The new Brand Jordan football spot, Become Legendary, may only be playing on U.S. television sets, but, thanks to YouTube, it’s getting global exposure. So, too, is the Athletic Republic Super Treadmill that is featured early in the spot.

If it looks like the athlete in the spot is running awfully fast, he is–over 20 mph–and he ended up running at that speed for quite a bit longer than the typical short bursts an athlete would run during a training session at Athletic Republic. Seems as if the director got carried away just watching someone run that fast.

Athletic Republic trainer working with U.S. Army All-Americans

In it’s first year of involvement with the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and Football University, Athletic Republic is all over the field, literally. Throughout Bowl week, Athletic Republic trainers are working directly with the 90 seniors on the East and West teams as well as providing technical support to the U.S. Army National Combine and the 500 underclassmen participating in it.

Here’s what a couple of the trainers had to say about what they’re seeing on the field:

It is quite an honor to work with the best high school football players in the nation.  They all have great attitudes, which really helps them adapt to the higher overall level of play and quickly learn offensive and defensive schemes. It is great to interact with the players as we do taping and stretching, trying to break the shyness barrier and talk to them about their goals and aspirations. I am amazed at the superior size, strength, speed and quickness of these athletes compared to the Utah high school athletes I have trained for the last 14 years.  Some of the players look just as talented as the college and pro football stars of today.
– Michael Everett ATC, CSCS

It’s been fun to see how the ‘Best of the Best’ are now sizing up to the other ‘Bests’ in the country. Everyone is fast here, everyone is big and strong, so now the players have to step up their physical abilities and use everything they have in order to compete. It’s a privilege to be associated with the elite level of athlete represented here.  I am also enjoying employing some functional rehab techniques to some of the kids with nagging injuries.
– BJ Maack, ATC, CSCS

Looking ahead to Football University this winter and spring, Steve Swanson, Chief Officer of Science and Technology for Athletic Republic, offered the observation that:

The intensity and focus of both the coaches and athletes here in San Antonio is phenomenal—just like what the participants in Football University will experience in the coming months.

FBU Alumni Playing in 209 U.S. Army All-American Bowl

Of the 90 high school seniors participating in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl this Saturday, 19 of them are Football University (FBU) alums: Cliff Harris, CB (CA); Tajh Boyd, QB (VA) Shaquelle Evans, WR (CA); Kevin Newsome, QB (VA); Larvez Mars, OLB (FL); Je’Ron Stokes, WR (PA); Patrick Hall, S (CA); Christine Michael, RB (TX); Chris Whaley, RB (TX); Edwin Baker, RB (MI); Tom Savage, QB (PA); Gabe Lynn, CB (OK); Chris Metcalf, OLB (CA); Cierre Wood, RB (CA); Zeke Motta, OLB (FL). FBU Alum U.S. Army All-American’s not pictured: Bryce Brown, RB (MI); Randall Carroll, WR (CA); Michael Carter, CB (FL); Byron Moore, CB (CA).

In the lead-up to Saturday’s game, which will be televised on NBC at noon (CST), you can keep track of all U.S. Army All-American Bowl week activities via daily Web casts at www.allamericangames.tv.

It may be the height of “bowl season,” but at Athletic Republic, every season is football season. Bowl games just attract more attention than post-season skill development sessions, combine preparation, spring practice, pre-season training, or even regular season games do.

In the lead-up to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, which will be televised from the AlamoDome in San Antonio by NBC Sports at noon (CST) on January 3rd, Athletic Republic trainers will be working directly with the 90 seniors on the East and West U.S. Army All-American Bowl teams. And, Athletic Republic will be providing technology  support for the U.S. Army National Combine—an event for the top 500 underclassmen in the country—which is also being held this week in San Antonio.

Once bowl week is over, Athletic Republic and its network of performance sports training centers will extend the Football 365 message to football players across the country through its sponsorship of Football University (FBU).

The 2009 Football University season kicks off in Dallas on January 30. The complete 2009 tour will take FBU to 30 cities around the United States. Invitations are being sent in the mail to athletes’ home or school addresses throughout December and January. If have not received an invite and would like to be considered, nominate yourself online at www.footballuniversity.org.

The newest Athletic Republic franchise opened in Libertyville, Illinois, this past weekend. The 6,000 square foot training space  offers sport-specific training programs for football, hockey and volleyball, within a 200,000 square foot facility that features two indoor soccer fields and eight basketball/volleyball courts, and attracts over one million athletes to come play or train each year.

But don’t take our word for what this facility means to the community, here are a couple of local news stories about Athletic Republic Libertyville: one is from the Daily Herald, the other is from the Libertyville Review.

Don’t knock it until  you’ve tried it, says Jason Blackburn, owner and Facility Director of  Advanced Sports Kinetics (ASK) in Minot, ND, a proud member of Athletic  Republic. And Jason should know—he’s been training Dagny Knutson since she was 12 years old. Dagny recently  set a couple of national records at the North Dakota High School State  Championships, and is currently competing at the U.S. Short Course Nationals–in fact, she set a Championship Record in the 200 yard IM just last night.

Don’t misunderstand, Dagny  swims plenty of yards (miles) in the pool every day, under the guidance of her  swimming coach. But the training she and many other young swimmers do with  Blackburn at ASK certainly strays from the norm.

As Blackburn says,  this training is as unconventional as it is simple. Everything we do  at ASK is to prepare the athlete to succeed. The better conditioned an athlete  is, the greater the chance that athlete will swim at his or her optimal speed  more frequently.

The workouts Blackburn prescribes for Knutson  heavily incorporate the Super Treadmill, both as a finishing tool and for  power development. I know that when Dagny can run 20 miles per hour on that  treadmill, she’s going to be fast, Blackburn said.

Congratulations to Dagny for the national high school records she set earlier this fall. And good luck in upcoming events at the U.S. Short Course Championships.

PS: Dagny cleaned up at the U.S. Short Course Swimming Championships, setting three meet records and an American Record, taking 14 and 1/2 seconds off her previous best to set the American Record in the 400 yard IM. Read all about her success here.