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Press Releases
2013 NFL Draft Decisions Include Dozens of Velocity-Supported Athletes By Keith WalkerMay 01, 2013
-- High Performance Program helps 17 players get drafted and others signed as free agents --
COSTA MESA, Calif., May 1, 2013 – Elite college football athletes who were supported and trained by Velocity Sports Performance leading up to the NFL Combine and Pro Days were heavily involved in the action at the 2013 NFL Draft.
Overall, Velocity trained 17 players selected during the three-day draft and another group of free-agent signees.
“Training at Velocity has been great,” said Kenny Vaccaro, the 15th overall pick by the New Orleans Saints, while preparing for the NFL Combine. “They’ve been helping me with a lot of different things with my game. I thought it was going to be the best place for me. I got to get away from Texas and just kind of get in the zone out in California.”
Watch Vaccaro as he prepares with Velocity for his big day at http://www.stack.com/2013/04/12/kenny-vaccaro/
Velocity athletes selected in the 2013 NFL Draft include:
ROUND 1
#15 Kenny Vaccaro, SS, University of Texas – New Orleans Saints
#29 Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, University of Tennessee – Minnesota Vikings
#31 Travis Frederick, C, University of Wisconsin – Dallas Cowboys
ROUND 2
#41 Robert Woods, WR, USC – Buffalo Bills
ROUND 3
#71 T.J. McDonald, FS, USC – St. Louis Rams
#73 Mike Glennon, QB, North Carolina St. – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
#81 Damontre Moore, DE, Texas A&M – New York Giants
ROUND 4
#103 Alex Okafor, DE, University of Texas – Arizona Cardinals
#104 Jelani Jenkins, OLB, University of Florida – Miami Dolphins
#109 David Bakhtiari, OT, University of Colorado – Green Bay Packers
#121 Khaled Holmes, C, USC – Indianapolis Colts
ROUND 5
#139 Montori Hughes, DT, Tennessee-Martin – Indianapolis Colts
#155 Jeff Locke, P, UCLA – Minnesota Vikings
#162 Brandon Jenkins, DE, Florida St. – Washington Redskins
#168 Ricky Wagner, OT, University of Wisconsin – Baltimore Ravens
ROUND 6
#208 Jeremy Harris, CB, New Mexico St. – Jacksonville Jaguars
#212 Joe Kruger, DE, University of Utah – Philadelphia Eagles
Undrafted Free Agents Signed
Jordan Rodgers, QB, Vanderbilt University – Jacksonville Jaguars
Joseph Fauria, TE, UCLA – Detroit Lions
Braxston Cave, C, Notre Dame – Cleveland Browns
Da’Rick Rogers, WR, Tennessee Tech – Buffalo Bills
Phillip Lutzenkirchen, TE, Auburn University – St. Louis Rams
Dave Kruger, DT, University of Utah – Cleveland Browns
Ryan McMahon, DB, Sacramento St. – Green Bay Packers
Deonte Williams, SB, Cal Poly – Oakland Raiders
Velocity’s 2013 NFL Pre-Draft High Performance Program took place in multiple training facilities. While preparing for the NFL Combine and their Pro Day, more than 30 elite football athletes experienced daily speed, power, and strength sessions, along with personalized nutrition, physical therapy, and recovery services, position-specific skill training, mental training, and NFL Combine-specific preparations for team interviews.
The majority of this year’s stellar draft class trained under Velocity High Performance Director Ken Vick in the state-of-the art Velocity facility in Irvine, Calif. Each draft selection who trained exclusively in Irvine is represented by Athletes First, the premiere professional football agency that is headquartered in Irvine.
“It’s been great being here with some good receivers and DBs,” said first-round pick Cordarrelle Patterson during training. “Every day we come out and compete and just get each other better. He (Vick) is always looking at the little things to get you better.”
Watch how Patterson prepares for his transition to the NFL at http://www.stack.com/video/2270175318001/Path-to-the-Pros-2013-Cordarrelle-Patterson/
Velocity supported five first-round selections in the 2012 NFL Draft, including the #4 overall pick, Matt Kalil (USC, Minnesota Vikings), #13 Michael Floyd (Notre Dame, Arizona Cardinals), #18 Melvin Ingram (South Carolina, San Diego Chargers), #29 Harrison Smith (Notre Dame, Minnesota Vikings), and #31 Doug Martin (Boise State, Tampa Bay Buccaneers). Overall, Velocity trained 16 athletes selected during the three-day 2012 NFL Draft and more than 30 free-agent signees.
This year’s athletes also join a prestigious group of current NFL players who previously trained for the NFL Draft with Velocity, including Von Miller (Denver Broncos, 2011), Jake Locker (Tennessee Titans, 2011), Colt McCoy (Cleveland Browns, 2010), Mark Sanchez (New York Jets, 2009), Clay Matthews (Green Bay Packers, 2009), and BJ Raji (Green Bay Packers, 2009), to name just a few.
About Velocity Sports Performance
Velocity Sports Performance (www.velocitysp.com) is the premiere athletic performance training organization in North America. For more than 14 years, Velocity has helped hundreds of thousands of athletes maximize their athletic potential. Velocity helps athletes achieve their goals by developing strength, power, coordination, agility, speed, flexibility, and energy systems with an additional focus on injury prevention, recovery/regeneration, and nutrition. There are nearly 40 Velocity training facilities across the United States.
April 18, 2013
Charleston, SC – SAE Advisory Group is pleased to announce that the firm has been engaged to provide ongoing Advisory Services by Velocity Sports Performance, a national sports performance training company based in Costa Mesa, CA.
Velocity trains athletes who range from potential NFL draft picks preparing for the Combine to high school athletes training for the upcoming season. This year, Velocity continued to expand its training by preparing more than 30 athletes for the 2013 NFL Combine and their respective schools’ Pro Day. Led by President and CEO Peter Barbaresi, Velocity currently has 40 training facilities across the country.
“We are excited about the opportunity to work with Peter and his team”, commented Andy Brusman, co-founder and Managing Partner with SAE. “Velocity has a tremendous brand to build upon, and we believe the timing is perfect to grow the current business into several new and exciting categories”.
SAE will be assisting Velocity with several corporate development matters, including establishing strategic partnerships with professional sports agencies and sports governing bodies.
“With SAE’s deep ties in the sports and entertainment industries, we look forward to aggressively moving into that space in the very near future with the help and guidance of Andy and his firm,” Barbaresi said. “Velocity is focused on the overall strategic potential that this relationship holds.”
About Velocity: Velocity (www.velocitysp.com) is a leading athletic performance training organization in North America. For 14 years, Velocity has helped hundreds of thousands of athletes maximize their athletic potential. Velocity helps athletes achieve their goals by developing strength, power, coordination, agility, speed, flexibility and energy systems with an additional focus on injury prevention, recovery/regeneration, and nutrition. There are 40 Velocity Sports Performance training facilities across the country.
About SAE: SAE Advisory Group (www.saeadv.com) is an Investment Banking and Advisory Services firm focused on the Sports, Entertainment and Lifestyle/Leisure verticals. We work in partnership with consumer product companies, marketing firms, agents and managers, athletes, entertainers, media organizations, intellectual property rights holders, and businesses focused within our core verticals, providing services such as Capital Raising, M&A advisory, Joint Venture Development, Licensing and other Advisory Services.
For additional information, please contact Andy Brusman by phone at 843-654-9365 or by email abrusman@saeadv.com. Securities are offered through Sikich Corporate Finance LLC, a registered broker dealer with the Securities Exchange Commission and a member of FINRA/SIPC.
Velocity and Athlos Academies Expand Partnership, Bringing Innovative Charter School Model to Texas and Minnesota
By Keith WalkerVelocity trains athletes who range from potential NFL draft picks preparing for the Combine to high school athletes training for the upcoming season. This year, Velocity continued to expand its training by preparing more than 30 athletes for the 2013 NFL Combine and their respective schools’ Pro Day. Led by President and CEO Peter Barbaresi, Velocity currently has 40 training facilities across the country.
“We are excited about the opportunity to work with Peter and his team”, commented Andy Brusman, co-founder and Managing Partner with SAE. “Velocity has a tremendous brand to build upon, and we believe the timing is perfect to grow the current business into several new and exciting categories”.
SAE will be assisting Velocity with several corporate development matters, including establishing strategic partnerships with professional sports agencies and sports governing bodies.
“With SAE’s deep ties in the sports and entertainment industries, we look forward to aggressively moving into that space in the very near future with the help and guidance of Andy and his firm,” Barbaresi said. “Velocity is focused on the overall strategic potential that this relationship holds.”
About Velocity: Velocity (www.velocitysp.com) is a leading athletic performance training organization in North America. For 14 years, Velocity has helped hundreds of thousands of athletes maximize their athletic potential. Velocity helps athletes achieve their goals by developing strength, power, coordination, agility, speed, flexibility and energy systems with an additional focus on injury prevention, recovery/regeneration, and nutrition. There are 40 Velocity Sports Performance training facilities across the country.
About SAE: SAE Advisory Group (www.saeadv.com) is an Investment Banking and Advisory Services firm focused on the Sports, Entertainment and Lifestyle/Leisure verticals. We work in partnership with consumer product companies, marketing firms, agents and managers, athletes, entertainers, media organizations, intellectual property rights holders, and businesses focused within our core verticals, providing services such as Capital Raising, M&A advisory, Joint Venture Development, Licensing and other Advisory Services.
For additional information, please contact Andy Brusman by phone at 843-654-9365 or by email abrusman@saeadv.com. Securities are offered through Sikich Corporate Finance LLC, a registered broker dealer with the Securities Exchange Commission and a member of FINRA/SIPC.
April 10, 2013
Costa Mesa, Calif., April 10, 2013 — Velocity Sports Performance is excited to announce its continuing partnership with Athlos Academies in bringing new charter schools to communities in Texas and Minnesota. Athlos Academies is founded on balancing the mind and body, and the power it has in achieving academic excellence. Athlos Academies believes that the combination of rich and rigorous academics and athletic participation helps students become active lifelong learners. Beyond healthy bodies and minds, Athlos Academies’ schools are developed to build a child’s character and confidence. The Athlos model is a formula for academic success and preparedness for high school and beyond.
This fall, International Leadership of Texas: Powered by Athlos (ILTexas) will be opening two locations in Texas— Garland and Arlington. ILTexas’ incomparable approach of preparing students for a competitive international world is achieved through trilingual education, high expectations for academic excellence and appropriate civil behavior, and strengthening the mind, body, and character. This tuition-free school model offers an unparalleled choice in their respective communities for K-10 students in Garland and for K-8 students in Arlington.
Athlos Leadership Academy (ALA) will be coming soon to the community of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. ALA’s innovative approach of preparing students for a competitive world is achieved through the development of performance character and social intelligence built on a foundation of academic and athletic accomplishments. This tuition-free school offers a premier choice in the Brooklyn Park community for K-8 students.
One of the innovations of the Athlos model is the vision of its physical education department, which is to facilitate physical activity by combining conventional physical educational standards with current scientific sports performance methodology. It is the view of Athlos Academies and Velocity Sports Performance that “athleticism” can be taught and the joy of athletic achievement is attainable for all students. Athlos schools deliver an athletic curriculum, in which Velocity Sports Performance methodology will be incorporated daily, taught by strength and conditioning performance coaches.
Athlos Academies’ schools provide a state-of-the-art instruction and fitness-driven campus, unlike any other athletic space for elementary and secondary education. In addition to technology-ready classrooms and labs, each of these campuses will host over 12,000 square feet of athletic space that boasts an indoor turf field, full basketball court, and collegiate-style strength training equipment. Athlos Academies’ schools seek to partner with families in making a health-conscious difference in the school and in the community; therefore, Velocity Sports Performance training will be available to the public for specialized fee-based training sessions after the school day. Athlos embeds its innovative “healthy body, healthy mind” culture into the whole school, and aims to foster a “healthy body, healthy mind” lifestyle for families as well.
Learn more about Athlos Academies at: www.athlosacademies.org.
Learn more about International Leadership of Texas: Powered by Athlos at: www.iltexas.org.
Interested in having an Athlos Academy in your community? Email info@athlosacademies.org.
Articles
A Look Inside a Leading NFL Combine Training Program By Keith WalkerFebruary 07, 2013
Ken Vick, Velocity’s VP High Performance, has been preparing elite football athletes for the NFL Combine and Pro Days for more than a decade, including 20+ first-round NFL Draft selections during that time.
Vick is currently directing the daily activities and preparation of 20+ athletes who are invited to this year’s NFL Combine, including first-round projections Damontre Moore (DE, Texas A&M), Cordarrelle Patterson (WR, Tennessee), Kenny Vaccaro (S, Texas), and Mike Glennon (QB, NC State), in addition to numerous other potential NFL Draft picks.
QUESTION: Describe the process and athlete experience during the first few weeks of the program as these players begin preparing for the NFL Combine and Draft.
KEN VICK: Entering NFL Combine training is a big change for many athletes. First of all, they are no longer college students and as professionals, they have to start thinking like a business person as well as an athlete. We want them to start thinking strategically about the risk-to-benefit ratio and the cost of every decision they make. So at this point, instead of a coach telling them what to do, our coaches are guiding them, getting their input, and helping them to think about how to make decisions in their training and preparation.
The training is also very different as we prepare them for the NFL Combine. While the off-season in football is generally longer with a steady progression to training, this process is very short and intense. We have to very quickly load the athlete so that his body will peak for their key events like the Combine, the pro days, and even the early all-star bowl games. It's also a shock to the system because they're coming directly out of season and entering right back into full training. This is where the integration of sports medicine becomes very important. We can’t just rehab and wait for them to feel good to begin training, but on the other hand, we can’t just train and ignore the many bumps, bruises and injuries that they experienced during the college football season. This is also the time when we begin educating them on the risk factors that will affect their career longevity.
Another difference as these college athletes enter NFL Draft preparation is that they are now surrounded by many other elite, high-level athletes. This is their first taste of understanding that as a process to the NFL, everyone around them will play at a higher level. Their talent is no longer enough to just get by. I often say that talent is just the cover charge to get in the door. After that, it's up to you to do something more.
QUESTION: What are the main things you and your team of high performance coaches focus on during the program?
KEN VICK: Everything now revolves around creating the best possible programs for each individual athlete. We don't fit players into a preset program. We create a program to fit our players.
I think one of the very important factors that get overlooked in many training programs is basic communication. Day 1 begins by sitting down with the athlete and discussing his background, his goals, the way he sees himself as an athlete, and the way he wants to see his career unfold. We involve the agents and also gather feedback from NFL team scouts in an effort to understand how to put together an individual plan. Then we take our team of experts and look at the input from each of them to create a plan that is going to get the optimal results for each player in the timeframe we have to work with them.
One top priority of Combine training is getting the athlete as healthy as possible in a very short amount of time. Integrating all of our sports medicine experts, physical therapists, soft tissue specialists, nutritionists and physicians all play a role in getting our players healthy and functional again. This is critical because they have to train to improve their performance and because the medical evaluations are a very important factor at the NFL Combine. Another very important priority is not just the intensity of the training, but the specificity and the focus of the recovery. While training is the stimulus, it's during recovery that the body and brain adapt. So if we want the athlete to improve and to be able to handle more intense training, we have to implement a very intensive and specific regeneration plan. Regeneration has become a popular topic, but too many people still generalize in what they are doing. We look at four different types of stress on the body and break down a regeneration plan around those stresses.
QUESTION: Walk us through a typical day for these elite athletes right now as they prepare for the NFL Combine and other key evaluation events.
KEN VICK: Because we have such a short timeframe, our days have many objectives and a lot of things to get done. The players begin by eating a breakfast of custom food based on their nutritional needs and their individual tastes. Many will arrive before the first training session for therapy or other types of preparation. The first session each morning is focused on movement and depending on the day, will either be linear speed (working on acceleration and maximum velocity) or will be multi-directional (working on quickness, agility, and foot work). The movement training typically lasts 60-90 minutes, with a section for dynamic warm-up focused on the technical aspects of movement and then some apply drills to really stimulate optimal motor learning.
The athletes then go to position work, working on the specific skills with position coaches. They have a custom post-workout drink designed to meet the carbohydrate, protein, and other specific needs of each individual. Depending on the athlete, they may have more therapy or post-workout treatments on that day. Some may have an aquatic workout as well, and then lunch before the afternoon strength and power session.
In the afternoon, we focus on various aspects of strength and power development. This involves plyometrics, weight room, additional stretching, and conditioning. Again, they have a pre-workout drink designed to prepare them and minimize fatigue, and then also a post-workout drink to refuel their body and prepare them for the next workout. The regeneration process starts immediately and they go through various modalities to help the body adapt and recover for the next workout. This includes things like ice baths, showers, Normatec and Marc Pro recovery solutions. They will also review video of their training during a meeting with coaches, and be in a classroom to learn schemes and tactics on the field. Their day also includes additional stretching, soft tissue work, and physical therapy, when necessary.
QUESTION: These elite athletes quickly transition from college students across the U.S. to preparing full-time in Southern California for their first professional job and career. What have your observations been so far in terms of how they successfully manage this life change?
KEN VICK: This is an amazing group of athletes and really good young men who we have with us. It's always a challenge to leave a structured college environment and become a professional athlete, even more so in the spotlight, but with new stresses and demands in a very short amount of time. It's a great opportunity to work with these young men to help them take the outlook of being a professional to that of being the CEO of their company. Now they have to make decisions about what they will do.Ken Vick, Velocity’s VP High Performance, has been preparing elite football athletes for the NFL Combine and Pro Days for more than a decade, including 20+ first-round NFL Draft selections during that time.
Vick is currently directing the daily activities and preparation of 20+ athletes who are invited to this year’s NFL Combine, including first-round projections Damontre Moore (DE, Texas A&M), Cordarrelle Patterson (WR, Tennessee), Kenny Vaccaro (S, Texas), and Mike Glennon (QB, NC State), in addition to numerous other potential NFL Draft picks.
QUESTION: Describe the process and athlete experience during the first few weeks of the program as these players begin preparing for the NFL Combine and Draft.
KEN VICK: Entering NFL Combine training is a big change for many athletes. First of all, they are no longer college students and as professionals, they have to start thinking like a business person as well as an athlete. We want them to start thinking strategically about the risk-to-benefit ratio and the cost of every decision they make. So at this point, instead of a coach telling them what to do, our coaches are guiding them, getting their input, and helping them to think about how to make decisions in their training and preparation.
The training is also very different as we prepare them for the NFL Combine. While the off-season in football is generally longer with a steady progression to training, this process is very short and intense. We have to very quickly load the athlete so that his body will peak for their key events like the Combine, the pro days, and even the early all-star bowl games. It's also a shock to the system because they're coming directly out of season and entering right back into full training. This is where the integration of sports medicine becomes very important. We can’t just rehab and wait for them to feel good to begin training, but on the other hand, we can’t just train and ignore the many bumps, bruises and injuries that they experienced during the college football season. This is also the time when we begin educating them on the risk factors that will affect their career longevity.
Another difference as these college athletes enter NFL Draft preparation is that they are now surrounded by many other elite, high-level athletes. This is their first taste of understanding that as a process to the NFL, everyone around them will play at a higher level. Their talent is no longer enough to just get by. I often say that talent is just the cover charge to get in the door. After that, it's up to you to do something more.
QUESTION: What are the main things you and your team of high performance coaches focus on during the program?
KEN VICK: Everything now revolves around creating the best possible programs for each individual athlete. We don't fit players into a preset program. We create a program to fit our players.
I think one of the very important factors that get overlooked in many training programs is basic communication. Day 1 begins by sitting down with the athlete and discussing his background, his goals, the way he sees himself as an athlete, and the way he wants to see his career unfold. We involve the agents and also gather feedback from NFL team scouts in an effort to understand how to put together an individual plan. Then we take our team of experts and look at the input from each of them to create a plan that is going to get the optimal results for each player in the timeframe we have to work with them.
One top priority of Combine training is getting the athlete as healthy as possible in a very short amount of time. Integrating all of our sports medicine experts, physical therapists, soft tissue specialists, nutritionists and physicians all play a role in getting our players healthy and functional again. This is critical because they have to train to improve their performance and because the medical evaluations are a very important factor at the NFL Combine. Another very important priority is not just the intensity of the training, but the specificity and the focus of the recovery. While training is the stimulus, it's during recovery that the body and brain adapt. So if we want the athlete to improve and to be able to handle more intense training, we have to implement a very intensive and specific regeneration plan. Regeneration has become a popular topic, but too many people still generalize in what they are doing. We look at four different types of stress on the body and break down a regeneration plan around those stresses.
QUESTION: Walk us through a typical day for these elite athletes right now as they prepare for the NFL Combine and other key evaluation events.
KEN VICK: Because we have such a short timeframe, our days have many objectives and a lot of things to get done. The players begin by eating a breakfast of custom food based on their nutritional needs and their individual tastes. Many will arrive before the first training session for therapy or other types of preparation. The first session each morning is focused on movement and depending on the day, will either be linear speed (working on acceleration and maximum velocity) or will be multi-directional (working on quickness, agility, and foot work). The movement training typically lasts 60-90 minutes, with a section for dynamic warm-up focused on the technical aspects of movement and then some apply drills to really stimulate optimal motor learning.
The athletes then go to position work, working on the specific skills with position coaches. They have a custom post-workout drink designed to meet the carbohydrate, protein, and other specific needs of each individual. Depending on the athlete, they may have more therapy or post-workout treatments on that day. Some may have an aquatic workout as well, and then lunch before the afternoon strength and power session.
In the afternoon, we focus on various aspects of strength and power development. This involves plyometrics, weight room, additional stretching, and conditioning. Again, they have a pre-workout drink designed to prepare them and minimize fatigue, and then also a post-workout drink to refuel their body and prepare them for the next workout. The regeneration process starts immediately and they go through various modalities to help the body adapt and recover for the next workout. This includes things like ice baths, showers, Normatec and Marc Pro recovery solutions. They will also review video of their training during a meeting with coaches, and be in a classroom to learn schemes and tactics on the field. Their day also includes additional stretching, soft tissue work, and physical therapy, when necessary.
QUESTION: These elite athletes quickly transition from college students across the U.S. to preparing full-time in Southern California for their first professional job and career. What have your observations been so far in terms of how they successfully manage this life change?
KEN VICK: This is an amazing group of athletes and really good young men who we have with us. It's always a challenge to leave a structured college environment and become a professional athlete, even more so in the spotlight, but with new stresses and demands in a very short amount of time. It's a great opportunity to work with these young men to help them take the outlook of being a professional to that of being the CEO of their company. Now they have to make decisions about what they will do. What’s key is that they have to learn to ask questions and seek out guidance regarding what the cost and benefit of each of those decisions are. They have to develop the mental focus and the grit to be able to do the little details that are not exciting, but that pay dividends and speak of professionalism. Some of my most exciting moments are when we give the choice to the athlete of what passes they are going to take. We give them the feedback, the benefits, and the cost, and it's so rewarding to see when they are willing to sacrifice the short-term so that they can give it their best effort and get focused on long-term success.
What’s key is that they have to learn to ask questions and seek out guidance regarding what the cost and benefit of each of those decisions are. They have to develop the mental focus and the grit to be able to do the little details that are not exciting, but that pay dividends and speak of professionalism. Some of my most exciting moments are when we give the choice to the athlete of what passes they are going to take. We give them the feedback, the benefits, and the cost, and it's so rewarding to see when they are willing to sacrifice the short-term so that they can give it their best effort and get focused on long-term success.
Velocity Coach Trains Olympic Cyclists in Colorado Springs
By Keith WalkerVick is currently directing the daily activities and preparation of 20+ athletes who are invited to this year’s NFL Combine, including first-round projections Damontre Moore (DE, Texas A&M), Cordarrelle Patterson (WR, Tennessee), Kenny Vaccaro (S, Texas), and Mike Glennon (QB, NC State), in addition to numerous other potential NFL Draft picks.
QUESTION: Describe the process and athlete experience during the first few weeks of the program as these players begin preparing for the NFL Combine and Draft.
KEN VICK: Entering NFL Combine training is a big change for many athletes. First of all, they are no longer college students and as professionals, they have to start thinking like a business person as well as an athlete. We want them to start thinking strategically about the risk-to-benefit ratio and the cost of every decision they make. So at this point, instead of a coach telling them what to do, our coaches are guiding them, getting their input, and helping them to think about how to make decisions in their training and preparation.
The training is also very different as we prepare them for the NFL Combine. While the off-season in football is generally longer with a steady progression to training, this process is very short and intense. We have to very quickly load the athlete so that his body will peak for their key events like the Combine, the pro days, and even the early all-star bowl games. It's also a shock to the system because they're coming directly out of season and entering right back into full training. This is where the integration of sports medicine becomes very important. We can’t just rehab and wait for them to feel good to begin training, but on the other hand, we can’t just train and ignore the many bumps, bruises and injuries that they experienced during the college football season. This is also the time when we begin educating them on the risk factors that will affect their career longevity.
Another difference as these college athletes enter NFL Draft preparation is that they are now surrounded by many other elite, high-level athletes. This is their first taste of understanding that as a process to the NFL, everyone around them will play at a higher level. Their talent is no longer enough to just get by. I often say that talent is just the cover charge to get in the door. After that, it's up to you to do something more.
QUESTION: What are the main things you and your team of high performance coaches focus on during the program?
KEN VICK: Everything now revolves around creating the best possible programs for each individual athlete. We don't fit players into a preset program. We create a program to fit our players.
I think one of the very important factors that get overlooked in many training programs is basic communication. Day 1 begins by sitting down with the athlete and discussing his background, his goals, the way he sees himself as an athlete, and the way he wants to see his career unfold. We involve the agents and also gather feedback from NFL team scouts in an effort to understand how to put together an individual plan. Then we take our team of experts and look at the input from each of them to create a plan that is going to get the optimal results for each player in the timeframe we have to work with them.
One top priority of Combine training is getting the athlete as healthy as possible in a very short amount of time. Integrating all of our sports medicine experts, physical therapists, soft tissue specialists, nutritionists and physicians all play a role in getting our players healthy and functional again. This is critical because they have to train to improve their performance and because the medical evaluations are a very important factor at the NFL Combine. Another very important priority is not just the intensity of the training, but the specificity and the focus of the recovery. While training is the stimulus, it's during recovery that the body and brain adapt. So if we want the athlete to improve and to be able to handle more intense training, we have to implement a very intensive and specific regeneration plan. Regeneration has become a popular topic, but too many people still generalize in what they are doing. We look at four different types of stress on the body and break down a regeneration plan around those stresses.
QUESTION: Walk us through a typical day for these elite athletes right now as they prepare for the NFL Combine and other key evaluation events.
KEN VICK: Because we have such a short timeframe, our days have many objectives and a lot of things to get done. The players begin by eating a breakfast of custom food based on their nutritional needs and their individual tastes. Many will arrive before the first training session for therapy or other types of preparation. The first session each morning is focused on movement and depending on the day, will either be linear speed (working on acceleration and maximum velocity) or will be multi-directional (working on quickness, agility, and foot work). The movement training typically lasts 60-90 minutes, with a section for dynamic warm-up focused on the technical aspects of movement and then some apply drills to really stimulate optimal motor learning.
The athletes then go to position work, working on the specific skills with position coaches. They have a custom post-workout drink designed to meet the carbohydrate, protein, and other specific needs of each individual. Depending on the athlete, they may have more therapy or post-workout treatments on that day. Some may have an aquatic workout as well, and then lunch before the afternoon strength and power session.
In the afternoon, we focus on various aspects of strength and power development. This involves plyometrics, weight room, additional stretching, and conditioning. Again, they have a pre-workout drink designed to prepare them and minimize fatigue, and then also a post-workout drink to refuel their body and prepare them for the next workout. The regeneration process starts immediately and they go through various modalities to help the body adapt and recover for the next workout. This includes things like ice baths, showers, Normatec and Marc Pro recovery solutions. They will also review video of their training during a meeting with coaches, and be in a classroom to learn schemes and tactics on the field. Their day also includes additional stretching, soft tissue work, and physical therapy, when necessary.
QUESTION: These elite athletes quickly transition from college students across the U.S. to preparing full-time in Southern California for their first professional job and career. What have your observations been so far in terms of how they successfully manage this life change?
KEN VICK: This is an amazing group of athletes and really good young men who we have with us. It's always a challenge to leave a structured college environment and become a professional athlete, even more so in the spotlight, but with new stresses and demands in a very short amount of time. It's a great opportunity to work with these young men to help them take the outlook of being a professional to that of being the CEO of their company. Now they have to make decisions about what they will do.Ken Vick, Velocity’s VP High Performance, has been preparing elite football athletes for the NFL Combine and Pro Days for more than a decade, including 20+ first-round NFL Draft selections during that time.
Vick is currently directing the daily activities and preparation of 20+ athletes who are invited to this year’s NFL Combine, including first-round projections Damontre Moore (DE, Texas A&M), Cordarrelle Patterson (WR, Tennessee), Kenny Vaccaro (S, Texas), and Mike Glennon (QB, NC State), in addition to numerous other potential NFL Draft picks.
QUESTION: Describe the process and athlete experience during the first few weeks of the program as these players begin preparing for the NFL Combine and Draft.
KEN VICK: Entering NFL Combine training is a big change for many athletes. First of all, they are no longer college students and as professionals, they have to start thinking like a business person as well as an athlete. We want them to start thinking strategically about the risk-to-benefit ratio and the cost of every decision they make. So at this point, instead of a coach telling them what to do, our coaches are guiding them, getting their input, and helping them to think about how to make decisions in their training and preparation.
The training is also very different as we prepare them for the NFL Combine. While the off-season in football is generally longer with a steady progression to training, this process is very short and intense. We have to very quickly load the athlete so that his body will peak for their key events like the Combine, the pro days, and even the early all-star bowl games. It's also a shock to the system because they're coming directly out of season and entering right back into full training. This is where the integration of sports medicine becomes very important. We can’t just rehab and wait for them to feel good to begin training, but on the other hand, we can’t just train and ignore the many bumps, bruises and injuries that they experienced during the college football season. This is also the time when we begin educating them on the risk factors that will affect their career longevity.
Another difference as these college athletes enter NFL Draft preparation is that they are now surrounded by many other elite, high-level athletes. This is their first taste of understanding that as a process to the NFL, everyone around them will play at a higher level. Their talent is no longer enough to just get by. I often say that talent is just the cover charge to get in the door. After that, it's up to you to do something more.
