Indiana University Athletics
Finding A Way -- Uncertain Times Mean Innovative Football Training
3/20/2020 9:10:00 AM | Football
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The challenge is unprecedented.
Indiana's football goal is undeterred.
In simple terms, don't tell Aaron Wellman what can't be done, and if sleep is a casualty, consider it a consequence of devising innovative ways to turn Covid-19-caused adversity into a Hoosier player development advantage.
"Whatever the rules are, whatever the NCAA or the Big Ten or Indiana institutes, we'll all play by the same rules," IU's new senior assistant athletic director for football performance says. "The big question is, how do we do it better than any school in the country?
"That's what we're working toward."
The pandemic has caused world-wide disruption at a level never before seen, and college sports are not spared.
Canceled events, closed universities and shut-down facilities ratchets up the challenge for athletes and coaches driven to train for a better future.
For some, how do they train at the necessary level without the machines and weights so crucial to 21st century physical development?
"That's a great question," Wellman says. "I don't know if I have a great answer yet. That's something we're working through. This is unprecedented."
Hoosier athletes in every sport are locked out of university facilities for the foreseeable future.
"They're not allowed to be in the facility," head coach Tom Allen says.
This is true for almost every college in America.
IU football players are scattered all over the country. Allen says the first priority for him and his staff is ensuring their safety. That includes living arrangements, meals and academics (IU will have online classes the rest of the semester) as well as training.
"We want them to go to spots where they can get away from a lot of people," Allen says. "It's hard to do on spring break. It will be interesting to see what will happen in these next few weeks."
Meeting academic obligations might be difficult for players from disadvantaged background who lack the necessary resources. They might not have access to the Internet, which would make taking on-line courses impossible.
"We're trying to make sure those guys can be close enough to campus where we can get them online so they can get their work done and get their academic support," Allen says. "Get them in an area where they can get access to their books and computers and everything.
"These are unprecedented issues we're dealing with. We've gone away from worrying about spring football. We want to make sure these kids are getting three meals a day, getting academic support. This is uncharted territory."
No one knows how long this will last, but one thing is certain -- this will eventually end, and players must be physically ready.
"We'll work night and day to do everything for our athletes to set them up for success," Wellman says. "We'll do everything we can to have them come back in a better physical state than when they left."
That's fine for players with access to exercise equipment. For those who don't, options include everything from push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups and dips to flipping huge tires, pulling vehicles or, for those who live for Rocky-movie methods, chasing roosters.
"We'll have to make concessions for some guys," Wellman says. "We'll have to meet them where they are.
"The first step is finding out where they are and what they have available, then individualizing programs that meet their needs and goals, even in a set of unfortunate circumstances."
Adds Allen: "We're going to have to think outside the box. Maybe you do push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups. That's the one thing you know you can do without any equipment or a gym to go to.
"Even if these kids are near a gym, the gyms will be closed. No one will let you sweat and be around people. It's not going to happen.
"These are crazy times. No one has ever seen anything like it."
Wellman's background – four years running the strength and conditioning program for the NFL's New York Giants, and nearly two decades of working at the college level at Michigan, Notre Dame, San Diego State, Ball State and Indiana – could give him and IU athletes a critical edge.
"I've had an opportunity to work with many athletes at many schools at many levels, plus the NFL," Wellman says.
"In the NFL, guys spend a great deal of time away from us (because of the contract between the league and players). Writing up a workout for strength, speed and nutrition for 10 to 14 weeks in the NFL is what I'm used to doing.
"The positive in this situation is I'll still be allowed contact with my athletes. I anticipate being on call 24 hours a day for each athlete. Whatever they need, my staff and I will be on call to help them out."
As far as any indication on when IU and the rest of college sports will return to normal, Allen says a conference call with university officials and head coaches indicated, "There's not much optimism this will end any time soon.
