Throughout the off season, the team trained as a unit both on and off the field. Their workouts at Titus were designed to push each individual player, while improving performance, building confidence and camaraderie throughout the team.  The new players and veterans worked as one and their commitment and work ethic paid off.

Titus Coach, Shawn Hoffman saw firsthand, “This team gave us everything they had at every workout.  They made some significant gains over the three month 3/week program which focused on improving in five areas: mobility/flexibility, strength, speed, agility, and endurance.  It was a pleasure to train Salesianum Lacrosse and see the results of their hard work pay off.”

In the Delaware state tournament, Salesianum beat their opponents handily outscoring them by a staggering 59-7 margin. They beat St. Andrew’s, 15-1, Wilmington Friends School, 16-1, Tower Hill School, 15-3. And, in the state championship game against the #1 ranked team Caesar Rodney, Salesianum blew them out, winning the game 13-2 and coasting to back-to-back state titles.

After winning the 2012 state title by an astounding margin, Salesianum pushed its winning streak against Delaware teams to 28 consecutive games. Other wins came against several highly ranked Mid-Atlantic region schools, including Worcester Prep School (Md), North Strafford High School (VA), and the 9^th ranked team in the nation, Chatham High School (VA), 11-10.

The 2012 Salesianum Lacrosse Team, coached by Bob Healy, placed 12 players on the All-State Team, including 6 players on the 11-man All-State First Team: Attack- Dillon Walker; Midfielders- Troy Reeder, Sean Giampietro and Kyle Gangemi; Defender- Justin Verratti; and Goalie- Matt Barone. Walker was named Delaware State Player of the Year.  Walker, Giampietro, Verratti, and Barrone were all named to the All-American team. Others who made second, third, or honorable mention included, Jay Kelly, Freddy Freibott, Craig Zebrowski, Zach Kelly, Chase Cowan, and Graham Seuffert.

Watch game highlights here: http://www.delawarebeaches.com/videonetwork/1658152992001/Boys-lacrosse-Salesianum-13-Caesar-Rodney-2

TITUS Athletes Selected in the 2012 MLB Draft:

Jesse Winker, Cincinnati Reds:  A sandwich pick (1.5 round), going at #49, Winker played for Olympia High in Windermere, FL where they were ranked #1 on the ESPN High School FAB 50 list. Currently, he is hitting .365 in 23 games with 7 doubles and 13 RBI in the Rookie Pioneer League in Montana.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/statistics/players/cards/2253

Video: http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=19999717

Walker Wieckel, San Diego Padres: A sandwich pick, #55. Childhood friend of Winker, Wieckel was also on the team at Olmypia High when ranked on ESPN’s HS FAB50 list. At 6’6, this right-hander’s fastball sits at 91-94 mph. Wieckel is currently playing in the Arizona Rookie League.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1204044-walker-weickel-to-padres-video-highlights-scouting-report-and-analysis

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9QyuLwBB1U

(Left to Right: Titus Trainer-Michael Bunton, Walker Wieckel, Jesse Winker, Connor Lien, Titus Trainer- Ross Hilman)

Connor Lien, Atlanta Braves: Originally committed to UCF, Lien was drafted in the 12^th round saying he, “just decided to start [his] career.” Having a good combination of speed and power, he is batting .245 in 20 games with 5 RBI, while also stealing 6 bases in the Rookie Gulf Coast League.

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=621457

Alexis Rivera, Kansas City Royals: Drafted in the 10^th round. Born in Puerto Rico and standing at 6’2 220lbs, Rivera became a power hitter at Montverde Academy in Kissimmee, FL.  In his Perfect Game scouting report, he was considered “one of best power bats in [the] country.” Rivera is currently playing in the Arizona Rookie League where he is hitting .447 in 19 games with 1HR, 13 RBI, and 6 stolen bases.

http://kansascity.sbnation.com/kansas-city-royals/2012/6/11/3077391/kansas-city-royals-prospect-alexis-rivera-10th-round-2012-MLB-draft

Rob Whalen, New York Mets: Selected in the 12^th round. Originally from Pennsylvania, Whalen moved to Haines City, Florida where he developed into and intimidating force on the mound, “I wanted to play pro baseball ever since I can remember. I didn’t know about college until I moved down here, and then it became a real possibility for me.” Whalen is pitching for the Brooklyn Cyclones of the New York-Penn League in the Class A short season.

