Argus-Leader from Sioux Falls, South Dakota • Page 27

www.argusleader.com SPORTS Argus Leader, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Sunday, July 29, 2001 3C Training: Program helps elite athletes 1 'e-f t-WS CHRISTOPHER GANNON ARGUS LEADER South Dakota State University football player Erik Johnson grimaces while sprinting on a steeply Inclined treadmill under the supervision of exercise physiologist Derek Ferley. CHRISTOPHER GANNON ARGUS LEADER SpltFIre's Ishmael Mlntah (left) sends a shot at the goal over Lafayette midfielder J.B. Brunet during the first half of Saturday night's second semifinal game. Sioux Falls defeated the Lightning 3-1 and will meet the Chicago Fire Reserves for the championship. Soccer: SpitFire gets to championship game just put it into the corner." Late in the game, Lafayette began to feel the effects of having just one extra player in uniform.

The SpitFire had outshot the Continued from 1C Pederson, Kurtiss Riggs, Kalen DeBoer, Kevin Kaesviharn, 101 different state high school track champions, and on and on. "I've been through it four times. I think it's a great program," says Heiden, a South Dakota State alum who plays for the San Diego Chargers. "It trains you in a way that you can't train yourself." The Acceleration Program is a science-based training system developed by John Frappier, an exercise physiologist in Fargo who went to Moscow prior to the 1986 Goodwill Games and observed the Soviets' innovative training regimens, including the use of electrical stimuli to tap into unused muscle strength. Frappier set out to find a natural way to maximize muscle efficiency, and in 1990 he founded what is now Frappier Acceleration Sports Training, a network of more than 80 training centers around the world.

There were only seven when McKennan Hospital added the program in 1994. More than 2,000 area athletes have since gone through the six-to-eight-week Acceleration Program, which helps participants improve their physical abilities by "overloading" them adding resistance, for example as they perform actions essential to their sports, such as running, jumping and throwing. "What we try to do," Bartling says, "is teach the muscles and the nervous system how to respond quickly and explosively in this setting, so that when the athlete then is on the track or on the field, they don't have to use conscious thought to do those things. Those things have already been developed here and become automatic." Bartling says a significant difference between Acceleration training and traditional weight training is the rate at which exercises are performed which determines whether an athlete is simply developing strength or developing power. "Typically, (weightlifting) movements are not done at a sports-specific speed," Bartling says.

"What we're doing is having the athletes go through the same type of movements that they're going to do on the field or on the track, and overload them in a safe, efficient fashion." Acceleration training utilizes resistance cords, machines with impressive-sounding names such as Pro Implosion, Plyo Press and Pro Multi-Hip and plyometric jumping exercises that resemble killer hopscotch. But the primary tool used in the program is the Generation II Super Treadmill, an industrial-strength unit that operates at speeds as high as 29 mph and can be set at a 40-degree incline. "That's kind of the highlight of the program," says Bartling, who received his master's degree in Exercise Physiology from SDSU. Gaining speed While running on the Super Treadmill, athletes can watch themselves in a full-length mirror as a trainer usually Bartling or one of his full-time assistants, Derek Ferley and Jason Askew -makes sure they use proper running techniques. "We try to teach the athlete how to keep their body in the optimal position when they're sprinting," Bartling says.

"And then by manipulating the incline, we're forcing them to push off more forcefully." Sprints on the treadmill last no more than 30 seconds and usually less than 10 seconds. As an athlete progresses through the program, the treadmill's incline is reduced and running becomes easier. At the conclusion of the program, the athlete's speed is measured with a flat sprint on the treadmill for six seconds. Theeler, the Mitchell track star now at North Dakota State, holds the Avera McKennan program's women's record of 21 mph; former Roosevelt standout and current Augus-tana athlete Ryan Ovenden holds the men's record of 24.5 mph. The program's promotional material claims that participants reduce their 40-yard dash times by an average of two-tenths of a second and increase their vertical jump by an average of three inches.

It's an accurate claim, says Heiden, who first went through the program before his senior season at SDSU. "I saw results right away," he says. "My 40 went from 4.8 to about 4.6 and my vertical went from about 32 inches to 35 inches." Parnett-letoisi 'Serving The 'A 7 2 4 thrower. In March, 2000, they traded him and fellow reliever Rick Blanc to the Fargo-Moor-head RedHawks for veteran slugger Mike Busch. The Canaries got what they wanted, a slugger in the middle of their lineup, but Pearson went on to become the Northern League Central's Rookie Pitcher of the Year in 2000.

Going 10-2 with a 3.01 ERA as a starter for Fargo-Moorhead persuaded the Cincinnati Reds to purchase Pearson's contract in September. The San Diego Padres must have noticed Pearson, too, because they chose him less than three months later in baseball's Rule draft, which lets teams take unprotected players from other organizations for a fee. Pearson, who returned to the Avera McKennan program after last season and plans to do the same after this season, is 4-2 with a 3.30 ERA for the Padres' AA team in Mobile, Ala. "Your arm feels great after you do it," he says. "I wish I had known about it earlier in my career.