"That's the reality we're dealing with. Nobody knows. You make decisions off the information you're getting now, and adjust on the hoof. That's what it comes down to."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The challenge is unprecedented.
Indiana's football goal is undeterred.
In simple terms, don't tell Aaron Wellman what can't be done, and if sleep is a casualty, consider it a consequence of devising innovative ways to turn Covid-19-caused adversity into a Hoosier player development advantage.
"Whatever the rules are, whatever the NCAA or the Big Ten or Indiana institutes, we'll all play by the same rules," IU's new senior assistant athletic director for football performance says. "The big question is, how do we do it better than any school in the country?
"That's what we're working toward."
The pandemic has caused world-wide disruption at a level never before seen, and college sports are not spared.
Canceled events, closed universities and shut-down facilities ratchets up the challenge for athletes and coaches driven to train for a better future.
For some, how do they train at the necessary level without the machines and weights so crucial to 21st century physical development?
"That's a great question," Wellman says. "I don't know if I have a great answer yet. That's something we're working through. This is unprecedented."
Hoosier athletes in every sport are locked out of university facilities for the foreseeable future.
"They're not allowed to be in the facility," head coach Tom Allen says.
This is true for almost every college in America.
IU football players are scattered all over the country. Allen says the first priority for him and his staff is ensuring their safety. That includes living arrangements, meals and academics (IU will have online classes the rest of the semester) as well as training.
"We want them to go to spots where they can get away from a lot of people," Allen says. "It's hard to do on spring break. It will be interesting to see what will happen in these next few weeks."
Meeting academic obligations might be difficult for players from disadvantaged background who lack the necessary resources. They might not have access to the Internet, which would make taking on-line courses impossible.
"We're trying to make sure those guys can be close enough to campus where we can get them online so they can get their work done and get their academic support," Allen says. "Get them in an area where they can get access to their books and computers and everything.
"These are unprecedented issues we're dealing with. We've gone away from worrying about spring football. We want to make sure these kids are getting three meals a day, getting academic support. This is uncharted territory."
No one knows how long this will last, but one thing is certain -- this will eventually end, and players must be physically ready.
"We'll work night and day to do everything for our athletes to set them up for success," Wellman says. "We'll do everything we can to have them come back in a better physical state than when they left."
That's fine for players with access to exercise equipment. For those who don't, options include everything from push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups and dips to flipping huge tires, pulling vehicles or, for those who live for Rocky-movie methods, chasing roosters.
"We'll have to make concessions for some guys," Wellman says. "We'll have to meet them where they are.
"The first step is finding out where they are and what they have available, then individualizing programs that meet their needs and goals, even in a set of unfortunate circumstances."
Adds Allen: "We're going to have to think outside the box. Maybe you do push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups. That's the one thing you know you can do without any equipment or a gym to go to.
"Even if these kids are near a gym, the gyms will be closed. No one will let you sweat and be around people. It's not going to happen.
"These are crazy times. No one has ever seen anything like it."
Wellman's background – four years running the strength and conditioning program for the NFL's New York Giants, and nearly two decades of working at the college level at Michigan, Notre Dame, San Diego State, Ball State and Indiana – could give him and IU athletes a critical edge.
"I've had an opportunity to work with many athletes at many schools at many levels, plus the NFL," Wellman says.
"In the NFL, guys spend a great deal of time away from us (because of the contract between the league and players). Writing up a workout for strength, speed and nutrition for 10 to 14 weeks in the NFL is what I'm used to doing.
"The positive in this situation is I'll still be allowed contact with my athletes. I anticipate being on call 24 hours a day for each athlete. Whatever they need, my staff and I will be on call to help them out."
As far as any indication on when IU and the rest of college sports will return to normal, Allen says a conference call with university officials and head coaches indicated, "There's not much optimism this will end any time soon.
"That's the reality we're dealing with. Nobody knows. You make decisions off the information you're getting now, and adjust on the hoof. That's what it comes down to."
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