Getting kids to lift

Coach,

Up until last year, we had the very same problem. There are a few key things that we did to start changing things:

1. Your freshman staff and your feeder program staff has to set the tone in practice during the in-season. They must drill into the kid's heads that the expectation is for maximum participation in the strength and conditioning program. This sets the kids' expectations very early and conditions them that they are expected to participate.

2. You need a program and a system that are both effective and fun. We run "Bigger, Faster, Stronger" as a school-wide program (like the last post suggested). We also design some basic conditioning and agility drills for the kids to do after they lift.

3. We divided the squad up into "lifting teams", each headed by a senior. The senior is responsible for monitoring the attendance and success of his team. The senior leaders meet with the coaching staff once a month, and we hold them accountable for the team's performance.

4. Every other month, we do combine testing and post the results. Each team gets "points" for certain accomplishments in the strength and agility tests that we do, as well as for overall team attendance. The winners each period are rewarded with a T-Shirt or a bandana or whatever. At the end of the off-season (just before we start double sessions), we tally the total points, and the members of that team with the most points can elect to get out of conditioning for a session.

5. We make certain that our weight room is open Mon, Wed, and Fri like clock work. We also open the weight room in the morning before school, so the "workers" and "hoopsters" have no excuses as to why they are not lifting.

This is our second year with this process, and we are starting to show results. In 2000 and 2001, we were lucky to average 10 kids per session, even in the summer. Last year, we averaged about 20 or so. This season, we have exploded into about 35-45 on average per day (that does not include the other knuckleheads who lift at home or go to the gym). It's simply a matter of "setting the standard". The majority of our lifters are underclassmen, and I firmly believe it is because the expectations were set at the Freshman and Pop Warner levels that this is what they needed to do. Also, training your upperclassmen to be positive and make the weight room a welcoming place is key. I have found that many kids were afraid to come in because they know they are not strong and fear they will be made fun of. That atmosphere, if it exists, or the perception must be eliminated.

I hope this gives you some ideas. We are by no means a model of weight room efficiency, but we are turning things in the proper direction, and that is a good feeling!

CLIPPER,

WAS IT TOUGH TO KEEP UP WITH THE POINTS? HOW DID YOU DIVIDE THE PLAYERS? STRENGTH? POSITION?
OUR STAFF IS INTERESTED IN THIS TEAM APPROACH TO LIFTING. COULD YOU E-MAIL SOME MORE INFO., IF AVAILABLE ?

calvertb@gwd50.k12.sc.us

THANKS

Considering half of my team is playing baseball now, I can symphacize. Yes, I am a BFS coach, but weightlifting has to become a major emphasis in the summer and during the season when you coach at a small school like me. I will have 20 kids on my team next year, and more than half play basketball, and half play baseball. The only way these kids are going to lift is during your summer program and during the season. Good luck and I hope this helps. And believe me, I symphacize!!!