http://www.brooklyncyclones.com/team/roster/index.html?player_id=231

Hayden Hurst, Pittsburgh Pirates: After recovering from Tommy John surgery in the eighth grade, the right- hander Hurst went on to be the winning pitcher in the State Championship game for the Bolles School as a freshman. In 2009, he was a member of the World Champion 16U TeamUSA. Hurst was named an Under Armour All-American and a Perfect Game Underclass First-Team All-American.

http://espn.go.com/blog/high-school/baseball/post/_/id/1026/hayden-hurst-back-on-top-after-tommy-john

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DStWxja8gs

Mallex Smith, San Diego Padres: Drafted in the 5^th round with the 165^th overall pick. This past  year, the outfielder hit .380 in his first season at Santa Fe Community College after being drafted in the 13^th round during the 2011 MLB Draft to the Milwaukee Brewers. Smith believes what helped separate him as a player was his time spent at junior college, where he accelerated his development.  TITUS trainer, Michael Bunton, credited Smith’s work ethic for his success,   ”Mallex is a hard worker that recognizes the fact that performance training is just as important as learning the skills of baseball.”

http://www.usatodayhss.com/tallahassee/article/former-rickards-standout-mallex-smith-taken-in-5th-round-of-mlb-draft–2012206050313



Florida’s high school baseball battleground presents some of the best teams in the nation (the top three ranked teams in the ESPN HS’s Powerade Fab 50 Rankings hail from Florida), and undoubtedly hosts some of the most advanced players. With a roster of 16 players, the seniors on Olympia’s team are all slated to play at the college level, while a few are being eyed as draft picks. “The combination of skill, along with the mutual respect the players have for one another, has produced a group of young men that push each other to play the best they can every single time they step on the field,” says Ross Hilaman, a Titus speed and strength coach.

The amount of talent this team possesses is not just by chance, but rather has been developed through a devoted regimen of training above and beyond the level required. Throughout the off-season almost 85% of the team trains at Titus Orlando two to three times a week, while some even sacrifice the time to train additionally during the season. The Titan’s head coach, Randy O’Neal, is a huge supporter of the programs Titus offers and says he “trusts the Titus coaching staff.”

Hilaman explains that “because these guys have to be 100% every time they swing the bat, and every time they run the bases, they have to have strength and speed to be explosive athletes. They have to perform their best each time they are at the plate, and they need the strength and endurance to be able to start and finish the game at an optimal level.”

The players have noticed a difference in their performance, too. Walker Weickel, one of Olympia’s team captains and seniors, attributes his success to his intense training program and coaching staff. Weickel certainly has the resume to support this statement as he has pitched for Team USA and won a World Championship. Additionally Weickel has signed a scholarship to play with the University of Miami next year.

The team’s dedication and focus on being the best in the state has not gone unnoticed. With an undefeated regular season, universities lining up to recruit players, and a promising post-regular season run, the Titans have definitely willed their own success.

Success is made up of a few things. Determination. Dedication. Discipline. Additionally success happens when you have support. Whether it be friends, family, coworkers, or fans, most of us can attribute some of our success to the love and support of those around us. Meet Yosef Yacob, a determined young man who trains at the Titus Deleware location. Henok Yacob, Yosef’s bother, drives him to Titus DE from Philadelphia in order to have the best possible training so his basketball career can continue following high school graduation.

As Archbishop Carroll High School’s junior guard, Yosef averaged 14.6 points per game in the 2011-2012 season and earned a spot on the PA Class AAA Second Team. Additionally, Yosef was named to the All-City, All-Delco, and All-Catholic teams and was named to the Top 20 Juniors in the city of Philadelphia. Yosef’s summer training consists of playing for AAU teams as well as invitational teams on a national scale. Amongst his constituents in the hotbed of basketball talent that is Philadelphia, Yosef stands out and has been highly regarded as a choice basketball recruit for colleges and universities nationally.

Impressive as this all is it hasn’t come easy or without sacrifice. And not just for Yosef, but his family, too. Optimal training was a priority for Yosef and his brother drives him three times a week to the Titus DE facility to receive it. He does it all with a smile on his face and understands the impact this could have on his brother’s, and family’s, future. Dean Whetham, a coach at Titus DE, mentions “Henok has sacrificed a lot to make sure Yosef is in the best position possible to succeed. Henok (a basketball coach himself) would drive Yosef to training anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on I-95 South traffic. The dedication and love from Henok did not go unnoticed by Yosef , who gave it everything he had all the time. His determination to succeed has been evident from day one.”

