BHS Field Hockey
8Week Intensive Conditioning Program

Program Overview

Bradley High Schools Field Hockey program is launching an eightweek intensive conditioning cycle designed specifically for varsity and junior varsity athletes. The goal is to boost onfield performance through a blend of strength, speed, agility, endurance, and mental preparation. Sessions run three times per week, each lasting 90 minutes, and are supervised by certified strengthandconditioning coaches and the head coach.

All training takes place in the schools newly renovated fitness center and the outdoor synthetic turf field, allowing athletes to work in environments that directly translate to gameday demands.

Key Benefits

• Increased power and explosiveness for faster sprints, harder shots and stronger tackles.
• Improved aerobic and anaerobic endurance to sustain high intensity throughout the fourquarter match.
• Enhanced agility and changeofdirection speed for quick defensive recoveries and offensive cuts.
• Reduced injury risk through targeted mobility work and core stability training.
• Better mental resilience via goalsetting, visualization, and controlled breathing drills.

Weekly Schedule

Training days are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Each day follows a consistent structure:

Coaches will rotate specific exercises each week to keep stimulus novel and to prevent plateaus.

Training Focus Areas

1. Strength & Power

Core lifts squat, deadlift, and split squat are paired with Olympicstyle movements (power clean, push press) and medicineball throws. The aim is to develop the lowerbody force needed for powerful pushes and the upperbody strength for accurate, hard shots.

2. Speed & Acceleration

Shorthill sprints, resisted runs with sleds, and highknee drills improve the first 1015 meters of a sprint, which translates directly to quick bursts into the circle or defensive recoveries.

3. Agility & ChangeofDirection

Figure8, Tdrill, and multicone patterns train the ability to change direction without losing balance, a cornerstone of effective stickhandling and defensive footwork.

4. Aerobic & Anaerobic Endurance

Twominute highintensity intervals followed by oneminute active recovery simulate the repeated sprint pattern found in a typical match. Longer steadystate runs (35km) are incorporated once a week to support overall cardiovascular health.

5. Mobility & Injury Prevention

Daily hipflexor, adductor, and thoracicspine mobility drills, plus a focused hamstring and groin strengthening protocol, address the most common fieldhockey injuries.

6. Mental Conditioning

Each session ends with a 5minute visualization exercise where athletes picture successful plays, and a brief discussion on goal progression for the week.

How to Join

All BHS fieldhockey players are automatically enrolled, but open slots are available for nonteam members who wish to improve their fitness or prepare for tryouts.

1. Complete the online registration form.
2. Attend the mandatory healthscreening appointment (dates listed below).
3. Submit the signed waiver and parental consent (for under18 participants).
4. Show up ready to work on the first Monday of the program.

Registration closes one week before the start date. Spaces are limited to 30 athletes per session to ensure quality coaching.