Physio Performance hosts inaugural Black Hills Student Athlete Performance Combine

RAPID CITY, S.D. — Often when training, athletes look for benchmarks to measure improvement over time. It’s the first step in trying to find where you can build from.

With the first Black Hills Student Athlete Performance Combine Black Hills area middle and high school athletes were given that chance.

The combine, held at Sioux Park in Rapid City, featured a host of drills including broad and verticals jumps, the 40 yard dash and medicine ball throws.

“What we’re trying to do when we implement any of these drills and these tests and assessments is give them a baseline, see how these kids are moving, what level are they at athletically and then using that data to track along their way,” said Tyler Simmons, the Director of Training and Community Engagement at Physio Performance in Rapid City.

These trainers of Physio Performance, who is the official putting these young athletes through the ringer.

The trainers say it’s the best way to train safe – instead of comparing a student’s ability to what they see on Instagram or Twitter.

“That’s one challenge that we have is just kind of rein them in a little bit, it’s cool that they’re so eager to get better, it’s just we gotta find the right path to do that,” said Isaac Langi, an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Physio Performance.

Some may say that it’s too early for these kids to be training like this but Simmons says that the athletes can train straight out of the womb. Ya, that’s right – but only if they have the correct training regimen and coach.

“We’re getting rid of that myth that it’s too early to start,” Simmons said. “It’s how do you train smartly at a younger age.”

The trainers hoping to give a competitive advantage to their athletes, maybe leading to college scholarships, but they also want to pass on lessons that will be used through their entire life.

Lessons that promote healthy living.

“It might mean them playing competitively in college but it also might mean that they learn how to exercise and exhibit healthy behaviors even in their adult life if they don’t go on to compete competitively,” said Dr. Dan Jensen, the President and Founder of Physio Performance.

“Rome wasn’t built overnight and athletes aren’t either,” Langi said.