KLTV 7 News Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville |Tyler trainer taking athletes to the next level

Tyler trainer taking athletes to the next level

By: Coleman Swierc - email

Tyler, Texas (KLTV) - Chase Rabe is one of the best football players in East Texas.

"All district running back, and I only played in six games."

For two years, the Van senior has been training with Bobby Stroupe, one of the leading strength and speed trainers in the state, and went from back up, to college prospect.

"There are some kids that have some deficiencies," said Stroupe, "and we are able to pull those through, and then things happen, amazing things happen."

"There is nothing here that is just a waste of time," said Rabe, "everything is getting you better, no matter what little things he has got you doing."

Rabe isn't the only one, more than 40 Van athletes, and athletes from all levels of high school, college and pro, come to Stroupe for training, for that extra edge that regular workout just doesn't provide.

"Now that I have been in it, and I have done it, there is something that I recommend to everyone," said Van sophomore Dalton Santos, "I feel that I am a better athlete, I am confident in myself, and I am pretty sure everybody in here feels that way."

"Through the science that we have, and compare with the fact that their body is ready to grow, and when that happens, and when we can hit that wave, amazing things can happen to you," added Stroupe.

But it is not always the most conventional methods.

While most players will focus on the bench and squat and power clean, the best athletes, the select few, will focus on non-conventional means, like the vertimax, a resistance based jumping tool.

As funny as some of it may seem, it is how guys like Stroupe can help take an athlete to the next level.

"It is hard, hard work, but it definitely pays off in the end," said Rabe.

"It has made me a lot faster, stronger, made me a better athlete all around," added Santos.

And what coach would turn down better athletes.