Ark Valley News - Hornet Pride draws variety of athletes

High-schoolers follow directions during a session of yoga July 14. It was part of the summer Hornet Pride program.

Hornet Pride draws variety of athletes
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: July 23, 2015

At least on Tuesdays, they check their pride at the door.

Nearly 100 Valley Center High School boys packed the wrestling room at the school last week for a round of yoga. That's right.

With a few exceptions, their downward facing dog was coming along quite nicely.

The new initiative is part of a bigger program designed to improve strength and agility for student-athletes.

The Hornet Pride summer weights and conditioning program was well underway last week. It included a carefully planned regimen of physical and mental workouts to help all athletes.

Summer weights aren't just for football players anymore.

"It's been growing for the last several years, but I think we're at a point now where all the programs have truly bought in to the district first and their programs second and the good of the kids," said longtime middle school football and high school basketball coach Trent Preheim, who will take over as head coach of the girls' basketball team this year. "I think that's pretty neat."

Baseball players, basketball players, soccer players and football players rubbed shoulders during Hornet Pride. The program is designed to improve speed, strength, agility and flexibility — areas that all athletes can use.

But Preheim and other coaches see benefits beyond athletics.

"No. 1, it's good for the relationships that these kids build," Preheim said. "They learn to care about each other. It may not be their best sport, but they're helping to support their teammates in their competitive endeavors. … It also builds a unity among the coaching staff. When the kids see that, it creates a good model."

Hornet Pride is for students in grades two through 12 as well as alumni and staff, divided into six sessions during the weeks of June 8 through Aug. 6. The program was on hiatus during the Fourth of July holiday.

Caleb Smith, head football coach, said in addition to the roughly 100 high school boys, the program also drew 60 middle school boys, 30 middle school girls and 50 high school girls. Fifty youth and about 20 adults also were part of the program.

Steen Danielsen, boys' and girls' soccer coach, said he was encouraged by the number of soccer players he had who committed to the program.

"We always talk about being a family. For sports, it's really important that the soccer team is supporting the football team and the volleyball team and all the sports are supporting each other," Danielsen said. "And you get that by everyone being in the trenches together during the summer. When I was in high school, I went to summer weights but it was always seen as a football guy thing. It's really cool seeing all the sports buy in. It's taking time. Not 100 percent of my team is there but a lot more than last year was, and it's growing."

That's what Smith and other coaches had in mind when they introduced the program in 2012.

"It's definitely growing," Smith said. "Consistency is better this year, too. … I try to make it where it's not just football workouts. We want to meet the needs of the athlete and not just the football player."

Hornet Pride is scheduled around the individual programs' other summer activities, such as camps.

"Our big emphasis is getting bigger, faster and stronger on the field and on the court," Smith said.