I am very thankful and honored to say I am going into my 7th year as the head strength & conditioning coach for the boy’s basketball program at Montrose Christian. It has been an amazing experience to say the least. The program is coached by legendary coach Stu Vetter. Coach Vetter has been coaching basketball longer than I have been breathing (I will turn 34 in January) and has developed one of the most successful programs in high school basketball history. He is at the 800 win mark and prior to being at Montrose he was the architect of 3 other nationally renowned programs; Flint Hill, Harker Prep, and St. John’s Prospect Hall. While the school may have changed, his “program” has been the same throughout. He has won three National Championships, been the National Coach of the Year twice, sent hundreds of players to play in college and numerous to the NBA, and has been ranked in the USA Today’s Top 25 every year since they began ranking high school boys basketball teams 25 years ago.
Jim Calhoun once said, “What’s difficult is winning consistently over time, year after year after year. To do that you have to build and maintain a culture of winning. That means establishing high standards, making everybody aware of them, and exhorting everybody to reach those standards every day.”
I can proudly confirm our program does that. While we are certainly interested in developing the best basketball players possible; we are also committed to developing better students, better citizens, and better young me.
I have decided to add a new section to my weekly blog called “Montrose-isms.” This section will feature insights to the Montrose blueprint to success that we formally share with our players on a regular basis, year after year. The Montrose motto, “To whom much is given; much is expected” is very fitting for one of only four high schools in the nation sponsored by Jordan Brand!
Montrose-ism #1: Who Am I?
I am the most desirable thing in life. Without me no can be healthy, happy, or useful. Without me, the hidden wealth and vast resources of this earth would have no value.
Men and women who try to get along without me are characterless, selfish, undeveloped, useless, and unprofitable members of society.
I am behind every fortune, every art and science, every real achievement, and every victory.
People try to find substitutes for me hoping to secure a larger measure of happiness, peace, and satisfaction, but they are always left bitterly disappointed. Instead of gain, every substitute for me brings them loss.
I am greater than wealth, power, fame, or any acquired possession because I am the true source to which those things are acquired.
Who am I?
I AM WORK.
Speaking of work, we just had our first pre-season workout. If you haven’t had a chance to see it, I filmed portions of it and posted a video at www.YouTube.com/StrongerTeamDotCom. Notice the level of effort. Notice the constant enthusiasm. Those are two things we expect and demand every single day.
The workout began with a quick team building exercise. I gave the team (18 players; both JV and varsity) one minute to get in alphabetical order according to their mother’s first name. Only rule was a part of their foot had to touch the sideline at all times (thus making maneuvering down the line a little more difficult). The guys did a decent job; but failed the test and thus had to run a 6-2-6 (6 lengths of the court sprinting, 2 lengths back pedaling, and 6 lengths sprinting). What did they learn? That nothing gets accomplished if everyone talks at once and if everyone tries to do their own thing. You have to work together to accomplish anything.
Next we did a barefoot warm-up to strengthen the musculature of the feet and ankles. I simple had them do a set of walking lunges where they stood and paused for 3 seconds (balanced on one leg) in between each lunge. They went forward and backward.
The workout for the day was a metabolic conditioning circuit. I will define a “metabolic” conditioning workout as a strength training workout that keeps the heart rate elevated; a brutally intense workout that involves both strength training and conditioning. Just like the team building exercise showed me who had good leadership and communication skills; this circuit would tell me who had heart, who was tough, and who was a supportive teammate.
I had them get in groups of three and set up 6 stations. One person would work at an all out pace for 1:00 minute and then they would rotate within their group (1:00 work to 2:00 rest work/rest ratio). They had 10 seconds to change stations after each 3:00 segment. We went around the circuit twice (only 12 minutes of actual work!). Each station was able to be modified for the player’s strength level.
Station #1: Big ropes (double waves)
Station #2: Sandbag clean and front squat
Station #3: Sled push/pull
Station #4: Olympic bar press/row
Station #5: Heavy jump rope
Station #6: Medicine ball throw
Again, to really do this justice you need to watch the video: www.YouTube.com/StrongerTeamDotCom.
As I told the guys afterwards; that was the best first day I have had in my 7 years at Montrose. I was very pleased. I also told them they set the bar extremely high and would be held to that standard every day!
If you have any questions about this workout, our pre-season schedule, or about any part of our program; please drop me an email at Alan@StrongerTeam.com. I will respond as quickly as possible.
Train hard. Train smart.
Alan Stein