Tuesday, 20 May 2008
Faster Athlete Athletic Development Specialists in Tulsa is a new business, but the staff is very familiar to the state sports community. Steve Yoder, owner of Perfect Practice Athletic Training Center, 4914 S. Sheridan, has now partnered with former Velocity Sports Performance GM Dan Hedman to make Perfect Practice the new home for Velocity-style Olympic level training programs in Tulsa. They have named their new project Faster Athlete Development Specialists.
In addition to Hedman, Yoder has brought in former Velocity Training Director and University of Nebraska strength & conditioning coach Courtney Coleman as Director of Program Development and former Sand Springs and TU football player, Louisiana Tech coach and Velocity trainer Josh Reed as Training Director. Other former Velocity coaches who are still available are also being recruited by Coleman and Reed.
“We are not a Velocity franchise,” said Yoder, “but there is no denying the positive impact the Velocity training experience has had on our coaches and the quality of training they bring to the table. We are forming our training programs based on the best protocols in the industry, so there will be many similarities, but we are creating our own system.”
One of the similarities is a connection to the National Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (NSCA).
"NSCA provides a certification by which all professional coaches can be measured, a certification that separates them from personal trainers as "Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists" (CSCS), said Hedman, "While a certificate in itself does not create a trainer, it does tell the world this person has a college degree and has passed the most difficult test the industry offers. NSCA also rewards experience by providing advanced certifications. With Faster Athlete’s Professional Coach’s Training System, our coaches will be continually pushed to maximize their own potential," Hedman added.
In addition to college degrees, NSCA requires First Aid and CPR certifications for all coaches and emphasizes safety above all else in its certification exams, something Hedman says parents need to consider when choosing a trainer. "Would you trust your child’s knee surgery to a guy who learned it on the Internet? Of course they would not. This kind of training can cause injury if not taught properly and children are too important to trust to someone who is not recognized by his industry as a certified professional."
All of Faster Athlete’s programs are being developed by Hedman, Coleman and Reed.
“The main core of Faster Athlete’s clients will be the youth athletes aged 8-18, with off-season training programs for local college and pro athletes while they are home in Tulsa. Coach Reed also developed a cutting edge training program for firefighters while at La. Tech and will be starting dynamic movement based adult fitness programs for advanced tactical adult athletes such as first responders and military, weekend warriors and for those who are simply looking for weight loss and fitness,” Hedman said.
Perfect Practice and Faster Athlete will also be a part of the Nike SPARQ Training Network and provide SPARQ testing and training services. SPARQ stands for speed, power, agility, reaction and quickness.
“These are the pillars of athletic movement and the focus of our athletic development programs, so tying in with SPARQ provides us with an identity that everyone in sports understands and ties us into their national ad campaign,” said Hedman. “SPARQ Speed Camps and Combines are coming very soon to the Tulsa Metro area.”
Hedman & Yoder have already reached an agreement with Soccer City in East Tulsa to host several SPARQ Soccer Camps.
“Kerry (Shubert – GM) and Amber (Kerry’s spouse and Office Manager) have welcomed us with open arms and we are thrilled to have access to their incredible facilities and work with the soccer community,” said Hedman. “Soccer players, especially the ladies and younger kids, can see dramatic improvements in their game with SPARQ training.”
Faster Athlete has scheduled four “Intro to SPARQ” clinics at Soccer City in May from 5-630pm. “The first ½ hour is Q & A for parents & coaches, the last hour is a live SPARQ clinic so the kids can experience the training first hand and the parents can see us in action,” said Hedman.
Clinics for grades 8-12 are set for May 21 & 28, cost for these clinics is only $10.
The first official summer camp, a full SPARQ High School Camp is set for May 31 from 1-4pm for $35 for grades 8-12 and will cover all facets of athletic development. There will also be several more summer camps scheduled for all ages.
Faster Athlete will also be offering a regular class schedule at Soccer City beginning in June. “These classes will be small groups and provide more advanced training than the camps,” said Hedman.
Training for both the 4th-7th & 8th -12thage groups will be on Mondays & Wednesdays from 530-630pm for $150 per month. Shubert said, “We are excited to offer these expanded services to our clients, and while we are marketing these primarily to the soccer community, this training is open to any athlete who wants to develop speed and quickness.”
Faster Athlete is also looking for facilities to host SPARQ training in Sapulpa, Okmulgee, Bartlesville, Owasso and other outlying towns in the Tulsa Metroplex.
“Our vision is not to convince people to drive to us; we want to go to them. With the rising cost of fuel and people’s busy schedules, it just makes sense for one coach to drive there, rather than expect 25 people to drive to us. We can train on a football field, a track, in a gym, anywhere there is a safe surface with a little running room,” said Coach Reed, “we can train athletes in any environment that is safe for them to compete.
“There are groups of 20 or so from Sapulpa and Bixby who have contacted us already, as soon as they find a place, we are there." said Hedman.
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 20 May 2008 )