QUESTION: What are the main things you and your team of high performance coaches focus on during the program?
KEN VICK: Everything now revolves around creating the best possible programs for each individual athlete. We don't fit players into a preset program. We create a program to fit our players.
I think one of the very important factors that get overlooked in many training programs is basic communication. Day 1 begins by sitting down with the athlete and discussing his background, his goals, the way he sees himself as an athlete, and the way he wants to see his career unfold. We involve the agents and also gather feedback from NFL team scouts in an effort to understand how to put together an individual plan. Then we take our team of experts and look at the input from each of them to create a plan that is going to get the optimal results for each player in the timeframe we have to work with them.
One top priority of Combine training is getting the athlete as healthy as possible in a very short amount of time. Integrating all of our sports medicine experts, physical therapists, soft tissue specialists, nutritionists and physicians all play a role in getting our players healthy and functional again. This is critical because they have to train to improve their performance and because the medical evaluations are a very important factor at the NFL Combine. Another very important priority is not just the intensity of the training, but the specificity and the focus of the recovery. While training is the stimulus, it's during recovery that the body and brain adapt. So if we want the athlete to improve and to be able to handle more intense training, we have to implement a very intensive and specific regeneration plan. Regeneration has become a popular topic, but too many people still generalize in what they are doing. We look at four different types of stress on the body and break down a regeneration plan around those stresses.
QUESTION: Walk us through a typical day for these elite athletes right now as they prepare for the NFL Combine and other key evaluation events.
KEN VICK: Because we have such a short timeframe, our days have many objectives and a lot of things to get done. The players begin by eating a breakfast of custom food based on their nutritional needs and their individual tastes. Many will arrive before the first training session for therapy or other types of preparation. The first session each morning is focused on movement and depending on the day, will either be linear speed (working on acceleration and maximum velocity) or will be multi-directional (working on quickness, agility, and foot work). The movement training typically lasts 60-90 minutes, with a section for dynamic warm-up focused on the technical aspects of movement and then some apply drills to really stimulate optimal motor learning.
The athletes then go to position work, working on the specific skills with position coaches. They have a custom post-workout drink designed to meet the carbohydrate, protein, and other specific needs of each individual. Depending on the athlete, they may have more therapy or post-workout treatments on that day. Some may have an aquatic workout as well, and then lunch before the afternoon strength and power session.
In the afternoon, we focus on various aspects of strength and power development. This involves plyometrics, weight room, additional stretching, and conditioning. Again, they have a pre-workout drink designed to prepare them and minimize fatigue, and then also a post-workout drink to refuel their body and prepare them for the next workout. The regeneration process starts immediately and they go through various modalities to help the body adapt and recover for the next workout. This includes things like ice baths, showers, Normatec and Marc Pro recovery solutions. They will also review video of their training during a meeting with coaches, and be in a classroom to learn schemes and tactics on the field. Their day also includes additional stretching, soft tissue work, and physical therapy, when necessary.
QUESTION: These elite athletes quickly transition from college students across the U.S. to preparing full-time in Southern California for their first professional job and career. What have your observations been so far in terms of how they successfully manage this life change?
KEN VICK: This is an amazing group of athletes and really good young men who we have with us. It's always a challenge to leave a structured college environment and become a professional athlete, even more so in the spotlight, but with new stresses and demands in a very short amount of time. It's a great opportunity to work with these young men to help them take the outlook of being a professional to that of being the CEO of their company. Now they have to make decisions about what they will do. What’s key is that they have to learn to ask questions and seek out guidance regarding what the cost and benefit of each of those decisions are. They have to develop the mental focus and the grit to be able to do the little details that are not exciting, but that pay dividends and speak of professionalism. Some of my most exciting moments are when we give the choice to the athlete of what passes they are going to take. We give them the feedback, the benefits, and the cost, and it's so rewarding to see when they are willing to sacrifice the short-term so that they can give it their best effort and get focused on long-term success.
What’s key is that they have to learn to ask questions and seek out guidance regarding what the cost and benefit of each of those decisions are. They have to develop the mental focus and the grit to be able to do the little details that are not exciting, but that pay dividends and speak of professionalism. Some of my most exciting moments are when we give the choice to the athlete of what passes they are going to take. We give them the feedback, the benefits, and the cost, and it's so rewarding to see when they are willing to sacrifice the short-term so that they can give it their best effort and get focused on long-term success.
June 26, 2012
June 05, 2012