Muscle Men
June 03, 2005 04:46 PM | General
June 3, 2005
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The man in charge of making sure West Virginia’s football team is fit and ready for fall camp has been pleased with the turnout and effort so far during summer workouts.
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| According to Mike Barwis, football's director of strength and conditioning, all of the scholarship players are in town working out this summer.
All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks |
Mike Barwis, football’s director of strength and conditioning, says this is the largest turnout of players during this period of summer workouts since he’s been involved with the program.
“We have about 87 players here right now including all of the scholarship players,” Barwis said. “I’m extremely excited about that.”
Perhaps there is a sense of urgency for a football team that will feature a new quarterback and several first-time starters facing a 2005 schedule recently rated the third-toughest in the country by CBSsportsLine.com.
Whatever the reason for the high turnout, Barwis estimates that about 80 percent of the scholarship players are typically in Morgantown for the first semester workouts, with the number growing in the second session.
This year a new rule recently implemented allows incoming freshmen that have signed the NCAA letter of intent the opportunity of enrolling in school for the second summer session to take part in workouts.
Barwis expects a large turnout from that group as well.
“We should have almost everyone here at the start of the second session,” Barwis noted.
Players will train with Barwis and his staff right up to the start of fall camp in August. The players will have just one week off during the July 4th holiday.
According to Barwis, many players even took it upon themselves to work out during open lifting sessions the two weeks prior to the start of summer school.
“Normally we have about 20 players take advantage of that and this year we had 50-some here the first two weeks,” he said.
Barwis admits he’s working with a young and hungry group of players that want to make their mark in the Big East this year. There are no prima donnas or big-ego players walking around the weight room this summer.
Workouts consist of a comprehensive five-day plan that includes lifting, balance and functional training, injury prevention, core training, plyometrics, explosive training and special flexibility drills on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Tuesdays and Thursdays are reserved for speed and agility drills. There are two blocks during the day players can work out based on their class and summer job schedules.
“This is the best group as far as self-discipline and work ethic that I’ve had,” Barwis said.
In addition to workouts, the players also arrange their own summer passing leagues after workouts on the field. Barwis says this is initiated and organized by the players without any supervision from the staff whatsoever.
“It’s a good exercise in determining who the leaders are amongst the team,” Barwis said.
Because Barwis’ program has been in place now for three years, he believes the players have a good understanding of what is expected of them. In turn, they can pass along what they know to the younger players just getting started.
“We expect them to work hard while they’re here and all of them are so far this summer,” he said.
Barwis and his staff is now beyond the point of teaching players how to work. It is now a matter of doing what is expected of them to improve their strength, speed, agility, flexibility, conditioning and size.
“All of them are making gains and they’re a good group to work with,” Barwis said.
