Soccer athlete observations and Training

6 things my staff and I notice with soccer athletes over the last 21 years:

1) Everyone could use some more strength. All else aside, more strength makes you flat out more athletic. Power is your ability to recruit strength in a hurry and is a requirement during sprinting. Power also helps during cutting, jumping and kicking. Strength and stability keeps you from getting knocked off of the ball.

2) The athletes could use some more oblique and abdominal strength, stability and power. Your lower abdomen provides the anchor from which all movement can occur. This helps when you are kicking, jumping or sprinting. Have you ever watched a player run fast without the ball and look like he or she is speed skating? This tends to happen a lot with soccer. Sometimes it is motor and is a result of elbows that are flailing to the outside but more often it is the hips that are rotating. Force generated by the hip flexors and powerful arm action can’t be controlled by the body’s secondary rotational stabilizer, the obliques.  This produces a roll in the hips, a zigzag foot strike pattern and arm action that belongs on the ice, not on the soccer field.

3) Many of the players use a crossover step to move laterally without the ball instead of an open step. Takes longer and is inefficient in moving short distances.

4) Many athletes do not dorsiflex(pull the toes up) at the ankle during planting and during the recovery phase of sprinting. This is sometimes not a natural occurrence, particularly with soccer players who must point their toes to kick! As the shin swings forward right before ground contact, a nice dorsiflexed ankle provides a shorter lever at the knee(easier to turn over) as well a more efficient ground contact in line with the hips, not in front of the hips. Dorsiflexed ankles also send a warning to the knee joint and hip joint that they need to be ready to fire in advance.

5)Many players have a false step that wastes time and is inefficient.

6)Many players overstride as witnessed by a late recovery  evidenced by the foot finishing “high” when observed from the rear. This is “braking” actually.

Contact us to fix these issues.

Ed,

“I wanted to thank you for the work you and the other trainers have done with my children.  They both play soccer and this training was perfect for them.  When my son first came to you he was fast, but he ran out of control.  You not only improved his speed, but greatly increased the control he runs under.  His lateral movement and change of direction have improved tremendously.  This has enabled him to play his position with the speed and agility needed.  My daughter has also increased her speed and has become a stronger player.  She played her first game since last fall last weekend and other parents were commenting on how much faster she is now.  It is that noticeable.  They will be continuing with the program.  I am so pleased with their progress that I am having my youngest daughter begin the training.”

Again, thanks for your efforts.

Sincerely,

Patrick Maloney

 

www.strengthfitnessandspeed.com

Updating the Next Level List

Here is our partially updated list! 1998-

STRENGTH, FITNESS AND SPEED INC. CLIENTS AT THE NEXT LEVEL

Ian Wild                               Baldwin                                                             Mercyhurst/Pittsburgh Steelers/Winnipeg

Russell Stuvaints                Youngstown State                                             Pittsburgh Steelers NFL

Cie Grant                             Ohio State University                                      New Orleans Saints NFL

Dom DeCicco                    Thomas Jefferson High School                      Chicago Bears NFL

Cory Tucker                        South Park                                                         Slippery Rock/Cleveland Browns

Dorian Johnson                  Belle Vernon                                                    University of Pittsburgh

Cassidy Walsh                    Seton LaSalle                                                    University of Pittsburgh

Nick Bowers                       Kitanning                                                           University of Pittsburgh

Sean Gerst                           Baldwin                                                             Muskingum

Evan Hannan                        Belle Vernon                                                    W and J

Matt Benicky                      Belle Vernon                                                    W and J

Nick Sweitzer                     Belle Vernon                                                    Georgetown

Justin Ivill                           Belle Vernon                                                    Bucknell

Jake Maxwell                      TJ                                                                       WV Wesleyan

Peter Metro                        TJ                                                                       St. Vincent

Adam Staudt                        TJ                                                                       Clarion

Sam Fareri                           South Park                                                         Clarion

Braden Pahanish                 TJ                                                                       California University

Andrew Wheeler                USC                                                                   George Washington

Ryan Harkleroad                 USC                                                                   Dayton

Zack Pateras                       USC                                                                   Allegheny

Aaron Matthews                 Clairton                                                             Pitt

Chacar Berry                       Ringgold                                                            Slippery Rock

Jake Stewart                        South Park                                                         Wooster

Jake Dixon                          Bethel Park                                                       Lewis University

Sarah Stanley                      South Park                                                         Ohio State

Andy Abreu                         Penn Trafford                                                   Laroche

Doug Altavilla                     Baldwin                                                             Mercyhurst

Evan Augustine                   South Park                                                         PSU Behrend

Austin Stephan                    USC                                                                   Baldwin Wallace

Ashley Baker                      Elizabeth Forward                                            Alderson Broadus

Mitch Nordstrom                              Bethel Park                                                       Waynesburg

Justin Vickless                   Brentwood                                                        W and J

Nick Vento                          Franklin Regional                                             W and J

Brad Villa                            South Park                                                         W and J

Bradon Toy                         Kittaning                                                           W and J

Anthony Levis                     Belle Vernon                                                    W and J

Austin Kemp                       Thomas Jefferson                                                            W and J

Justin Bauer                        Brentwood                                                        W and J

Trevor Morrow                   USC                                                                   W and J

Matt Hermessmann            EF                                                                      W and J

Ian Dobbins                         Belle Vernon                                                    Penn

Adam Cole                          Belle Vernon                                                    PSU

Austin Fields                       Belle Vernon                                                    Slippery Rock

Jake Sweitzer                      Belle Vernon                                                    Georgetown

Nick Scholle                       South Park                                                         Grove City

Chris Boff                           South Park                                                         Thiel

Carley Bogan                      USC                                                                   William and Mary

Christian Breisinger           TJ                                                                       Waynesburg

Pat Hall                               TJ                                                                       Princeton

Nick Fekula                         EF                                                                      Princeton

Natalie Fekula                     EF                                                                      Adelphi

Kylie Owoc                         EF                                                                      Ursuline

Joe Mascaro                       Bethel Park                                                       Case Western

John Mascaro                     Bethel Park                                                       CMU

Mike Brucker                     Bethel Park                                                       St. Francis

Brook Burns                       Laurel Highlands                                              W and J

JT Colosimo                       Seton LaSalle                                                    Waynesburg

Adam Ottaviano                  Seton Lasalle                                                    Slippery Rock

Logan Corrigan                   Bethel Park                                                       James Madison

Dakota Forsyth                   Bethel Park                                                       PSU

Zac Forsyth                         Bethel Park                                                       Tampa

Shane Mallon                      Penn Trafford                                                   Alderson broadus

Cole Costy                          TJ                                                                       Youngstown State

Brett Dadig                         Seton LaSalle                                                    Pitt Greensburg

Danielle Dadig                    Seton LaSalle                                                    Youngstown State

Luke Deanavich                  TJ                                                                       St. Vincent

Tony Devivo                        Freeport                                                                           Duquesne

Danielle Dindak                  Serra Catholic                                                   Westminster

Shane Fetsko                       South Park                                                         Marietta

Sean Gallagher                    Bethel Park                                                       PSU Behrend

Rachel Giannangeli            Gateway                                                             Clarion

Tracy Gibson                      South Park                                                         John Carroll

Justin Gorny                       South Park                                                         PSU Behrend

Dan Wanker                        South Park                                                         PSU Behrend

Carter Grote                       South Park                                                         Furman

Curtis Perz                          Norwin                                                              Wheeling Jesuit

Cory Owen                          Peters Township                                               James Madison

Gina Rock                           Latrobe                                                              Frostburg State

Shelby Lindsay                   South Park                                                         West Point

Laurel Lindsay                    South Park                                                         Edinboro

Corey Lostetter                  TJ                                                                       Fairleigh-Dickinson

Dave Martin                        South Park                                                         Waynesburg

Ben Webb                           GCC                                                                   St. Vincent

Chris Winkler                     South Park                                                         St. Vincent

Brian McDonough              Penn Trafford                                                   Concord

Corey Stanford                   Penn Trafford                                                   Catholic University

Connor McWilliams          Brentwood                                                        Alderson Broadus

Jake Murphy                       Bethel Park                                                       US Merchant Marine

Jake Wallace                       GCC                                                                   US Merchant Marine

Matt Naylor                        Belle Vernon                                                    Geneva

Rex Pearce                          EF                                                                      IUP

George Prota                      EF                                                                      Pitt Johnstown

Charlie Scharbo                  TJ                                                                       Carlow

Ryan Sciullo                       Kiski                                                                  W and J

Cam Smail                           Kiski                                                                  Grove City

Alex Minton                        Bethel Park                                                       Drake

Alexa Stahl                          Baldwin                                                             West Liberty

Cody Stolar                         South Park                                                         Allegheny

Brian Holland                     Bethel Park                                                       Allegheny

Evan Schweitzer                 Bethel Park                                                       Allegheny

Mike Wainauskis                TJ                                                                       Slippery Rock

Alexis Yanief                      TJ                                                                       Millersville

Lauren Yobbi                      South Park                                                         Duquesne

Jason Yobbi                        South Park                                                         W and J

Allie Yurkovich                  TJ                                                                       RMU

Rachel Stover                     TJ                                                                       Cleveland State

Hannah Zangara                  USC                                                                   Allegheny

Adam Mihoci                      Franklin Regional                                             California University

Mac Pope                            USC

Robert Plummer                 USC

Joe Laukitis                        USC                                                                   Saint Francis

Sydney Judkins                   South Park                                                         Sacred Heart

Rayshawn Bolden               West Virginia University

Tyler Trettin                        Bloomsburg                                                      Arena Football League

Jamar Foulks                       Mansfield                                                          Pittsburgh Power

Trent Jones                         Indiana University                                            Arena Football League

Beau Gibbs                          Northern Iowa                                                   Arena Football League

Mike Chiapetta                   Indiana University                                            Arena Football League

Dorin Dickerson                West Allegheny                                                University of Pittsburgh

Jon Ditto                             Gateway                                                             Penn State University

Ryan Einwag                       Baldwin                                                             Carnegie Mellon University

Rich Costanza                     Thomas Jefferson High School                      Maryland/PSU/Riverhounds

Tom Shirley                        Norwin                                                              Xavier

Chris Spegal                        Bethel Park                                                       Ohio

Jon Stewart                         Norwin                                                              Penn State University

Nathan Totino                     Seton LaSalle                                                    Duquesne

Renee Tomko                     Thomas Jefferson High School                      Louisville

Grant Serdy                         Upper St. Clair                                                  Princeton

Jonna Handra                      South Allegheny                                               UNC Charlotte

Brad Rodgers                      Norwin                                                              Robert Morris University

Tyler Urban                         Norwin                                                              West Virginia University

Andy Clifford                     Bethel Park                                                       University of Pittsburgh

Anthony Caruso                  Bethel Park                                                       Duquesne

Amanda Albitz                    South Park                                                         IUP

Mike Salopek                      Norwin                                                              University of Virginia

Cassy Sanderson                 Elizabeth Forward                                            Wheeling Jesuit

Zach DeCicco                     Thomas Jefferson High School                      Washington and Jefferson

Jordan Kelly                       Seton LaSalle                                                    St. Francis

Garrett Walz                       Seton LaSalle                                                    St. Francis

Brian Lattanzi                     USC                                                                   University of Buffalo

Brock DeCicco                  Thomas Jefferson                                                            University of Pittsburgh

Don Rhodes                        Norwin                                                              Georgetown

Rob McCall                        Thomas Jefferson                                                            Mercyhurst

Lyle Marsh                          Bethel Park                                                       Penn

John Schademan                 Bethel Park                                                       Colgate

Eric Olson                           Bethel Park                                                       Cal University

Cori Stark                            Belle Vernon                                                    Youngstown State University

Sydney Judkins                   South Park                                                         Sacred Heart

Shane Henkel                      Gateway                                                             Ohio University

Tarran Senay                       South Park                                                         NC State

Zach Zigmond                     Bethel Park                                                       Wheeling Jesuit

Tara Zollinger                                                                                                 University of Maryland

Lauren Dittman                   Norwin                                                               Colgate

Liam Krahe                         Bethel Park                                                         Northeastern

Rick Fehl                             Pittsburgh Central Catholic                              Mount Union

