Much More Than Pumping Iron
December 13, 2007 | Softball
To prepare for the season, the Wisconsin softball team does much more than lift weights to stay in shape. Brian Bott, a member of the strength and conditioning staff, plans and implements the team's regimen to help keep the players injury free.
'I do assessments on the players the first week (during fall workouts) to see where their imbalances are,' said Bott. 'In the first five weeks of fall training we try to do all of the corrections so that when they get out of fall ball, I shift my emphasis to speed development and also put more emphasis on strength development. '
While toning muscles is an important piece of training, Bott believes that there 's more to staying in shape than simply lifting weights. 'I think there are more things to focus on besides lifting (weights) and having (the players' bodies) tested,' commented Bott. 'Trying to get them ready to play the sport and be injury free is my big thing and to make sure that everything is working together.
'For the first five weeks we do a lot of complexes which are series of movement patterns that serve as not only a teaching emphasis for different movements but also as a kind of conditioning component for the players. I like to do a lot of single-leg movements for body balance. The players just tested the squat earlier this week and they've really only truly back squatted 5 of the 13 weeks that they've been training. '
Bott came to Wisconsin in 2000 and has worked with the softball and football teams, but doesn't treat the two groups of athletes any differently. 'With football, we have four groups a day (that come in for work outs) and with softball, there are only 18 girls, so I train them all in one group,' explained Bott. 'I prepare myself mentally the same way for the groups. You're still training athletes; it 's not a male vs. female thing. I told the girls the first day that I'm not going to treat them as females, I treat them like Division I athletes, which is what they are. That's how I start every season with them and we go from there. '
Bott tips his hat to the Wisconsin athletes as to what he believes is the best part about his job. 'I get to work with exceptional kids in both sports,' expressed Bott. 'We really have quality athletes here as far as people. I think our coaches across the board do a great job recruiting quality people and bringing them in to represent the University.
'The best thing about working with the (softball team) is that they're really committed to being successful and work extremely hard to try to develop themselves. '
Prior to UW, Bott graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh where he was a four-year starter on the baseball team before continuing his education and completing a master's degree at the University of North Dakota.
