

training movements (although we are a little restricted because we don’t have the equipment – not just yet, anyway.)

The programming is designed by Madison Taylor, a local strength and conditioning coach with degrees in biochemistry and molecular biology – so we’re excited about the thoughtful level of training that we’ll be offering.

We are adding elements of nutritional information — “Choose healthy snacks!” and “How are we fueling ourselves for these workouts!?”

There are countless benefits to these programs. Kids learn more about developing healthy habits, about discipline, how to push and challenge themselves, how to move and run properly.  It’s important for injury prevention, and can even help head off body image issues that may crop up later. We want kids in Pleasant Grove to have more of this — because there’s just not enough now.

If it’s successful, and everyone feels like they are getting something from it – and if we can continue to pay for it, of course – we’ll keep this one going!