Players training with outside companies

I would love to hear the responses on this because we are seeing a similar trend at our school. We always try to promote a TEAM first.

I have talked to other coaches about this and one had an interesting suggestion. Tell the young man its ok and go ahead and train with the personal trainer but come in on testing day (once every 4 weeks) to see if he is on par with the rest of his team.

They need to understand that those trainers will NEVER be as inveated in that kid like you. I worked in the field for 4 years. It is about money and keeping them coming back. However, if they are getting more out of that than your stuff, it may be time to evaluate your training methods and catch up.

I'm not a fan. Besides the team-building that's already been mentioned I'm suspicious of these outside trainers. We've had a few kids try it and they never show as much improvement as the ones who work out with us. 

As long as they work out with us when we have scheduled team workouts AND as long as what they are doing outside is not contradictory to what we are doing or detrimental to the welfare of the athlete, I don't have a problem with it. However, if either of those two occur, I give them the choice of working out with their teammates or going to play on their trainers' team. I also make this clear the same way at parent meetings.

I guess students shouldn't be allowed to get tutors either.  If they are not learning enough in school and the want to learn more, too bad for them.

From personal experience, I've seen this kind of thing breed an attitude of "this football program isn't good enough for my son". Parents with money think they know everything and have the money to buy "the best" for their son. Unfortunately it leads to a very self centered culture where creating a team environment is nearly impossible.

One thing I consider is the level of the player physicaly. For myself and a linemen or lb every 2 years or so a program set up for the average 15-17 year old football player is just not something they are seeing the kind of gains a player with d1 asperations feels he should have.

Its not that way where I'm at now but I've been at schools that just did not have the weight room capacity to accommodate this kind of player. I am not a sc guy buy anymeans I just now the level of strength players at that level have and the intensity they work out.

How ever these are the guys I ride the hardest about making school lifting times to inspire the rest of the kids the young ones more so. I don't get the issue with it being illegal its not like they are talking x's & o's or doing anything sports specific.

The point Im trying to make is how can the state/gov/AA restrict a student from learning on their own?  Especially if it is on his own time and the individual is not involved in the school.
If i were a parent I would flip out if there were a rule that basically limited how hard my kid could work.  That would  counter what we teach " work harder then the next guy"

Are we talking S/C training or like a position specific football type training? Two totally different subjects if you ask me.

Yeah, I took this to a different level when I added skill specific training not just strength and speed type training. We have had a lot of problems with kids training with guys not on staff and having them tell them not to do certain lifts or programs that the SC guy wants done.

Because you and several others have said this I want to clarify the point that I made above. If the kid comes to team workouts we have no problem with him going to a private trainer IN ADDITION to our workouts. He's on his own time. As long as it's not illegal we don't care what they do. Private workouts instead of our workouts? No. 

I am in this camp as well.  I haven't dealt with this much.  New town/new school this year... P/T conferences last night I had a parent tell me she was going to have her do acceleration training at a neighboring town.

That has grown in this area because (and this drives me nuts) there had not been a summer program for the athletes.  I put one in when I arrived last year (it is weight training plus everything they would get in acceleration training... for free)

My perspective- the summer program was a bust.  45 on the roster, 24 involved over the summer (involved = 3/4 of the time or more) AD and Principal thought it was great... last year they had 3 come lift off and on.

I was hoping for more buy in... 6 years of losing to 9-2 last year with half our guys in.  I don't see the change in culture we need.

Starting to get very frustrated

[end of rant]

I am against it because if the program is run properly (and ours is, just like yours is), athletes need rest and recovery.  There are some out there that can thrive with 4 hours in the weight room daily... but that is not the norm. 

Commit to our program- and you and the team will improve.
Commit and pay for their program- and you will improve.

I guess if a kid really loves to lift and run AND his body can take it, and he makes it to our workouts... then fine.  But it's a waste of money if you ask me. 

Also, I'm fine with it as long as there is no argument on the right way to do something.  Our way is right.  If their way is our way, it is right. If not, it is wrong.

I'm similiar to the above. If they can come in and test monthly off-season and show improvement, I have to accept it. That's not usually the case, though. We have had several high level kids including a pro who only trained with us, but these kids possibly don't believe it. They think they went other places.They (parents?) just can't believe that we have a very high quality S and C program. Had one parent that wanted the kid last season to go to the outside trainer when we strength trained. I went nuts on that one and the kid quit. I've had to come to grips with the fact that I have no say on what a kid does when he's not with me, BUT when he's with me he does exactly what I say.

FANTASTIC!!!