I wouldn't be here, I'd be in the big leagues by now." Developing a reputation Many athletes already in their sporf respective "big league" have used the Frappier Acceleration Program, including the Minnesota Vikings' Cris Carter and Randy Moss, the NBA's Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady, the NHL's Brett Hull, track's Butch Reynolds and baseball's Darin Erstad. Carter liked the program so much he purchased the rights to operate his own center in Boca Raton, Fla. The program at Avera McKennan was not only one of the first, it's also considered one of the network's best. After Heiden's stellar showing at the NFL combine, his agent, Jack Wirth, told Bartling: "You guys are the best in the country at preparing guys for the combine, but I can't convince my other players to move to Sioux Falls for six weeks." Hinrich, a 1999 Sioux City West graduate who starts at guard for the University of Kansas basketball team, thought enough of the Avera McKennan program after going through it the first time as a high school sophomore that he commuted to Sioux Falls to repeat the program as a junior and senior, even though an Acceleration Program had been added in Sioux City by then. "We liked the success he had with them, so we thought we'd stick with it," says Jim Hinrich, Kirk's father and Sioux City West's coach for the past 22 years.

Although Bartling says the program doesn't usually attract a lot ft 2 of basketball players "They're gym rats. They just like to play basketball." Jim Hinrich says it was an important part of his son's development "He always worked on his physical ability, but that's when he really got serious with it," Jim says. "It improved his quickness, speed and vertical jump. That part really improved, and he kept working on improving his basketball skills." Facing opposition Not everyone embraces the Acceleration training philosophy. For instance, Boyd Epley, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's assistant athletic director and director of athletic performance, doesn't believe in it and strongly discourages Cornhusker football players from participating in it, even though there is a center in Lincoln.

Vanden Bosch, a Nebraska Ail-American who was the Arizona Cardinals' second-round draft pick in April, went through the Avera McKennan program twice while at West Lyon High School. But the Larchwood native didn't return to the program until this year, when his Nebraska career was over. "A number of the athletes down there, when they're done at Nebraska and want to try to make it in the NFL, train with the Frappier Acceleration Program," Bartling says. Bartling calls Epley's objection to the program a case of an "old-school" strength coach rejecting scientific advancement. "If hard to believe that training methods have become somewhat political, but they really have," Bartling says.

"There's a lot of people that see us as a threat to the traditional world of strength training, and I disagree with that completely. You still need to lift weights to get bigger and stronger, but when you combine traditional training with Acceleration training, you get the best of both worlds." Frappier says that training in his program will help most athletes perform better in competition. "In any sport that is quick in nature, if you are quicker and faster then your opponent you will have an advantage," he says on his company's Web site. Jim Hinrich agrees, but only to a point. "I still think that the most important thing you have to do to be a good player is develop your skills," he says.

"If you go through the Acceleration Program, it won't make you a better player, but a quicker one. If you're a bad player, then youll be a quicker bad player. "But if you're a skillful player, and you can add strength and quickness to that then there's no question that you're going to be a lot better." Heiden was a productive tight end for SDSU, leading the Jackrabbits in receptions, but NFL teams are usually skeptical of Division II standouts because they face lesser athletes than Division I players do. Heiden was projected to be taken late in the seven-round draft, until he went to the NFL's postseason scouting combine and tested out as the second-best athlete among tight ends in the draft. That convinced the Chargers that he could make the jump to the NFL, and they selected him early in the third round of the 1999 draft.

"(The Acceleration Program) helped a lot, as far as my draft position," says Heiden, who has returned to Sioux Falls to go through the program again after each of his first two NFL seasons. This year, Heiden often trained at the same time as Ranek, SDSU's All-America running back; Josh Stamer, a former University of South Dakota linebacker who is a rookie free agent with the New York Giants; and Sioux Falls Storm linebacker Don Hilsenroth, who works part-time at the program. According to Bartling, the competition could get rather intense when that foursome took turns on the treadmill. Heiden just laughs about it. "We're all pretty good friends," he says, "and we're all competitive.

It was a lot of fun." Improving velocity Although best-known for developing running speed, the Acceleration Program has added programs over the years to improve things such as skating speed for hockey players and throwing velocity for baseball players. One player who credits the program for aiding his baseball career is former Canaries pitcher Jason Pearson, who lived with Bartling's family in 1999 while playing for Sioux Falls. Released after one year in the Florida Marlins' minor-league chain, Pearson came to the Canaries with the same goal as most of the players who have passed through the Birdcage in recent years: to catch a scout's eye and get into organized baseball. As a middle reliever for the Birds, Pearson went 2-3 with a 2.98 ERA. Not bad numbers, but not good enough to make scouts drool, either.

Another mediocre number-85, as in miles per hour for his fastball was holding the left-hander back even more, he says. "Organizations like to see the hard throwers," he says. "They like the guys who light up the (radar) gun." Pearson used the Acceleration Program facilities for general training, but Bartling convinced him after the season to try Frappi-er's throwing cord program. In it, rubberized cords attached to a pitcher's wrist, upper arm and waist provide resistance as he throws into a net. "It looked pretty cool, so I thought I'd try it," Pearson says.

He was 24 years old at the time, past the age at which pitchers typically reach physical maturity and therefore stop adding velocity. But after going through the program, Pearson's fastball was clocked at 89 mph. "I can touch 90 and occasionally 92," says Pearson, who says the added velocity on his fastball makes his changeup much more effective now. Unfortunately for the Canaries, they weren't aware that Pearson had suddenly become a flame- Funeral Home, Inc. Community Since 1914' Continued from 1C coach Bret Hall said.

"They've put a great team together. We've talked to a lot of other teams in their division, and they all say the same thing that they're a great team." The SpitFire and Lightning game began almost 45 minutes late because of the overtime in the first game. But when things started, Sioux Falls dominated in front of the 2,248 fans. The SpitFire outshot the Lightning 16-6 in the first half, and 10 of those chances came inside of the Lafayette goalkeeper's box. In the 27th minute, Fabio took a breakaway up the right side of the field, pushing the ball a little bit ahead of him.

As he did, Lafayette goalkeeper Nate Daniel came out and slid after the ball, but instead brought down Fabio for a penalty kick. Fabio, a former league MVP, beat Daniel to the low left corner of the net on the first penalty kick of the year at McEneaney for a 1- 0 Sioux Falls lead. Fabio missed two other chances inside the box before the Lightning (13-6-2) got the equalizer. The SpitFire defense deflected away a Lafayette corner kick in the 36th minute, but the ball bounced out to forward Glenn Benjamin at the top of the box. Benjamin blasted a left-footed shot by SpitFire goalkeeper Jeff Richey's left side to tie the game.

Just 12 minutes into the second half, Richey helped on the eventual game-winning goal with an outstanding, athletic play. With a Lafayette player charging, Richey beat him to the ball and cleared it high and deep down the field. "He came out high and started the offense there," Maxon said. "He put that ball out, and we were off to the races." When it came down, T.J. Rolf-ing headed it to the ground, then tapped through the Lightning defense to Fabio, who pushed it to his right After collecting the ball in front of the goal, Fabio dribbled and crossed the ball over Byers for the one-time shot into the left side of the net "It was Fabio's first-class pass.

He was so unselfish," Byers said. "He probably could have put it home himself, he just happened to give it to me. "Once Fabio got to the endline, 1 just screamed at him to let him know I was there. It was just a matter of tucking it into the corner and beating the keeper." Byers' second goal happened more by chance. Rolfing centered a corner kick in the 65th minute to Hakeem Koroma, who headed it toward the net.

It just happed to fall right at Byers' foot in front of the goal, and he deflected it past the diving Daniel. "I just kind of turned to watch the play, and the ball happened to come right at me," Byers said. "I Lightning 30-9 into the 85th minute, and Lafayette kept committing fouls out of exhaustion. "They had their chances," Lightning playercoach Chris Veselka said. "But our guys were working hard and had a great season.

"Sioux Falls was definitely the better team tonight I just wish we would have played them a little better." Top scorer Beau Brown did not play for the Lightning, and two other players did not arrive in time for the game. "Lafaytte gave us all we could handle," Sioux Falls coach Tom Maxon said. "Had they had their Beau Brown here and a couple other guys, they could have possibly beaten us tonight. They were a good team, much better than I thought they'd be." The first game was a sloppy affair early. Chicago and Texas combined for just 10 shots in a scoreless first half in which both teams felt out each others' styles.

The second half, though, belonged to Texas. The Spurs (16-4-1) were out-shot 7-3 in the first half, but hammered 11 shots in the second, including five quality chances in the goalkeeper's box. Spurs forward Luis ZuaZua had two of them, and Wesley Elias' header in the box went just over the net with two minute left in regulation. "We played their style of play the first half," Spurs coach Ed Puskarich said. "Our game is a possession game." But Chicago took control in overtime, nearly scoring off a corner kick six minutes into the period on Denny Clanton that went just wide.

Smith headed home the winner off a beautiful, high lob pass from John Collins in the left corner. "The goalkeeper misjudged it," Smith said. "I was just in the right place at the right time." Hall knows about the SpitFire, having coached against some of the guys a few years back when Maxon coached Sioux City and Hall the Chicago Sockers. He also coached Fabio in the PDL All-Star game in 1999. Maxon has tremendous respect for Hall's Chicago squad, one which he said will give the SpitFire all it can handle.

"It would be nice to get three more in a row," Maxon said. "But I tell you what Chicago Fire Reserves are a well-coached, well-disciplined team. We're going to have to really be doing it for 90 minutes and be playing our best all the way around." Byers shunned the spotlight after the game, exuding the team-first attitude the unselfish SpitFire players have shown all year. "It's going to be somebody else's chance to come out tomorrow and take care of business," he said. "Just one more to go." ORNERSTONE MOTOR COMPANY BODYWORKS Llca 7 335-1472 Benson Rd.

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