Xplorers player finds secret to success on the field
Published on August 6, 2004 under arenafootball2 (af2)
Memphis Xplorers News Release
Watching Memphis Xplorers WR/LB Ryan Karr in the first game of the arena football season and watching him in the last would cause a person to do a double take. Every aspect of Karr's game has improved: he is running faster, blocking better and dragging would-be tacklers 5 or 6 yards down the field every time he catches a pass, with guys hanging off him like lions trying to bring down an elephant.
Karr's improvement can be directly connected to the moment he began training with Tredell Dorsey at Velocity Sports Performance center. He's been to eight sessions in four weeks and played three games in that period of time. His improvement was obvious in the first game.
"Ryan's flexibility, for one, has improved a lot; the general mobility in his hips and the stability in his ankles and knees," Dorsey said. "We've been working on the fundamentals of running to help make his foot placement more efficient so he can be faster coming out of the breaks."
Since Karr plays both offense and defense, Dorsey alternates workouts between linear days and multi-directional days. Tuesday's workout was a linear one, and Dorsey and Ryan went through running drills.
Dorsey made Karr run an acceleration ladder. The lane is sectioned off with the blocks close together at first, to teach runners how to open up their stride without overextending. It's important that the foot falls directly under the hip. This helps the athlete generate maximum push-off force, propelling them forward in a linear direction.
Dorsey straps Karr into the Bullet Belt. Dorsey holds onto the end of the Velcro-rigged leash while Karr pulls him forward a short distance; then he pulls the release strap and Karr shoots forward.
"If he overextends his leg and his footfall is too far behind him, then he'll stumble and have to gather his body together before moving forward," Dorsey said. "It also forces him to keep his knees high and generate a positive shin angle, which helps foot placement and gives him more power."
Dorsey said that when he first started working with Karr, kinesthetic awareness was a big part of the equation.
"Kinesthetic awareness is an internal awareness of overall body position," Dorsey said. "For instance, I have Ryan balance on one leg and close his eyes. The first time someone does this, you can see the instability. We can use kinesthetic awareness to teach people better body control and balance."
Velocity's programs as implemented by Dorsey, who holds his Master's degree in Exercise Science/Strength and Conditioning, address all areas of speed, power, agility, flexibility and injury prevention techniques. Karr said the techniques he's learned during his time there have helped tremendously.
"My agility is probably the most noticeable improvement," Karr said. "It just feels like I'm not going down on the first hit anymore. My feet feel like they just keep going instead of stopping on the first or second hit."
Karr's improvement has been so great that the team is negotiating a partnership with Velocity to train next year's players in groups of 10 at a time.
"Ryan has had his best three games since he started working out at Velocity," Xplorers General Manager Nate Yoder said. "The cool thing is that he and Tredell have developed a true bond of friendship. I've seen the difference he made in Ryan Karr and it just excites me to think of what he could do for a Kevin Prentiss or Joseph Crear or a Michael Wall. I'd love to see what he could do with a big guy, like a Nate Grace or a James Roden."
The Velocity Sports Performance center in Memphis is a franchise that is closely connected to its brother stores around the country. The company was founded by Loren Seagrave, "arguably the best speed coach in the world," as Memphis' Velocity owner Benny Dix describes him.
Dix said Velocity's success is a result of three things: hiring professional coaches; an expanding base of knowledge, utilizing the network of observation and input from coaches at centers across the country; and semi-private instruction in ratios of six athletes or less to one coach at a time.
For Dorsey, who served as Associate Director of Player Development at Georgia Tech and who has worked with professional athletes like Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson, coaching is more than a job. It's a passion.
"I love coaching," he said. "I love helping athletes move up through the ranks. And I can't wait to see where Ryan will go."
Tune in on Saturday, August 7 at 6:35 p.m. on SportsPlus 790 WMC and worldwide on www.SportsJuice.com as the Xplorers take on the Florida Firecats in their first playoff game in history.
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- Xplorers player finds secret to success on the field - Memphis Xplorers
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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
