Jan 5, 2018In-Season Program, Part 1
My professional mission statement hangs in my office on the wall above my computer. It reads: “Provide Villanova University basketball with a dynamic training system that embodies multiple methods of training, which aim to reduce the risk of injury and prepare each athlete physically and mentally for the game of basketball.” Not only does this sentence define my ultimate goal as the performance coach for Villanova men’s basketball, it also affords me a clear vision when deciding on strength and conditioning strategies.
This mission is important to have during the competitive season. Strength and conditioning during this period is always a delicate balance of complementing players’ physical development without detracting from their ability to compete on the court. Because of this, I divide our in-season training program into three phases — comprised of the preseason, regular season, and postseason — and cater each one accordingly. Both our athletes and coaches trust that our weightroom work will never jeopardize performance during games, so they’ve bought into the program wholeheartedly.
By staying true to our mission, we’ve seen results where it counts — on the court. Over the past four seasons, Villanova has won more games than any basketball program in America and earned four consecutive Big East Conference regular season titles, along with two tournament titles. The squad has made the NCAA Division I Tournament each year, winning the national championship in 2016.
The foundation of our training during the season is built on high expectations — both for the players and myself. I expect the athletes to buy into two core values: bringing an honest effort at all times and using great technique. These are the two most important variables of our strength and conditioning work because they highlight how we train, which is what maximizes results.
That being said, if I demand athletes always bring their A-game, they should hold me to the same standard. Every day, I am all-in on the Villanova men’s basketball program and will do whatever is in the athletes’ best interest to make them better.
However, a major challenge I face is staying grounded to my core values while implementing new strategies to increase athletes’ overall performance. Sport performance coaches today need to have a filter to sift through the copious amounts of information that come out. Whenever I come across a trend or tool for the first time, I assess it with two questions: 1) Is it practical? and 2) Does it fit our culture? If the answer is no to either question, I immediately scrap the idea and move on.
Using this filter, I’ve developed an in-season training approach that’s holistic and collaborative. It can be described as dynamic in nature, meaning it’s just one element of a system that’s never stagnant, and I constantly meet with coaches throughout the year to refine the development of our athletes. As a result, the specifics of the in-season training regimen may change, but the basic framework — splitting it into three phases and balancing strength and conditioning with on-court performance — remains the same.
Next week, we’ll take a look at Phase One of the program.
