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ATHLETES CHALLENGED | The goal of the Academy is to challenge each athlete and get them started off on the right foot for the summer. We don’t do 100 mile weeks, but we do train smart. With the help of the counselors, athletes choose both which runs to do and how far to go during each run. Given all of the options, a typical week of camp accommodates around 20 miles for beginners and up to 60 or more for experienced athletes. The campers will run with some of the best distance runners in the country and learn to train their way. we want everyone to leave the Academy motivated, excited, healthy, and ready for a great season.
STAFF | The High Performance Staff is one of the best groups of any camp out there in terms of ability, experience, enthusiasm, and excitement for the sport of running. Past editions have included Olympians, NCAA National Champions, NCAA and High School All-Americans, Footlocker and NXN finalists, and experienced and successful college and high school coaches. With a counselor-to-athlete ratio of just over 1:7, athletes truly get an unbeatable level of time commitment and guidance they deserve from an incredible staff.
INDIVIDUAL GUIDANCE | A hallmark of High Performance is the individuality provided to each of our campers. With our high counselor-to-athlete ratio, athletes are able to spend a lot of time getting to know their counselor and often continue to be mentored long after the conclusion of camp. Many of our counselors also return year after year and are able to continue guiding their past campers on an even more individualized basis. The week is capped off with a one-on-one meeting discussing each athlete’s specific goals and offering advice not only in the sport of running, but also in academics, recruiting, and life in general. Typically ranging from 30 minutes to over two hours apiece, these meetings allow campers to bridge what they’ve learned at camp to their own lives. Athletes leave camp with a personal evaluation of their physical skills (running form, general strength, endurance, etc.), goals, and words of encouragement from their counselor.
TIME FRAME | One of the biggest praises received from the coaches of our campers is the time frame during which camp takes place. Most running camps take place at the end of the summer just prior to the start of the cross country season, a time that is too late to start training in order to have a successful season. High Performance occurs much earlier in the summer in hopes of getting athletes motivated to start training sooner in the year. Over and over again, we hear from coaches who’s athletes have attended camp and show up to the first day of practice in great shape because of the training the continued after the conclusion of camp. They enter the cross country season with a solid base and are ready for a great season as a result.
LOCATION | Blacksburg, Virginia is repeatedly chosen by multiple publications as both one of the Best Small Towns to Live In and the Best Place to Raise Children throughout the United States. Located in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains, Blacksburg offers ideal running weather dominated by warm days and cool evenings, as well as ideal running terrain at 2000 feet above sea level with both rolling hills and mountain climbs often dipping over 3000 feet. The Virginia Tech campus connects to extensive bike path and trail networks and is surrounded by the Jefferson National Forest. During camp, athletes will have the opportunity to run on a grass cross country course that played host to the 2012 ACC Championships, wooded and mountain trails, and along portions of the famous Appalachian Trail. Campers will also partake in a hill climb run and hike at Mountain Lake where the movie Dirty Dancing was filmed, and where Lance Armstrong won a stage race during the 1995 and 1996 Tour DuPont. This area of the country is an incredible place to train!
VIRGINIA TECH | Virginia Tech has one of the most beautiful campuses in the country marked by the famous Hokie Stone buildings, state-of-the-art facilities, and historic tradition in strong academics and athletics. Athletes will be housed in one of Tech’s residence halls, giving them a feel for what life is like in college. Virginia Tech is famed for having one of the finest food establishments in the nation after being ranked #1 nationally for college dining. Campers will eat at Dietrich Dining Hall, which offers a wide variety of choices to keep athletes eating healthy and often!
WE RUN and HAVE A LOT OF FUN! | In between training, we will hike, swim, and play plenty of beach volleyball, ultimate frisbee, basketball, and giant soccer. Camp is capped off with a talent show full of laughs and, of course, forming lasting relationships with new friends from around the country. It truly is an incredible week!