Zach Zigmond                     Bethel Park                                                        Wheeling Jesuit

Anthony Rusch                   Bethel Park                                                         Seton Hill

Christian Angotti               Thomas Jefferson                                               University of Dayton

Mike Carr                            Steel Valley                                                        Point Park University

Nate Wojciekowski           South Allegheny                                                 LaRoche

Jared Pratt                           Bethel Park                                                       Colgate

Evan Kelly                           Seton LaSalle                                                    University of Richmond

Jake Matthews                    Greensburg-Salem                                           Cornell

Jessie Vilkofsky                 Elizabeth Forward                                            Wheeling Jesuit

Adam Lazenga                     Bethel Park                                                       University of Pittsburgh

Riley Kern                          Elizabeth Forward                                            Washington and Jefferson

Ron Harris                          Baldwin                                                             Slippery Rock

Quinn Hood                        Baldwin                                                             Wooster

CJ Seitzinger                      Bethel Park                                                       John Carrol

Cory Spegal                        Bethel Park                                                       Mercyhurst

Garrett Wild                       Baldwin                                                             Mercyhurst

 

Matt Walbert                      South Park                                                         Pitt

TJ Matrascia                       TJ                                                                       Robert Morris University

Tim Petro                            Norwin                                                              Gannon

Ryan Luffey                        South Park                                                         LaRoche

Dave Kucenic                     South Park                                                         Cal U.

Ryan Sherry                        Bethel Park                                                       Allegheny

Nick Miller                         West Mifflin                                                     W and J

Bill Bendgen                       West Mifflin                                                     Thiel

Chad Bowman                     Franklin Regional                                             Seton Hill

Randy Bush                         Baldwin                                                             Bethany

Zack Landman                     Brownsville                                                       Marrietta

Alex Mace                           Bethel Park                                                       Juniata

Matt Didiano                       Franklin Regional                                             Penn State Behrend

Chris Rizzo                         Bethel Park                                                       John Carroll University

Brook Burns                       Laurel Highlands                                              Wheaton

Ryan Mihoci                       Franklin Regional                                             Lycoming

Matt Green                          Belle Vernon                                                    RMU

Tyler Sellew                        Belle Vernon                                                    California University

Spencer Lynn                      Belle Vernon                                                    California University

 

Danielle DeMay                 Bethel Park High School                                 Penn State Behrend

Dan DiNinno                       Penn Trafford High School                             Grove City

Jim Dittman                        Norwin                                                              Penn State Behrend

Megan Duncan                    Norwin                                                              Penn State University

Ryan Fehl                            Central Catholic                                               Mount Union

Matt Griffin                        Bethel Park                                                       Duquesne

Will Grunewald                  Mount Lebanon                                                Bowdoin

Ben Iannachione                 Baldwin                                                             Boise State University

Jason Kolodziej                  Thomas Jefferson High School                      Bucknell

Zach Kuba                           Shadyside Academy                                         NYU

Noelle Lyons                      Norwin                                                              Saint Francis

Paul Matthews                    Greensburg Salem                                            Hampden-Sydney

Dale Meinbresse                Upper St. Clair                                                  Quinnipiac

Jake Mihalov                       Thomas Jefferson                                                            Denison

Tony Mingone                    Brentwood                                                        Mount Union

Erin Montgomery                              Allderdice                                                         Allegheny

Mike Morante                     Peters Township                                               Dayton

Ryne Murray                       Upper St. Clair                                                  Westminster

TJ O’ Brien                         South Park                                                         Wheeling Jesuit

Casey Quinn                        Bishop Canevin                                                 Duquesne

Rob Ramsey                        Geibel Catholic                                                California

Franco Sebastiani                              Greensburg Central                                          Rochester

Drew Serdy                         Upper St. Clair                                                  CMU

Jake Serdy                           Upper St. Clair                                                  Maine

Erica Bilski                         Seton LaSalle High School                             Chatham

Tim Chapon                         Thomas Jefferson High School                      Pitt Titusville

Pam Coudriet                      Carrick High                                                     Carlow

Adam Cline                         Thomas Jefferson High School                      Penn State Behrend

Kara Stroup                         Mars                                                                  St. Francis

Dan Robb                            Thomas Jefferson High School                      West Virginia University

Mike Puskaric                    Serra Catholic                                                   Robert Morris University

AJ Little                                             Baldwin                                                             CMU

Brian Urban                         Baldwin                                                             Indiana University

Kristen Penska                   Norwin                                                              Juniata

AJ Ross                               Thomas Jefferson High School                      St. Vincent

Matt Bliss                           Bethel Park                                                       W and J

Alex Baroffio                     Bethel Park                                                       W and J

3rd Annual SFAS 2016 Football Lineman Camp

We are happy to provide this service again! Many happy much improved campers!

Q: What is meant by capping power leaks?

A: Power leaks occur when transferring power from legs to hands. Through core, balance, mechanical, and mental improvements we teach how to facilitate this transfer.

Soccer athlete observations and Training

6 things my staff and I notice with soccer athletes over the last 15 years:

1) Everyone could use some more strength. All else aside, more strength makes you flat out more athletic. Power is your ability to recruit strength in a hurry and is a requirement during sprinting. Power also helps during cutting, jumping and kicking. Strength and stability keeps you from getting knocked off of the ball.

2) The athletes could use some more oblique and abdominal strength, stability and power. Your lower abdomen provides the anchor from which all movement can occur. This helps when you are kicking, jumping or sprinting. Have you ever watched a player run fast without the ball and look like he or she is speed skating? This tends to happen a lot with soccer. Sometimes it is motor and is a result of elbows that are flailing to the outside but more often it is the hips that are rotating. Force generated by the hip flexors and powerful arm action can’t be controlled by the body’s secondary rotational stabilizer, the obliques.  This produces a roll in the hips, a zigzag foot strike pattern and arm action that belongs on the ice, not on the soccer field. 

3) Many of the players use a crossover step to move laterally without the ball instead of an open step. Takes longer and is inefficient in moving short distances.

4) Many athletes do not dorsiflex(pull the toes up) at the ankle during planting and during the recovery phase of sprinting. This is sometimes not a natural occurrence, particularly with soccer players who must point their toes to kick! As the shin swings forward right before ground contact, a nice dorsiflexed ankle provides a shorter lever at the knee(easier to turn over) as well a more efficient ground contact in line with the hips, not in front of the hips. Dorsiflexed ankles also send a warning to the knee joint and hip joint that they need to be ready to fire in advance.

5)Many players have a false step that wastes time and is inefficient.

6)Many players overstride as witnessed by a late recovery  evidenced by the foot finishing “high” when observed from the rear. This is “braking” actually.

Contact us to fix these issues.

www.strengthfitnessandspeed.com

Lineman Strength, Speed and Skills Camp

Lineman Strength, Speed and Skills Camp

 

This camp will run for 8 weeks and will meet on Mondays and Fridays at 12 noon for 8 weeks at the Pleasant Hills Location and for some sessions a field to be named later in the South Hills. Sessions run for 60 minutes. Tuesdays are speed/strength and Fridays footwork and skill. Total cost of the camp is $349. This camp is not a 3 day deal, it is designed to actually create habits and improve strength, footwork and speed over a 2 month period. START DAY IS JUNE 9!

We will be working on total body strength, upper body power and hand quickness, short range acceleration, balance, capping power leaks and toughness.

Total cost of the camp is $349/athlete.

If 5 players sign up from same team, cost goes to $320/athlete.

Register at www.strengthfitnessandspeed.com. Contact Ed at ed@strengthfitnessandspeed.com for more details.

 

Cory Tucker is a standout lineman at Slippery Rock University. He is a student of the game and was recently named to the 1^st team all region at SRU. Cory spent many years sports performance training under the tutelage of Ed Wietholder, founder and Director of Strength, Fitness And Speed, Inc. Cory will be handling all of the skills aspects and some of the strength and footwork development as well.

JT Colosimo attended Seton La Salle High School and is presently playing Football at Waynesburg University. In High School Football Football (letter winner) he was  second-team all-conference. JT spent many years sports performance training under the tutelage of Ed Wietholder, founder and Director of Strength, Fitness And Speed, Inc. JT’s father presently coaches football at Montour High School. JT will be handling all of the skills aspects and some of the strength and footwork development as well.

