Sunday, May 2, 2010

Camping Season

A summer strength and conditioning camp can give high school athletes in all sports a constructive activity for their months off and a competitive edge for the coming year.

By Jeff Decker & Tim McClellan

Jeff Decker, MEd, CSCS, is Strength and Conditioning Coach at Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix, Ariz. He can be reached at: jedecker@cox.net. Tim McClellan, MS, CSCS, is Director of Performance Enhancement for Makeplays.com and author of the book Inner Strength Inner Peace. He can be reached at: tim@strengthandpeace.com.


Mountain Pointe High School in the Tempe (Ariz.) Union High School District has enjoyed a tradition of achievement both academically and athletically since it first opened its doors in 1992. With 31 state championships, 26 state runner-up finishes, and 125 regional titles in less than two decades, the school has a lot to be proud of.

Last year, in an effort to continue this level of success, Principal Bruce Kipper adopted the mantra of the International Center for Education Leadership: "Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships." For the athletic programs, this meant it would be a year of new ideas and expanding horizons.

Among the changes was a new head coach taking over the football program. Kipper and Athletic Director Ian Moses wanted an experienced coach with a proven track record in all aspects of coaching who would also serve as an educational leader. They found Norris Vaughan, who brought with him a team-building philosophy that had achieved impressive success at other schools. Vaughan looked forward to turning around a program that had struggled through a 2-8 season the previous year, and a major part of his rebuilding philosophy involved a renewed emphasis on strength and conditioning.

As part of this renewal, we worked with him to create the 2009 Mountain Pointe High School Summer Strength and Conditioning Camp. Participating in a summer program is an outstanding way for high school athletes to gain a leg up in the coming year's sports and to do something constructive during their time off. When planned properly, a summer strength camp can be productive, educational, and a lot of fun for everyone involved.

Read the full story HERE


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