Real Results

Hello Everyone!

Last week I had one of my athlete's parents stop by and share the following:

"Coach Amanda, my son's baseball coach posts all of the trying-out kids' performance numbers for the parents and athletes to see. Not only did my son's numbers significantly improve in each category, but all of his teammates that trained with you did as well! Those that didn't train at AGSP had numbers that barely budged in comparison."

It was wonderful to hear, but I certainty can not take the credit. Her son and his teammates that trained at AGSP are the ones that made those improvements happen. As their coach, I just showed them the best ways to maximize their efforts.

We have no secrets here at AGSP, just passionate coaches that are experts in getting athletes the results they want - like being the most improved athletes on their team!

Come get real results. We off a complimentary first session and can show you how you can be one of the best athletes on your team!

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

Simple, but Not Easy - showing up

Hello Everyone!

The world of athletics is full of rules or guidelines that I like to call "simple, but not easy." Concepts that for the most part everyone can understand, but very few can actually do.

Take for example the simple, but not easy concept of showing up.

Whether it is to a 6am speed and agility session, an after school practice, a late afternoon weightlifting session, or arriving early like coach told you to do so you can take care of pre-game business. The only thing that is asked is of you is to show up.

I'm not even talking about effort or attitude, just the simple act of showing up.

But it isn't easy to show up on a dark cold morning before class.
It isn't easy to show up to practice when your significant other wants you to hang out together instead.
It isn't easy to show up to the weightlfting session when you are so sore.
It isn't easy to show up early before the game when everyone else is hanging out somewhere fun.

Yet, if you just showed up a lot of your dreams and goals would become a reality. You can't achieve your dreams of a college scholarship, or winning a championship, or making the team when you make excuses for yourself on why you don't need to show up.

The athletes that show up at AGSP are the same athletes that are achieving many of the personal goals and dreams. Maybe it is time you join them and show up?

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

THE Sports Doctor says - Stop Year Round Sports

Hello Everyone!

I had a lot of parents talk to me about the recent Cleveland Plain Dealer article about "going easier on young athletes."

It was an interview with world-renown sports doctor, Dr. James R. Andrews and his biggest point is a point we have been stressing for years at AGSP, don't train year-round in your sport! Especially before the age of 18!

A little known fact is that Akron General Medical Center started our Sports Performance Department for the same exact reason why Dr. Andrews wrote his new book Any Given Monday - Sports Injuries and How to Prevent Them. They were seeing way to many young athletes in physical therapy with overuse injuries!

Dr. Andrews beats the same drum that we do here at AGSP when he says enough is enough with the year round sports! Athletes need to get healthy and rest from the repeated (often unnatural) movements of their sport (like throwing a baseball thousands of times).

Here at AGSP we take it a step further and make sure that as athletes are resting they are getting faster, stronger, and more powerful in our 100% supervised environment. So when they go back to the sport they love, they are quicker, more powerful, and better!

Heed the advice from the most famous sports doctor and skip the AAU league or travel team for at least a couple of months. Instead, train to become a better athlete so you can stay injury-free and take your game to the next level!

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

Get Out of Your Comfort-Zone - speed

Hello Everyone!

Here at AGSP we make athletes faster, and one of the cues our athletes hear often is "get out of your comfort-zone."

I like to explain it the following way, "If the fastest you've ever run is 15mph and today we get you to hit 16mph is that going to feel comfortable or a little crazy?"

The answer is "A little crazy."

So when we have athletes wipeout, like Shamarko Thomas did during his 40 yard dash time, I celebrate because they've just introduced themselves to being faster than they ever have before!

It helps to experience the "little crazies" around Speed Experts who can provide feedback on what you did right and how you can now harness that speed on a regular bases without the wipeout.

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

Season Change - spring sports

Hello Everyone,

Seasons change. As we go from winter to spring we will see less snow and more green, but that also means here at AGSP we will see less of our Baseball, Softball and other Spring Sport Athletes and more of those athletes out on the diamond showing off their speed, strength, and power results.

I have to say, I'm going to miss these great spring sport athletes that have been so dedicated and hard-working.

On the other hand, I am excited to see them doing what they do best - more homeruns, stolen bases, and making athletic plays to help their teams win, largely because of their off-season training at AGSP.

Keep Training! (like these fine athletes have!)
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance