It has taken me 7 months of running Sullivan Training Systems in Braintree, Ma to realize that my specialty is training high school athletes. And more specifically it is training high school hockey players. I guess I am not the brightest person in the world not to see this sooner. I mean, I've played hockey since I was walking (maybe before), everyone I know plays hockey, and I know how to train for hockey since I have been in the trenches myself. I am a dummy for not realizing this sooner. Since this will be my focus here are some things I have learned so far:
1. The best way to get results with this population is to train them in small groups.
2. To take point 1, one step further, you need to take every opportunity to put them head to head in competitive situations.
3. High School hockey players swear like truck drivers. And because nothing sounds worse than a high school guy taking a wrister off the glass and screaming FUCK!!!!! I have decided to implement a 5 burpee per swear rule. And it is working.
4. There will always be guys who are a pleasure to train and guys who are a pain in the ass to train. Accept that or send them home with their check.
5. To earn respect from this population, sometimes you have to do battle alongside them. Over the summer we had touch football games once a month and I participated, and went full tilt.
Stay tuned...
