HOBART (NBC 26) — The St. Norbert Green Knights are a very successful NCAA Division 3 sports program. However, they’re looking to take their athletes and athletics to a new level with a new partnership.
“When you think of St. Norbert and the long-term success that we’ve had, we need to continue to push the needle on items like this where we can’t just kind of expect the success to come,” said Cam Fuller, the director of athletics at St. Norbert. “We have to give our coaches and the student-athletes the resources to be successful.”
Talking to his coaches, Fuller found one thing Green Knights athletes were lacking in was speed. That’s where Synergy Sports Performance comes in. The partnership will have Synergy take over the Green Knights' strength and conditioning for the next four years, maybe even more.
“If we can just get that one percent better – I think that’s where partnerships with a group like Synergy are going to help our athletes,” said Fuller.
“We’re still going to focus on strength, don't get me wrong, you can’t have one without the other,” said Scotty Smith the owner of Synergy Sports Performance in Hobart. “You can overlook speed and I think that’s what’s happened. So for us to go in and evaluate that with the kids, work on some running mechanics, lateral quickness, things like that, we’re hoping it provides a big value for St. Norbert."
Synergy, which trains athletes from high school to the NFL, will have a dedicated staff member year-round for each Green Knights athletic team.
“I think where our coaches are most excited is knowing that when their athletes are in the weight room for an hour each day, they know that they're getting taken care of and they know the expertise is there,” Fuller said. “I think that’s huge for our coaches.”
“One of the biggest things, issue-wise, across the country in Division 3 is lack of manpower for the amount of athletes,” said Smith. “Typically the schools will have one strength coach to cover it. We set it up with our staff so each program will kind of have a head person and someone assisting them.
College recruiting is crazier than ever and Fuller says the partnership with Synergy will help out with that.
“There’s so many things that we’re trying to give our coaches kinda tools to their tool-belt when they’re selling St. Norbert, it’s more than just the success but it’s also how are we leading you to success at St. Norbert and I think this partnership is going to be crucial for that,” he said.
The partnership will officially begin in August.
