summer speed camp

June 9 - June 12, 2025

4:30-5:30 PM

Registration

1. Go to: https://csd99.revtrak.net/sc-menu/rw-athletic-summer-camps

2. Choose "Downers Grove South Athletic Summer Camps"

3. Scroll down and click Speed Camp on the left hand side

4. Click link for Speed Camp.

General Plan

4:30-4:45   Speed Drills/Running Mechanics

4:45-5        Speed Exercises (laser timing, vertical jump map, strength & plyometrics)

5-5:15        Sport-Specific Speed Exercises  (curved & weave sprints, agility)

5:15-5:30   Game

What to Bring:  good pair of athletic shoes, water bottle, positive attitude (optional - cleats to change into)

Camp Director - Coach Mike Farthing

Background:

Coach Farthing has been track & field for 17 years.  He currently serves as the Head Boys' Track & Field Coach Downers Grove South High School. He also serves as a speed and kicking specialist coach for the DGS football team.  During Coach Farthing's tenure, the boys track & field have won back-to-back indoor and outdoor championships. The football team has also won the conference championship the past two season earning a spot in the IHSA State playoffs.

Prior to coaching boys track & field, Coach Farthing served as an assistant coach at Downers Grove South, the girls cross country team has placed in the top 5 at the state meet for 4 seasons highlighted by a 3rd place finish in 2018. 

Prior to DGS, Coach Farthing served as head coach and assistant at Westmont High School.  In 2015, Westmont placed 6th at the IHSA state 1A track meet.  Most notably, Farthing coached Annie Carlson to 9 state medals over the course of her high school tenure in 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, long jump, triple jump and 200 dash.

Coach Farthing’s credentials apply to all ages and sports.  He has served as the speed coach for the Downers Grove South football team, sprint coach for the Chicago Flyers Track Club, cross country coach for  three years at the Westmont Junior High  school and as a speed coach for a youth baseball organization.  Coach Farthing has USATF Level 1 certification and Reflexive Performance Reset (RPR) Levels 1 and 2. Outside of coaching, he is a blog contributor for Simplifaster which is a company who specializes in sports performance technology.  Coach Farthing is also a special education teacher at  Westmont High School.  

Coach Farthing resides in the DGS community with his wife and two boys who will be attending Downers Grove South in the future.