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 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

Academy Expands Speed and Strength Program

June 20, 2016 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release


PITTSBURGH - In an effort to better serve a growing Riverhounds Academy membership and provide a more efficient and effective platform for athletic development, the Academy has today announced three measures that will start the process of revolutionizing its speed and strength component.

Narbe Added to Full-Time Team

Mitch Narbe, a two-year understudy to Riverhounds Director of Sports Science, Mike Whiteman, has been added as a full-time speed and strength trainer. Narbe will be primarily responsible for the facilitation of programming in the Riverhounds Academy East location, in Scottdale, Pennsylvania, with a heightened focus upon both team-specific and individual-based performance development. While Narbe will be in charge of building and managing athletic profiles for all players in the Academy East technical training model, he will also offer a variety of speed and strength related sessions to high schools and club associations looking to better prepare for their seasons and manage full year periodization planning. Narbe joins Riverhounds Academy East Director Sterling Flunder in offering six-week summer sessions for high school teams that combine high-intensity soccer skills training with performance exercises, building players up for the start of their August preseasons.

Partnership Signed With Legends of Pittsburgh

With Mike Whiteman overseeing all speed and strength operations for the Club, and Mitch Narbe tasked with growing the East location, a partnership has been officially forged with Legends of Pittsburgh Fitness and Performance Center to stretch Academy programming into the North. Located in the Pittsburgh Mills Mall, Legends of Pittsburgh is owned and operated by ex-Riverhounds, Duquesne University, and Kiski Area soccer player, Stefan Lundberg. The facility boasts a unique blend of performance training equipment and training curriculums, with an indoor turf space for private and semi-private sport-specific sessions. The Riverhounds Academy will launch speed and strength training programs at Legends, in collaboration with Lundberg, and will begin to integrate more advanced soccer programming into the space. The facility will officially become a home of Riverhounds Academy speed and strength training, as Lundberg will train under Whiteman to deliver all programming for the Development Academy and Technical Training Academy participants.

Approaching three years in existence, Legends of Pittsburgh is the most complete fitness and training facility in the AK-Valley, boasting 28,000 square feet of a 24/7 gym, two turf areas, basketball/futsal court, and a CrossFit gym/athlete training area. The unique set-up accommodates a variety of fitness and training techniques, and is especially optimal for athletes.

According to Lundberg, the relationship aims to be an extension of the quality offerings of both entities.

"We are extremely excited to open our doors to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds Academy and continue their first class model for training elite soccer players," Lundberg said.

Open Gym, Online Curriculum Launched

As the discipline of off-field training enhances within aspiring, top-level youth athletes, the need for proper programming and facilities quickly overcomes the supply of the same. To combat this, the Riverhounds are offering 'open gym' hours at their facilities, including 'The Hall' at Highmark Stadium and Shallenberger Rec Center in Scottdale. There are also ongoing discussions with Legends of Pittsburgh and it is anticipated that an option will be opened up at that site as well. The open gym concept includes access to available training facilities/equipment/resources at the site as well as daily programming designed and communicated to participating athletes by Whiteman. In this way, athletes will have the ability to work out on their own while Riverhounds trainers are on-site, utilizing Whiteman's training concepts. Curriculums will include video demonstrations of exercises as well as interface opportunities with Whiteman. Any athletes interested in registering for an open gym membership should contact Dave Nicholas at dnicholas@riverhounds.com.


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