The Hartford HealthCare Rehabilitation Network Sports Medicine team will be hosting a Strength and Conditioning Combine Camp early this summer at Conard High School in West Hartford. The camp will work with youth, middle school and high school age athletes of all sports to test them in core measurements, including power, speed, agility and endurance using measures that are recognized at a national level.
“Combines are a way to test your athlete’s abilities then create a ranking for coaches and recruiters,” Stefanie Bourassa, the Sports Medicine Clinical Program Director for the Hartford HealthCare Rehabilitation Network, tells parents who may be thinking about enrolling their kids in the camp. “Where your athlete scores during these combines will give us, you and your athlete insight into where they stand compared to their peers. Are they prepared to play in college? If so, what level of college? If not, what can they do to improve to get to the point where they could be recruited for the next phase of sports? Are they at risk for injury? If so, how can we prevent it? If not, how can we maintain their mobility, strength and conditioning in order to continue to stay healthy and active in their sport? Those are just some of the many questions that we can answer through this testing series.”
The tests that will be featured at the combine camps consist of a 40 yard dash, medicine ball throw, the 5-10-5 agility test and the broad jump. In addition to these core measures, the combines will also incorporate sport specific testing such as the beep test for athletes whose sports require a lot of running, the vertical jump for athletes who sports require height in their jump, and the three cone drill for those whose sports require quick lateral movements or cutting.
“These tests also allow for us to tier camps to address areas that can be improved,” Bourassa explained. “We prepare strength and conditioning programs based on your athlete’s training age; meaning, have they ever been in a weight room before, have they ever been a part of a structured strength and conditioning program before? Are they of the skeletally mature age to be performing big lifts? Are they coordinated to do big lifts? Our Strength and Conditioning specialists have developed a tiered system of programming that helps to move athletes through the different ages and abilities. This insures that athletes are preparing their body and making gains in a safe and controlled manner, while also improving their strength, coordination, power, agility, and movement. All of which improve combine scores, and overall physical abilities. Combine this with some mindset training and nutrition, and your athlete will be given most of the tools they need to succeed.”
The Strength and Conditioning Combine Camp begins on Monday, June 25th in West Hartford. For more information about the camp or to register, call 1.855.800.4040.