By Elizabeth Reiss
Beacon reporter

A group athletic training program that recently began in Baltic will keep several students active through the summer.
Sanford Power aims to teach training techniques based on specific principals supported by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. The three days per week, nine-week program is sport-specific to each participant’s area and interest in athletics. It incorporates strength development, speed, agility and power. This is the first year that Sanford Power has been offered in Baltic. Baltic is one of seven satellite programs. The main location is based out of the Sanford Power Center on Cliff Avenue in Sioux Falls.
Jesse Haines, a senior exercise specialist at Sanford who is certified in strength and conditioning, along with certified athletic trainer Shanna Kindt, instruct about 25 participants in grades nine through 12 in the high school gym on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings through Aug. 7.
Participants are able to base training on what interests them in the area of sports in order to maximize athletic potential, Haines said.
“This is not a cookie cutter program,” Haines said. “It’s not the same for everyone. If we have basketball players, they will do those specific drills, or soccer-specific, track specific. We look at everyone’s interests.”
Participants conducted pre-tests in the first week, such as measuring vertical jumps.
“In the final days of the program, we will do post-testing to see how much they’ve improved,” Kindt said. “It’s one of the goals of the program.”
Tenth grader Evan Brende says he was pleased with the first week of the program. He ran laps, did stretching exercises and jumped over and crawled under hurdles during the first half-hour of the morning before taking a break for a drink of water.
“This is good,” he said. “It’s helps me get out and do something for the summer.”
Break from school in the summertime sometimes means less daily exercise and athletic training, Haines said.
“The hardest thing about regular exercise is keeping it a regular habit,” Haines said. “We want them to have these techniques in mind all summer and through their entire sports career.”
Power participants also have access to the school weight room.
Haines said he hopes the program comes back to Baltic next year. If there is enough interest next year, the program will probably return, he said.