Trust the Process
For my project, I held speed and agility camps incorporating multiple therapeutic training techniques that increased cognitive abilities and athletic performance. Speed and agility training drills are designed to work all your leg and core muscles, as well as the tendons in your body. Throughout the camp drills such as the 15 yard pro shuttle, lateral movement drills, hand eye coordination drills, T and L drills, etc. were performed. Speed training puts your muscles through a fuller range of motion, improving flexibility. It trains more muscles (and more muscle fibers within muscles), leading to better muscle balance. We were also able to incorporate therapeutic exercises that directly strengthen injury-prone muscles (like standing on one leg with a blind fold on).
I mainly wanted the youth to know that there’s a process to everything you do in life. Some come faster than others, some come later and for some it doesn’t come at all. But trust the process that you take because no matter what, you will grow as an athlete and most important become a better person. The purpose of these camps are to get those who have suffered a serious injury, back to full recovery without any reinjures and/or those who wanted to increase athletic performance and to minimize injury. I was able to record short clips and videos of the camps to be able to inspire and motivate those who have any doubt that full recovery is possible.
My reason behind these camps comes from a personal experience and a life lesson I will forever be grateful for. These past five years of my life, I played football for SUU. On April 18, 2014, going into my sophomore year, it was the last day of spring football practice, and just before the practiced ended, I had torn my ACL. Long story short, after a successful surgery, I went through a pretty thorough and tough recovery process with physical therapy and training trying to get back as soon as I could to be 100% full participation. A lot of ups and downs but I became stronger than I was before I got injured. ACL recovery takes about 9 to 12 months to get up to full recovery and I was at 100% at full performance activity around 8 months. I am faster, more agile now than I was before the injury, and I have yet to be injured. A lot of the training and therapy I went through reminded me of the camps that I didn’t get to go to when I was young. Growing up and training for football, I always wanted to participate in a speed and agility camp to improve my performance in a way where I can excel in sports, but never could because the cost was unaffordable. I promised myself that when I am able to do so, I want to give kids who can’t afford these expensive camps an opportunity and some experience I didn’t get when I was young.
As far as challenges go, we really didn’t encounter many that prevented us from holding these camps. At times we didn’t have enough equipment for all the participants but we were able to use the lines on the courts as markers. Some of the athletes didn’t have the necessary attire and so some speed times weren’t as accurate as others were. Also, scheduling the building was a problem at times because we would have to share the building with others who booked the gym, so space was limited. Other than that, no major problems occurred and we were able to have successful camps and most of all, a great time.
Plenty of the participants benefitted from the project because from day one to the last day, speed times were increased and goals were met. One of the participants was a senior in high school. He was planning on receiving a scholarship to play football with his brother at Brigham Young University. I told him if he wanted to get there, he would have to put in the extra work. Long story short, He was not able to get nothing but a visit from BYU but they did not offer him anything to play there. A couple of days before signing day, He was offered from SUU to play football here. This athlete competed every day and put in a lot of work both in and out of the mini camps held. I’m not saying that it’s because of the mini camps why he got the opportunity to play college football, I’m saying that he bought in to the process and even though he didn’t get what he wanted (play at BYU with his brother), in his words “I wouldn’t have become the athlete I am today if it wasn’t for the hard work I put in to continue to play the sport that I love”
Where it became beneficial for me was at the end of each minicamp, I always brought the group together and I would share a life quote or message, teaching them the importance of buying in and trusting the process. Not one left that gym with a frown on their face. If they didn’t get faster or meet their speed times, I wanted them to leave smiling knowing that they had fun and with a message that they could apply into their life to make them a better person. To teach these young athletes that through sports you can fulfill your role as a human being and figure out life’s obstacles and get through them, was a blessing for me to witness. Also to grow in character knowing that no matter the severity of circumstances or injuries, it’s possible to overcome if you focus on the product and trust the process to get there.
“ Everything come to you at the right time. Be patient and trust the process.”
“ Trust the struggle. There is no such thing as a bad day”