Ed Wietholder is the President and Founder of SFS, Inc. Over 30 years of experience in Strength, speed and conditioning. Read more about Ed at http://www.strengthfitnessandspeed.com.

A note from Ed

I just wanted to wish you a wonderful holiday season, and thank you for your support.

Whether you’ve been a client for years, a fan of our newsletter, or are just finding out about us for the first time, we’re honored to have you as a member of our community. Every day that we get to help you or your student athlete to become better  is truly a privilege.

Our plans for 2013 and beyond are very exciting. We’ll be expanding and remodeling our Pleasant Hills location, introducing an “open gym” membership concept, and increasing the knowledge and development of our already amazing coaches. Everything we do is geared towards helping you achieve your goals. The beauty of it is that it comes natural to all of us because it is indeed our passion.

Finally, even though I’ll be spending less time on the training floor after 5 PM due to my hectic very early morning and afternoons, I’ll be continuing to share my ideas on training through my coaches, the blog and other media channels. And that’s just for starters…

On behalf of everyone who works here: Thank you. We wouldn’t be here without you and we’ve been keenly aware of that for the last 14 years.

Best wishes to you and your family,

Ed

LOOKING FOR QUALITY OR LOOKING FOR CHEAP??

There is a danger of sports performance training becoming performed by unqualified, inexperienced individuals. There is also a danger that it will be about the cheapest price and easiest access.

Take a look at who you are training with and your group size.

Are you doing what everyone else in the class is doing even though they have different goals and individual needs?

Did you have  a needs analysis performed?

Beware of a cheaper training facility because it is usually coming with a price. The price being lack of credentials and individual customized attention. Not to mention lack of tracking workouts with no plan and no vision.

Cheap can actually come with a higher cost than quality.

Strength, Fitness And Speed Athletes enjoy the following benefits:

Why is Strength, Fitness And Speed, Inc. the leader in Sports Performance Training since 1998?  

The primary reason is that we know a template based program just does not fit every athlete’s needs. Systems developed in the 1980’s are no longer cutting edge. One standardized system cannot cover individual physiological differences in age, maturity and gender. Here are some more: 

1. Individualized and scientifically designed & time tested training programs

All of our programs are created by Ed Wietholder, well known speed and sports performance coach to numerous athletes across Pennsylvania. These are developed in conjunction with his head performance coaches and are based on the results of the athlete’s assessment, not what a chart or protocol may call for. Ed and his staff are well aware that each individual is unique and that programs must be designed for each individual’s physiology, gender and sport. One size does not fit all.  

2. A Functional assessment

You need a map to tell you where you are going. You need a starting point and the best route to reach your destination. We take baseline measures so that we can measure the routine’s effectiveness over time. Resisted and assisted work is extremely reinforcing to the nervous system. Corrective strength and nervous system reeducation are in order for most athletes at the initiation of their program before habits are reinforced.  

3. Individual tracking and ongoing fine tuning and progression

Every athlete has his or her own private database in which each workout is tracked and reevaluated over time. Athletes change and so does the workout stimulus. We have records for our athletes from the time that they are in grade school through college!  

4. Guaranteed personal attention from the coach

Athletes train in one on one settings unless specified by the athlete. We perform small group training if the athlete wishes to train with a group of teammates or friends with similar goals. We perform assessments on each individual in the group and we recommend whether or not the athletes should form a group or not. Quality before quantity!  

5. Fully functional facilities without the fluff!

Each of our facilities are 3,000 – 5,000 square feet with sprint tracks, agility areas, half basketball court (Irwin), strength training areas, and core training areas. Our facilities are equipped with all that you need for a fully functional, no nonsense training session.  

6. An open line of communication with the Sports Performance Director

Any questions parents or athletes have regarding training can be answered via email, in person, or the telephone. This gives the athletes and parents the opportunity to better understand the program and outcomes.

7. We are continuously improving and adding to our knowledge base

We strive to always offer our clients the best of what’s available in the sports performance, health and fitness industries. Current trends are evaluated and implemented if deemed appropriate.

Strength, Fitness And Speed, Inc. gets you off of the bench and into the game!