WHAT WILL ATHLETES DEVELOP

🏃🏾‍♀️ Speed Development 🏃🏾‍♀️

Athletes develop the foundational qualities necessary to become faster and more efficient competitors, including:

• Acceleration
• Maximum-velocity mechanics
• Running efficiency
• Sprint posture and mechanics
• Force application
• Coordination and rhythm
• Sport-specific movement skills

🏋🏾‍♀️ Strength & Resistance Training 🏋🏾‍♀️

Progressive strength development is incorporated to improve force production, body control, stability, durability, and overall athletic capacity, including:

• Weight-room strength development
• Resistance training
• Core and trunk development
• Single-leg strength
• Posterior-chain development
• General athletic strength
• Movement competency

🤸 Mobility & Flexibility 🤸

Mobility is integrated throughout the training cycle rather than treated as an afterthought. Athletes learn routines designed to improve:

• Joint mobility
• Movement quality
• Range of motion
• Muscle readiness
• Post-training recovery
• Long-term movement health

🏃🏾‍♂️ Plyometric & Explosive Development 🏃🏾‍♂️

Athletes are progressively introduced to jumping, landing, elastic-strength, and reactive exercises designed to improve explosiveness and athletic movement.

❤️‍🩹 Recovery & Athlete Wellness ❤️‍🩹

SPSAW teaches athletes how training, recovery, hydration, sleep, mobility, stress, and workload collectively influence performance. Our objective is to develop athletes who understand not only how to train hard, but how to train intelligently.

MENTAL SPORTS PERFORMANCE 

Physical development is only part of athletic preparation.

Each week of the SPSAW program incorporates a student-athlete wellness or mental-performance theme designed to help athletes become more confident, intentional, accountable, and resilient competitors.

Topics include:

• Goal Setting
• Visualization
• Positive Self-Talk
• Confidence
• Athletic Identity
• Leadership
• Accountability
• Growth Mindset
• Competitive Preparation
• Handling Adversity
• Personal Standards and Habits

These lessons connect performance training with the personal development skills student-athletes can carry into school, competition, leadership, and everyday life.

ATHLETE ASSESSMENT & DEVELOPMENT

SPSAW should emphasize measurable athlete development.

Athletes may participate in baseline and developmental performance assessments throughout the training cycle.

Testing and evaluation may include:

• 40-Meter Speed Assessment
• Flying Sprint Assessment
• Jump Assessment 
• Medicine Ball Power Testing
• Strength Development
• Mobility and Movement Evaluation

Performance information can be used to establish individual goals, identify developmental priorities, monitor progression, and provide athletes with greater awareness of their strengths and areas for continued improvement.

Where applicable, athletes may also receive developmental feedback and athlete performance feedback during the program.

HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS

Step 1 — Register

Registration is available to student-athletes interested in participating in the Fall 2026 development cycle.

Step 2 — Athlete Consultation & Evaluation

Following registration, athletes and families receive additional program information and athletes can be evaluated based on their experience, sport, current training status, and performance goals.

Step 3 — Development Group Placement

Athletes are organized into appropriate developmental groups rather than receiving a one-size-fits-all training plan.

Step 4 — Eight Weeks of Progressive Training

Training progresses systematically across the September 21–November 20 cycle.

Step 5 — Evaluate Progress

Performance development, training habits, physical preparation, and athlete goals are reviewed as athletes transition toward their winter season or next phase of training.

WHO THIS PROGRAM IS FOR

SPSAW is designed for developing student-athletes who want structured off-season performance training and preparation for their next competitive season.

The program can support athletes seeking development in:

• Track & Field
• Football
• Basketball
• Soccer
• Lacrosse
• Baseball/Softball
• Volleyball
• Other speed- and power-based sports

Track and field remains the technical foundation of The Speed Team RVA Performance’s speed-development system, while the athletic qualities developed through SPSAW transfer across multiple sports.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR IN-SEASON ATHLETES

Athletes currently participating in a fall sport should not simply add a complete off-season workload on top of their existing competition schedule. Athletes will be evaluated, approved, and placed on a case by case basis. 

Where appropriate, training volume and intensity can be modified based on the athlete’s current sport participation, competition schedule, recovery demands, and upcoming season.

The goal is development without unnecessary training overload.