This time last year, Sports Performance Coach Lane Hendricks was just getting his feet under him having barely been hired, then being partly responsible for the summer training of several hundred Enid High Student Athletes. The good news was that he had an experienced partner in Coach Jana Robertson, who had a year under her belt. “The first year was interesting,” said Hendricks, “but I knew this was a dream job for me. Coach Robertson was really helpful, and we have great kids, so I just jumped right in.”
The same goes for this year – with some slight modifications. “This year we split all the sports into three sessions, instead of two, which has given us smaller groups,” said Robertson. “The kids seem to like the smaller groups, and we can get them more reps. Our first session starts at 7 am, so it’s pretty early, then we stagger after that getting done about 11:30.” With time divided between the weight room (strength) and the track and football field (conditioning and agility), Hendricks and Robertson are able to focus on the sports and areas they think will best help them succeed. Athletic Director Scott Mansfield states, “Our strength coaches are among the most talented in the state. Their expertise in knowledge, teaching, and motivation fosters an environment of growth that balances competition with individuality. They are an integral part of our success in building athletes and achieving excellence on the field.” And Robertson continues with, “Our goal is to avoid injuries and keep our kids healthy, first, and then to work on their mobility, stability, core strength, and all the things that will make our athletes perform better on the court or field.”
With three to four hundred kids every day, these two coaches could not do it on their own. “All of the head coaches (and a few assistant coaches) participate in helping Summer Pride, and we have 75-80% of our student-athletes that show up every week. Our coaches do a really good job encouraging their kids to come out and get better in the summer. Since it can’t be required, some teams have incentives for showing up every day. Football players get their names on their jerseys if they come every day, for instance.” Robertson said. Team bonding is also a draw for the kids, “They really like to see their teammates, and we try to vary the workouts and keep them engaged,” said Hendricks, “we relate the workouts to real life and how they can get better.” Mansfield says, “Two weeks into Summer Pride, we have seen strong and consistent participation from our athletes. They approach each workout with a positive mindset, maximizing every rep… While we are pleased with our current progress, we are committed to raising the bar each day.”
While they are proud of all their teams, Robertson has been very impressed with the Boys Soccer players recently, saying they have really “bought in” and the “upperclassmen have set high expectations for the team to get stronger and faster and do what needs to be done to get better.”
One thing both coaches know is that champions are built during the summer, and they are doing their best to get the Plainsmen and Pacers ready for the upcoming seasons.
