Basketball Speed is All About Your Next Move

Hi Everyone!

Last weekend I was outside of Columbus, Ohio as the site coordinator for PGC Basketball's Athlete Performance College. Director Ty Terrell did a stellar job of coaching the athletes speed, quickness, strength, and power in a jam-packed, fun course.

Coach Jason Chan, Director Ty Terrell, and myself had a great time in Worthington, Ohio.

A main theme Director Ty had was the emphasis and understanding that "basketball speed is all about your next move." The game of basketball is characterized by multiple starts, stops, and changes of direction. The speediest basketball athletes are the ones that are constantly in a ready body position.

Coach John Sales gets ready to drop a ball during a drill that challenges athletes' "next move."

A ready body position is an athletic stance that allows you to move in any needed direction. A great athletic stance allows you to react faster, stronger, and more efficiently. This ready body position is what great basketball athletes are constantly in, hence why they are consistently faster and quicker than their less-ready (less athletic) counterparts.

Coach Jason Chan watches as athletes practice their speed.

What's great about PGC's Athlete Performance College is not only are the athletes taught how to get into the best athletic stance, but they are also shown film of collegiate and professional basketball players using the same positions the athletes are learning at the course.

The athletes at Worthington were a special group of hard-working, SCHAPEd athletes!

To see if an Athlete Performance College course is coming near you click here.

To learn more about PGC Basketball's 7 different courses click here.

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart

PGC's Athlete Performance College

Hello Everyone!

As a Director of PGC Basketball's Athlete Performance College I have the opportunity to travel across the country helping athletes get quicker, stronger, and more explosive.

Me coaching how to do a speed drill in Chicago.

What exactly is an Athlete Performance College? It's a jam-packed weekend course that:

• Educates athletes on what basketball speed and strength is (and what it is not)
• Breaks down basketball's offense and defense movements into learn-able skills 
• Empowers athletes to get stronger with workouts that can be done anywhere
• Maximizes athletes training time (training smarter for more results)

Here's a video by PGC President Mano Watsa about the Athlete Performance College.

Check PGC's schedule to see if an APC is coming near you.

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart

Joining PGC Basketball

Hello Everyone!

It was hard to say "Goodbye to Akron General" and I'll miss everyone always. Yet, I'm thankful the sadness of my goodbye was followed by a happy welcome to the PGC Basketball family.

PGC Basketball has been running world-class basketball courses across the country for over 20 years. While PGC stands for Point Guard College, it's for every basketball player who wants to learn the game on a scholarly level.

"Think the Game" is one of PGC's pillars and I can say the classroom sessions at their courses are incredibly insightful and practical.

Let's face it, every serious athlete trains and practices hard, so how does an athlete get an advantage? While others are focusing only on their physical skills, PGC athletes train their minds and intangibles (in addition to smart physical training). Intangibles like leadership, spirit, communication, hustle, approach, precision, and more. Things every team and coach needs more of.

PGC's mission to "be a light that SCHAPEs the basketball world" (SCHAPE is an acronym) is an exciting mission to join.

I'm honored to be a Director of their Athlete Performance College which is an intense two-day weekend course designed to teach athletes how to be quicker, stronger and more explosive. It empowers athletes with the right training tools, skills, drills and workouts they need to make sure they are fast enough and strong enough to play at the next level. Here's a couple of photos from my weekend in Atlanta, GA with fellow Athlete Performance College directors Micah Hayes, Ty Terrell, and Will Johnson.

Me, Micah Hayes, Ty Terrell, and William Johnson are the Directors of Athlete Performance College.

It takes teamwork to make the dream work!

 I'll be traveling to:
- Chicago, Illinois
- Worthington, Ohio
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Seattle, Washington
- Dixon, California
Making athletes quicker, stronger and more explosive!

Keep Training! 
Coach Amanda Kephart

Leaving Akron General

Hello Everyone!

If you've ever trained with me at Akron General Sports Performance, I hope that besides the great speed, strength, and power training (and/or great workout), you were also impacted by the many life lessons I share during a coaching session.

Life, athletics, and working out have a lot in common.

"You get out of them what you put into them."

"If they don't challenge you they don't change you."

"If you want to be extraordinary you have to do the extra that ordinary won't do."

"If it was easy, everyone would be great."

Your life, your athletic career, and your fitness are all your responsibility.

That said, it is with the heaviest heart that I have to announce that I am leaving Akron General Sports Performance, effective Thursday September 10.

My decision is in no way reflective of the great athletes and adults currently training at AGSP. I absolutely love all the athletes and adults and am going to miss everyone sooooo much. It has been an honor to coach so many great people over the past 7 years. Leaving them is one of the saddest things I've ever had to do in my life.

I am extremely proud of the reputation I have helped Akron General Sports Performance create within our local communities. The program will still be the world-class, division-one style speed, strength, and conditioning program it is. I hope my decision does not stop athletes and adults from training at what is in my opinion, one of the best sports performance programs in the country.

I have achieved as many goals as I possibly could at AGSP and wish it continued success. I apologize for not sharing more details behind why I am leaving, but as with most tough decisions, this tough decision is deeply personal.

This website, StrengthCoachAmanda.com, is my personal website and I will updating it with my new endeavors, tips for life, and valuable blog posts.

I can be reached at amanda@keppy.com and am staying in the Akron, Ohio area.

KEEP TRAINING!
Coach Amanda Kephart
@_coachamanda_ (Twitter and Instagram)

Here are some OLD videos, followed by some photos from the past 7 years. I apologize if any athletes are blushing at these throw backs. :-) You can watch more videos at www.youtube.com/strengthcoachamanda