Does joining ACL Strong make you “Coach of the Year”? Or does the type of coach who earns “Coach of the Year” choose ACL Strong for their team??
We’re pretty sure it’s the latter; but all joking aside, this is an important point!
The type of coach who earns “Coach of the Year” is proactive and genuinely interested in the well-being and future of his or her athletes!
In 2018, I received a call from a soccer coach. He said, “I’ve seen too many girls tear their ACL, and their dreams were instantly shattered. I want to do everything I can to prevent this from happening.” This coach had tried other strengthening and prevention programs, but had not found one that the athletes will actually do on their own.
Later that year, a basketball coach, who had already been named “Coach of the Year” at the collegiate level, reached out to me. “I’m trying to find a program where our players will have good follow-through without the need of a coach or trainer. I’m looking for a program that keeps it simple.”
Certain types of coaches seek out the ACL Strong program because they want to lead their team to success by developing strong, healthy, dynamic players; and they want to save their athletes from wasting time with injuries that could have been avoided.
They know where they can bring in an expert to save time and get results.
After one season in ACL Strong, this soccer coach confidently said, “Almost every team we played against had at least one player on the sidelines on crutches. It felt really good to go the full season almost completely injury-free.”
The type of coach who joins ACL Strong does not have to be convinced that “injury prevention” is important for youth athletes in sports that involve pivoting and jumping. They already know that these exercises not only reduce the risk of injury( by over 50%), but improve overall performance! More specifically, female athletes, who are already 8 times more likely to sustain an ACL injury, can reduce their chance of injury 65% by spending 15 minutes on neuromuscular training, just 2-3 times per week!
Experts have tested, proven, and concluded that ALL athletes between 11-25 years old should be participating in a neuromuscular training program. These programs include sport-specific exercises for strength, balance, landing mechanics, agility, and flexibility. These programs emphasize movement patterns and alignment, helping athletes react more quickly and efficiently, while minimally stressing ligaments and joints.
The type of coach who earns “Coach of the Year” knows how to convince his or her athletes that these exercises are not just important, but ESSENTIAL. This coach knows how to get athletes to buy-in and commit to the exercises for 4-6 weeks. This coach knows how to promote teamwork and bonding with this training. This coach might emphasize the benefit in performance to get his or her team started, but knows that the benefit of prevention is truly invaluable to their future.
“This is our third year in the program, and the girls just know what to do. I’ll say, ‘It’s an ACL Strong day!’, and they begin the circuit on their own.” This soccer coach earned “Coach of the Year” after dominating their league and winning the section championships in 2020.
We are seeing a trend with the types of coaches who choose ACL Strong. They are also the types of coaches to be “Coach of the Year.”
We are incredibly honored to be associated with these exceptional coaches and the athletes they bring with them. They help us maintain the reputation of excellence and integrity that we strive for with ACL Strong.
The type of coach who earns “Coach of the Year”, chooses ACL Strong.
Be the type of coach who earns Coach of the Year.
