PLEASANT GROVE — About 8 million high school students participate in athletics across the nation, but only a small fraction go on to play in college. So what does it take for these athletes to get to the next level?
Long gone are the days where high school athletes go to their high school practice for an hour and a half and call it a day.
“I have weights at 5 am at the high school, and then I have school and then after high school I’ll hit for an hour and then I’ll workout again and then I’ll go throw and do my recovery,” says Kaden Carpenter, an American Fork High School baseball player.
Extra hours at the gym is a must for young athletes wanting to play at the next level.
“You have to sacrifice friend groups, dates, everything,” says Carpenter. “You can go to practice for an hour and that’s great, but its what people are doing outside of practice that takes them to the next level,” says Erik Brimhall, who is a massage therapist at the Stroformance gym.
Dave and Carrie Stroshine own Stroformance — a gym specialized for young athletes.
The Stroshines even have worked with pros such as Taysom Hill, Eric Mica and Daniel Sorenson.
So, it’s safe to say they know what it takes to get athletes to the next level.
“It is a year round commitment to various aspects of each sport…that’s what it’s turned in to,” says Dave Stroshine.
8.1 percent of female high school athletes and 6.2 percent of male high school athletes go on to play a sport in college.
So besides God-given talent, what separates the good from the great?
“But to be great…you have to be willing to do what others are not.,” says Stroshine.
And so what about the 93 percent of high school athletes who also put in literal blood, sweat and tears for their sport but don’t go on to play in college? Is it even worth it?
“100%….A 1000% …..If you can take these lessons that you learn in sports and take the work ethic and take the preparation..and then attention to detail…and what it takes to be a high level athlete…you’re gonna succeed in life.” says Stroshine.