Henok Yacob advocates developing talent and knew that Titus was the proper place for Yosef to train. “The coaches at Titus are great, and they are very knowledgeable about where Yacob is and where he wants to be. They train him according to those goals. You can always do things yourself, like running and exercising, but they teach you how to practice the right way and really prepare you for the demands of the game.”

Yosef’s future looks incredibly bright. A mix of substantial talent, determination to achieve, and the love and support of family have him pointed towards success. Titus has been happy to serve the Yacob family and create training opportunities for Yosef, but we believe we have learned more from these two brothers than they have from us.

To learn more about Yosef and see his accomplishments check out the following articles:

http://articles.philly.com/2012-02-13/sports/31055076_1

http://www.maxpreps.com/athletes/wKA2-g-TxEm_YTJvaIDJ-Q/basketball-winter-11-12/profile-yosef-yacob.htm

http://www.mainlinemedianews.com/articles/2012/04/09/sports/doc4f7dbc5438295664049066.txt

Among the various teams OVA coaches, one team has been standing out game after game during the 2012 club season – the 17 Asics. Among several tournaments this year, the ladies of 17 Asics have outshined their national competition and secured a first place finish at the Mideast Qualifier and received a bid to the USAV Junior National Tournament to be held in Columbus, OH in July. The ladies will also travel to the National Junior Classic held in Chicago over Memorial Day Weekend.

Success for this team has not been a token of luck. These girls have put in work beyond what is asked of them, and in addition to training with the OVA staff and their coaches, Tanya Jarvis and Jeff Reavis, the team works on strength and speed training with Titus. Ryne Malone, Titus coach, describes the players as possessing such great skill that they tend to concentrate on their speed and strength rather than their skill development. “The girls need to be able to explode and create impact with their movements, so we work on their speed and their strength so that every hit is meaningful,” says Malone.

Coach Tanya Jarvis also appreciates the girls’ extensive hard work with Titus. Jarvis says, “Titus, along with our dedicated trainers Ryne Malone and Ross Hilaman, has given our girls a strong foundation and an advantage that will continue into their weight training and volleyball careers. The girls dedicate themselves to train with Titus 2-3 times a week, and we have seen a direct correlation to their performance on the court.  They are stronger, all their verticals have increased, and the endurance they now have is enough to push through the championship matches that we have had the privilege this season to play in.” Additionally, as most of the girls look towards college scholarships, Jarvis mentions, “All the girls will be going into similar weight and conditioning programs at their respective Colleges and Universities.  Thanks to Titus, they are already ahead of the game.”

The hard work of the OVA 17 Asics is coming to fruition as showcased in their 2012 club season. As the girls continue to compete for National Ranking their dedication and discipline will be a remaining factor in their success. We wish the girls the best of luck as they compete this season and advance in their collegiate careers.

From our Titus Jacksonville market we reflect on the Titus 12

Similar to the Titus Ten, the Titus Twelve was an initiative to get people to commit to a comprehensive and intense training of twelve workouts for twelve consecutive days. Creating a buzz around the numerology of the program, we kicked it off at the beginning of 2012 on January 2^nd, going for 12 straight days. We received a great response regarding people (total of 24) who were willing to commit to the challenge.

We put together a sound physical training program to allow for proper recovery and limit any chance of overtraining.  We simply rotated through what we would call our regular dynamic fitness workouts in which total body strength and conditioning is executed, followed by upper body/mobility/torso/cardio days. We allowed for only one ‘two-a-day’ session, so if someone missed a training session they could do 2 sessions on one day so they’d able to stay on track.

We had a couple interesting storylines during the event. One client started the Titus Twelve a few days early because he was going out to be out of town during the program’s original dates. He did 4 workouts in 40 hours to stay on pace to complete the Titus Twelve before he left town.  Some clients who travel for work blocked their travel schedule so they could complete the challenge.  We had a member who just started a couple months ago doing it twice a week to take on the challenge and now that he’s done he’s moving up to three times a week.  We even had a couple of clients that couldn’t get enough and actually came on the 13^th day!

Since the Titus Twelve was completed, we’ve had several people comment on how they missed training daily, that they really felt more fit and physically progressed in the two week period.  So all in all another great event, and we had a great time. Those that participated will not forget it, and thank you once again to all those that participated.  We look forward to the Titus 20!!!

More information coming soon….

This article can also be found at: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/20/workouts-may-not-be-the-best-time-for-a-snack/

Titus Sports Academy trained Nease High School in Jacksonville, Florida in 2006 during the summer of Tim Tebow’s senior year. In preparation for the State Championship, Titus led the football team in speed-strength training and conditioning.

As no surprise to those familiar with Tim Tebow, he was clearly the team’s leader. He would hype the players up at 7:30 am and get them pumped for a great workout. He encouraged his teammates to thank the Titus staff for helping them become better athletes, and he, himself, thanked the Titus staff often for their hard work. Adam Faurot, CEO of Titus Sports Academy, says, “He was exactly what you would expect – a great athlete and tremendous character!”

Check out this video from ESPN’s Outside the Lines. This Tim Tebow documentary clip covers the story of Tebow’s senior year of high school on and off the field. You’ll even catch a glimpse of him in a Titus t-shirt!

Sources:

AAP-Strength Training by Children and Adolescents Intro (06282009)

ACSM – youthstrengthtraining

Faigenbaum_and_Myer_2010BJSM_resistance_training_youth

youth resistance – presidents council fitness

However, the 2010 football season did not go as planned. The team finished with 2 wins, and instead of being a contender they were seen as an easy victory on other teams’ schedules.  The seniors would not allow this to happen in their upcoming 2011 campaign.

In the early spring, with the guidance of Titus Sports Academy, Bucs players began training to prepare for the fall season.

“The main thing we wanted to accomplish
was to get bigger and stronger. After our previous season, we knew we had to do something different as a team. Titus definitely made us stronger and more physical” explains Caravel Academy Senior Football player Tyler Hoeflinger.

With workouts on campus after school three days a week, the team was able to build camaraderie and challenge each other to work hard and push themselves further then they thought was capable.  Come August, when football camp began, the players saw major improvements in their performance.

Titus preformed pre and post performance tests in all 5 physical qualities and as a team they realized significant gains and improvements in all areas.

Performance tests included:

• Flexibility: Sit and Reach Test
• Strength: Bench Press – Estimated 1 Rep Max
• Strength/Power: Vertical Jump & Broad Jump
• Speed: 10 and 40 yard sprints
• Agility: Pro Agility
• Speed Endurance: 300 Yard Shuttle

“We wanted to put together a program that had sustainability, a plan that would work for the long term and we believe Titus really helped us do that,” explains Caravel Academy Football Coach, Dave Welch.

The results were thrilling to the athletes and to the coaches but not to be unexpected with their hard work.  “All of the pre-testing data allows us to properly construct workouts and programming to meet the needs and goals of the team and each player, and they took every exercise, movement and drill we did and gave it everything they had” said Shawn Hoffman, Director of Performance Training at Titus Sports.

Caravel came storming out in their first game against Pennington Montessori (NJ), winning 37-0. They rolled over their opponents the next two weeks, outscoring their opponents a combined 90-13. Then came their biggest test of the season, playing defending state champion, St. Elizabeth at the University of Delaware stadium where Caravel won 31-19 and positioned itself as one of the top Delaware DII teams.

After beating a top 5 ranked team in Archmere, Caravel played host to Archbishop Curley (Md). The Bucs came back to pull out a 17-14 win over Curley who is considered one of the best teams in the Baltimore area.  Caravel Academy went on to complete an undefeated regular season and earned the 3^rd seed in the 6-team tournament.  In the first round, the Bucs scored 11 points in the last 30 seconds to upend Delmar, 21-18. Caravel went on to face 2^nd seeded Hodgson and beat the Silver Eagles 21-20. The Caravel Academy Bucs were 13-0 going into the state championship game against another undefeated and 1^st seeded team in Indian River.

“Overall, the kids were able to build a lot of confidence because they knew how much work they put in going into the season, which had a lot of impact on performance on the field” explains Coach Welch.

“We saw dramatic improvements in the explosiveness of our athletes relating to speed, strength and agility. I personally feel the results were most impactful for our bigger guys like our linemen. They were much quicker and much more active this year.”

Led by a future phenomenon in baseball and USC recruit, the Bucs fell to a tough opponent battling right to the end.  Caravel finished 13-1 for the 2011 season and are looking to get back to the finals again in 2012.

Sources:

http://saxo.highschoolsports.net/article/20111119/SPORTS14/111119014/Miracle-Finish?Avis=BL – Game against Delmar

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20111127/SPORTS14/111127007/Bucs-grind-out-tourney-win-?odyssey=nav – Game against Hodgson