Talking Sports And Fitness With Zeke

Chris Emkey, a former profession tour tennis player from Berks County and now a partner and director of training for Etchfit Athlete Training and Management Systems, tells Zeke the specifics of how Etchfit offers individual evaluations and customized training sessions, along with subsequent management monitoring, for elite athletes on the high school, academy, college and professional levels in a variety of sports. “We decided to take the training we do with elite athletes and package it so others can take advantage of it,” says Emkey. “The biggest thing we do is diagnostics -- we get to know an athlete’s body and tailor a program for him or her. When everybody gets the same type of training, it’s dangerous. One size doesn’t fit all.”

Chris Emkey, a former professional tour tennis player from Berks County, tells Zeke his story as a fitness trainer who now is a partner and director of training for ETCHFIT Athlete Training and Management Systems, which trains elite athletes on the high school, academy, college and professional levels in a variety of sports in locations across the country. “When I played Division I college tennis at Charleston, went on the pro tennis satellite tour, and then my family owned the West Side Tennis Club, I got to be around a lot of really good strength and conditioning coaches,” says Emkey. “I took the opportunity to go into training as I was inspired by other trainers. “I partnered with Pat Etchberry, the iconic strength and conditioning coach in the world, and we take training to different markets to expose the model to other people.” continues Emkey. “We thoroughly evaluate a client and then create a program specifically to them.”

Dan Clouser tells Zeke the amazing story of how the BIG Vision Foundation teaches life lessons to its athletes, including support of charitable causes, that transcend the playing field. The BIG (Berkshire Innovative Growth) Vision Foundation, a non-profit organization, feeds the hungry; sends equipment to those who cannot afford it; and raises money for breast cancer survivors, veterans and children struggling to understand why they have no hair. Dan took a lesson he learned from his mother. He lives the lesson and uses baseball, softball and soccer to teach life lessons to the players. "The beauty of sports in general is what it does to teach us in life," says Clouser. "We take it very seriously to teach our players about giving back in the community. Charitable work is life changing for both the players and the benefactors." Some organizations that benefit from BIG Vision Foundation charitable work are The Children's Home of Reading, the John Paul II Center for Special Learning, and "Cups of Compassion"

Dan Clouser tells Zeke the remarkable story of how Berkshire Baseball started on a baseball diamond and metamorphosed into the glittering diamond that is the BIG Vision Foundation. “Berkshire Baseball was born of a love for baseball -- a group of adults who just wanted to continue playing baseball," recounts Clouser, president of the BIG (Berkshire Innovative Growth) Vision Foundation. “Guys who played on a team together and also coached other teams against each other." In so doing, they learned they could touch the lives of young athletes on and off the field. BIG Vision strongly emphasizes good sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty, dignity, humility, class and respect for authority. BIG Vision hosts numerous tournaments at all age levels at its state-of-the-art complex at the Berks County Youth Recreation Facility on County Welfare Road in Leesport as well as various other locations around Berks County. “According to Crystal Seitz, executive director of the Greater Reading Convention and Visitors Bureau, the

Zeke talks with Reading High head coach Rob Flowers about the challenges of coaching football in an urban environment. "One of the major things we struggle with on a daily basis is the hydration of our team," Flowers tells Zeke. "We provide meals as often as we can." Many Reading High players grow up economically challenged, so consequently their nutrition is challenged as well. Flowers explains how the Red Knights stay overnight during training camp and the school district provides their meals. And during the season the players also receive food and snacks at school, along with help from supportive parents. Football players have to play in a structured environment, which can be a challenge for Red Knight players who grow up without structure. "Many of our young men have trust issues," the coach says. "We have to establish a relationship with them."

Zeke talks with Reading Royals head coach Larry Courville about his great ability to recruit players who fit his system skill-wise, hockey sense-wise and character-wise. Courville has led the Reading Royals to the playoffs in all six of his full seasons as the head coach, including three consecutive seasons of 45 wins or more and winning the 2013 Kelly Cup. Savvy recruiting has been the primary support beam for Reading's ECHL success, a recruiting effort that is rooted in Courville's extensive database of hockey contacts. His recruiting process is essential to the franchise because ECHL clubs have constantly evolving rosters due to injuries and player transactions at the AHL and NHL levels. The head coach is known for helping players reach the next level, an ability that enhances his recruiting efforts. Players want to play for him. But Courville says his prime goal is to have a successful team. "I'm here to win and not just develop one player for the Flyers," he tells Zeke. "If a veteran is better than th

Zeke talks with Royals forward Matt Hatch, who is scoring goals while outstanding shutdown line designed to protect leads. Hatch's two-way threat obviously is a huge asset. The forward played 39 games for the Royals last season but the parent Philadelphia Flyers organization let him go in the offseason. Hatch, who won a Division I ice hockey national championship with Union College in 2014, signed with Orlando in August and was released at the end of training camp. Hatch accepts what the business of hockey is ... a business. "You have to very mentally tough," he tells Zeke. Hatch re-signed with Reading and having a familiar system and coaching staff planted the seeds of success. "Coming back to Reading and having a second-year experience has been good for me," he says.

Zeke talks with Reading Royals head coach Larry Courville about the early success of the team after starting the ECHL Hockey season with lots of new faces and question marks. Courville tells Zeke that "recruiting is the biggest key to success for this level of hockey." Courville's recruiting has enabled Reading Royals to feature a feature a high-scoring team while playing excellent defense. Courville builds ECHL playoff hockey teams because "it's always about the success of a team, not one individual." Larry Courville, Reading Royals head coach, pinpoints his philosophy of structuring his teams with two high-powered scoring lines and a third shutdown line designed to protect leads and frustrate the opposition is another major reason why the Royals have been consistent winners.

Zeke talks with head coach Rob Flowers about the successful Reading High football season, which includes the Red Knights' first playoff win in over a decade -- a 25-7 win over Pleasant Valley. "It was an up and down season but despite all the ups and downs here we are still playing in Week 12," Flowers says prior to the Knights' Eastern Conference Class AAAA final against Emmaus. Flowers explains how his triple option offense enables Reading High to compensate for having smaller linemen than most of their opponents while taking advantage of their talented skill players. "We get our guys as fast and as smart as we possibly can," the coach says. "And our system filters all the way down the ranks. Our junior high and youth programs are acclimated."

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Zeke and Tony discuss speed and agility training. Tony Sabanos, owner and lead trainer of Xcellerated Speed Training.

Zeke talks with Mike Moyer, owner of F.C. Revolution, about Berks scholastic soccer

Mike Moyer from FC Revolution talks about the US Women's Soccer Team winning the World Soccer Cup and the impact on soccer regionally