CPT offering sport-specific workout sessions
With summer vacation just beginning, you may not be thinking about which high schools will be the teams to beat next soccer, basketball or even baseball season.But often the successful teams have their roots planted with the off-season training and conditioning work they put in to be ready for the season. Even at the high-school level, more coaches suggest, and often expect, that players are putting time in during the summer to be ready for the next season.
To help meet the demand for these off-season programs, County Physical Therapy (CPT) has developed a series of Athletic Development Programs (ADP). These programs combine a high-intensity core conditioning program along with sport-specific training exercises that can give a high-school athlete an advantage when the season rolls around.
One of the ADP instructors, Athletic Trainer Andy Helstrom, explains “In the past, coaches wanted to start training two weeks before the season. Although we did it, this was not enough time to maximize results. So what we have done is create a scheduled fitness program based on when each sports starts. The whole team does not have to participate. This is a program for the athlete who wants to excel in his or her sport.”
A reason that CPT is rolling out these programs is the success of Presque Isle Wildcat hockey team. Physical Therapist Jonas Bard, another of the program’s instructors, has been impressed with the commitment by the players and Coach Carl Flynn’s buy-in to the off-season program.
“This is the third year we have designed a program for the PI hockey team. In July, it’s hard to picture yourself on the ice, but these players are here, and they are working hard,” Bard said. “On the ice, the team has been rewarded for their efforts over the past two years with an Eastern Maine championship and a runner-up trophy.”
Other teams that have worked with CPT include the Washburn boys basketball team and several high school soccer teams.
“Some players are there to maximize their potential as they enter their junior and senior year. Some players are there to give them an edge to make the team,” said Adam Simoes, an occupational therapist for CPT “Either way, they are all here working together in the early morning.”
The three-days-a-week sessions begin at 6 a.m. to accommodate the players’ schedules, whether it is school or other commitments. Programs are also tailored to begin a certain time before each season to maximize the benefit.
The next five-week session begins Monday, June 28 at CPT in Presque Isle. The sport focus for this session is soccer and golf. The cost for this session is $80.
Space for each session is limited. Interested players and coaches can sign up or get more information on additional sessions by visiting CPT at 5 North Street in Presque Isle, calling 769-2160, or going online at www.countypt.com/adp.
