Kale Hoyt is now in his second year as the strength and conditioning coach for the Chicago Fire and dedicates his time to not only enhancing players' power and speed, but also to preparing workouts that help prevent injuries throughout the season.
When the players returned from the off season, one of the first things that Hoyt and the athletic training staff did was put them through physicals as well as observe them as they ran through a series of exercises. The tests - such as the overhead squat and single leg excursion tests - alerted Hoyt and the Athletic Training staff to any strength deficiencies that had to be addressed to prevent future injuries.
In the case of players Brian Plotkin and Dasan Robinson, Hoyt found that he needed to focus on strengthening their core muscles - abdominals, obliques, and back - that help to stabilize the body. Working together with the athletic trainers, Hoyt developed individualized programs that focused on attaining a higher level of strength and flexibility to reduce the chances of injury. Hoyt praises players such as Chris Armas and Ivan Guerrero for coming into preseason with no strength deficiencies.
"They know what to do in the off-season to get themselves in peak physical condition in preparation for preseason," said Hoyt.
Fire players are provided a workout program that includes everything from strength training and conditioning to nutritional guidelines and dietary supplementation suggestions. Some players use this tool on their own, whereas players like Fire goalkeeper Matt Pickens work out with Hoyt daily. Surprisingly, the players that work most with Hoyt are veteran players such as C.J. Brown, Chris Armas, and Jim Curtin.
"You think the veteran guys know how to do everything, but they are always looking for something new," said Hoyt. "I'm young and have a fresh outlook on different types of drills to put them through."
Hoyt's duties also involve getting players back on the field after they are sidelined with injuries. Most recently, Hoyt has been working closely with athletic trainers Paul Ziemba and Bo Leonard to work Chris Rolfe back into the lineup. Rolfe suffered a left ankle sprain during the Fire's match against Toronto FC on May 12, and did not play in the May 17 game against FC Dallas, or May 24 game at New York against the Red Bulls.
The first two days following his injury, Rolfe reported to the athletic training room to receive treatment from Ziemba and Leonard. On day three, the athletic training staff turned the Fire's star forward over to Hoyt to continue the recovery process.
"I went through functional drills with him to assess his limitations when it comes to sprinting, planting and agility drills." Hoyt relies heavily on verbal feedback from each player, but also pays attention to non-verbal signals such as facial expressions or signs that the players is over-compensating or varying his movement due to pain.
"Once a player is able to get through the functional tests at game pace without pain, we know he is ready to start practicing and playing again."
Hoyt is a big proponent of using strength training to prevent injuries in his athletes, but he suggests that young players should wait until age 12 to begin any strength or plyometric training.
"When it comes to lifting, appropriate age has to do more with maturity level. Some 10-year-olds are mature enough, whereas some 14-year-olds are not. In a weight room players are surrounded by things that can hurt them, so you want that mental maturity to be there."
Hoyt also suggests that young players start with body weight exercises to ensure that they are employing proper form and technique.
Whether in the weight room or out on the field, the Chicago Fire players, rookies and veterans, have a great resource in Kale Hoyt to ensure they are in peak physical condition for the 2007 Major League Soccer season.
