For anyone seeking toget a leg up on his or herpersonal fitness, steppinginside a gym for the firsttime can be intimidating.It’s hard to know where tostart or who can help. At Velocity SportsPerformance, the environment and themethods are much different.
“We want to build a total athlete –mind, body and spirit,” said Rob Harris,Velocity’s head sports performancecoach. “If you want results our system isproven.”
Velocity is not a gym. It’s not a fitnesscenter where you can find aerobicsor Pilates classes. You won’t find aswimming pool, racquetball court orsauna, and you won’t find large roomsfilled with clanking weights and bulkycomplicated machines.
“What you get here is a curriculumwith a team of coaches at a fraction ofthe cost. You get accountability andmotivation,” said Corey Chandler, co–ownerand center director of Velocity.
Chandler attests Velocity’s success andindividuality to what he calls the threeC’s – coaches, center and curriculum.
There are three sports developmentfacilities in San Antonio, Velocity beingone of them and, according to Chandler,Velocity is the only one that requires allof its coaches to have a four–year degreein exercise science or a related fieldand also to be certified by the NationalStrength & Conditioning Associationand USA Weightlifting.
Chandler says that, as the head coach,Harris is an “immeasurable asset, bringsinstant credibility and is leader byexample.” Harris has previously workedwith renowned athletes including cyclistLance Armstrong and U.S. softballpitcher Jenny Finch.
Inside Velocity’s 20,000 square–footfacilities is a strategically designedlayout of curriculum specific weightsand training equipment, 50 yards offootball style artificial turf and 50 plusyards of an all weather, three lane track.Because Velocity’s largest age group is 11to12 year olds, Velocity also has a largeviewing room for parents and coaches.
“Interaction with parents is crucial,”Harris said.
Chandler says everything in thefacility is intentional. Everything ischosen specifically to meet curriculumrequirements.
One immediate observation that onemight make about Velocity is there areno mirrors anywhere in the training area,and this too is deliberate.
“We want the student’s movements tobecome natural,” Harris said. “We wantthem to know what it feels like not justwhat it looks like.”
Harris said Velocity’s program isnot sports specific. You won’t learn toimprove your swing or how to be a betterreceiver. It’s about fundamental training.Their core focus is developing speed,power, agility and balance as well asflexibility and injury prevention and it isdevelopmentally appropriate for all ages.It’s about helping students' movementto be more efficient and ultimately moreeffective.
Velocity offers training for kids asyoung as 8, middle and high school ageathletes and adults as well.
One thing that is evident at Velocity isnot only are the coaches knowledgeablebut they clearly have a passion for whatthey do.
“We are blessed to have an entire teamwho is passionate about this,” Chandlersaid. “It’s about relationship building– San Antonio is a family–orientedcommunity and we take that approach.”
