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Sports Medicine Information The Sports Medicine Division is one of the the newest and most important divisions in the athletic department. Headed up by Col. Jim Rooney, the division is split into three major areas. They are the human performance lab, strength and conditioning and the athletic training rooms. The sports psychology branch develops team and individual performance improvement. Eucational workshops to coaches and athletes are routinely held which results in consistent high performances and outstanding performances for all the athletic programs at the Academy. The sports vision branch attempts to improve a player's focus and concentration. Al Wile heads the branch which helps players work on certain visual aspects of the game. Although critics argue that you can't improve a player's sight, these skills improve a player's ability to focus on the task at hand. The Academy baseball team has already benefited from this specialized training. In 1994, their first year of vision training, the Falcons led the nation in batting with a .360 average. The strength and conditioning area is one of the nation's finest. The cadet varsity weight room is located in the Cadet Gymnasium and has 12,600 square feet of open lifting area. Included in the facility are 84 individual lifting stations, 40 Olympic bars, 72 pairs of dumbbells and 25 lifting machines. Free weights make up 27,922 pounds, or about 14 tons. The machines add another 4,050 pounds. The center of the room is designed for plyometrics and speed training and has a four-lane 40-yard track area for sprints. The staff is headed up by Alan Hedrick. The staff make up computerized programs for athletes which tell them how much weight to lift, how many repetitions and when to increase in weight. Each sport at the Academy has its own lifting program that is position specific. The athletic training department focuses on injury prevention, rehabilitation and on- and off-season workouts. The athletic trainers assist athletes with prevention by taping, bracing and completing thorough screening processes to help discover past injuries. The staff also assists with the on- and off-season workouts. Athletes have the luxury of having a fully-equipped athletic training room in both the Cadet Field House and the Cadet Gym. The athletic training room staff consists of 11 certified athletic trainers and three physical therapists.
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