We have set the bar high at the Track Football Consortium. In addition to keynote speakers Latif Thomas (CEO of Complete Track & Field), Shawn Myszka (“The Movement Miyagi”), Jimmy Radcliffe (Oregon S&C), and Stuart McMillan (Performance Director, ALTIS), our 6th Track Football Consortium will feature Olympic legend, Carl Lewis.
Carl Lewis is the most decorated track and field athlete of all time. However, we didn’t ask Carl Lewis to be our keynote speaker because he was fast and set 12 world records in his 18-year career. We didn’t ask Carl to be a presenter because he long jumped over 28 feet 71 times. We asked Carl to join us because of his ideas on training.
Carl Lewis currently coaches sprints and jumps at the University of Houston. Houston crushed the 4×100 at the 2017 NCAA National Championships, running 38.34 for the win. In addition, Carl recently worked with an NFL team, which makes him a perfect fit for the Track Football Consortium.
Carl Lewis, Football Coach
If you’ve read my most recent article, the controversial “New Ideas for Old School Football Coaches,” you know that I show a certain disrespect for the football status quo. Carl Lewis shares many of my ideas, believes there is a right way to practice football, and agrees that we could be doing better. Modern football is a sprint-based game and football coaches could learn a thing or two from people who understand speed.
Football coaches could learn a thing or two from people who understand speed. Share on XYou might think Carl Lewis is a better fit for track than he is for football, but he’s as good for one as he is for the other. Lewis recently worked with the defensive line of an NFL team. Right away, he noticed they were making big mistakes.
As Lewis puts it, “If you push, put the feet down, and run through them not to them, you’ll maximize your power and hit with the most force. Keep your chin down and your eyes up. That’ll keep your shoulders down so you’re less likely to be pushed backwards.”
He based the lesson entirely on the mechanics of speed, and it worked. That week, the team held their opponent scoreless through three quarters, had eight sacks, and gave up only one touchdown. They won the game. The defense excelled again in the next game for another win.
Carl Lewis as a defensive line coach tries my imagination, but why not? I can’t think of any position that combines speed and explosion more than a defensive lineman. Look no further than Jadeveon Clowney of the Houston Texans. (By the way, coaches from the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars attended TFC-5).
The Perfect Method
Carl Lewis has developed the insights he shared with the NFL team and many others on the mechanics of speed into an online training system and information resource that teaches coaches and athletes how to prepare, practice, and perform their best by focusing on the details. “The Perfect Method” also offers tools that build confidence so athletes can perform under pressure. Reinforced by specific examples from Lewis’ career and experiences, lessons taught in “The Perfect Method” are measurable, comprehensive, constantly updated, step-by-step, and accessible in the palm of your hand.
Says Lewis: “There’s only one way to perform your best, and it can be taught.” The key word in that sentence is “taught.” Coaches who don’t understand speed, don’t understand that speed can be taught. Too many coaches believe speed is something found on a chromosome, and you either have it or you don’t.
Coaches who don’t understand speed, don’t understand that speed can be taught. Share on XAnd who better to teach us than the King of Speed?
We look forward to collaborating with Carl Lewis for this never-before-seen presentation on thinking differently about how we train and perform on the field and on the track.
Track Football Consortium, December 8-9
Carl Lewis will speak twice on Friday night, December 8th. Co-directors Chris Korfist and Tony Holler will make two presentations each. Chris Korfist is the owner of Slow Guy Speed School and the founder of Reflexive Performance Reset. Korfist is an international sprint guru and the U.S. expert on the 1080 Sprint. Tony Holler, a veteran track coach of 37 years, has written over 100 articles and last year coached the fastest freshman in the nation, 14-year-old Marcellus Moore (10.40 in the 100m).
Featured football coaches will include Steve Jones (Kimberly, WI, 62-game winning streak), Dan Hartman (Hinsdale Central, IL), John Konecki (Crete-Monee, IL), and Dan Fichter (Irondequoit, NY). Joel Smith (Cal-Berkeley) and Jeff Moyer (DC Sports Training, Pittsburgh) will represent the S&C world. Track coaches will include Brian Fitzgerald (Rio Mesa, CA) and Kevin Paterson (Benedictine University). Those in attendance will have a chance to see 11 speakers presenting 19 hours of material. There will be multiple opportunities to collaborate and network. Once you attend a TFC, you are one of us.
SimpliFaster has sponsored all six TFCs and will provide awesome coffee mugs to those who attend this year.
TFC-6 is a 24-hour event, beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, December 8th, and closing at 5:30 p.m. the next day. We developed the schedule with balanced emphasis on sprinting and explosive training. We typically draw equal numbers of S&C, track, and football coaches, with other sports also represented. After all, speed and explosion are not limited to track and football.
Join us at the Track Football Consortium on December 8th and 9th at Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois. Benedictine is only 23 miles from O’Hare and 27 miles from Midway. There’s a cluster of hotels and restaurants in Naperville, 3.7 miles from Benedictine.
Register here: http://trackfootballconsortium.com/#tickets.
For more information on “The Perfect Method,” visit www.theperfectmethod.net.
Questions?
Tony Holler 630-849-8294, tony.holler@yahoo.com
Chris Korfist korfist1@comcast.net
Since you’re here…
…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF
