SAAS Boot Camp Keeps Student-Athletes in Top Form

Seattle Academy student-athletes saw real gains in Kyle Petheram’s new six-week intensive boot camp, a first at Seattle Academy, for Upper School students looking to improve their speed, agility, technique and form. Over the month of July, soccer, basketball, wrestling, lacrosse and numerous other student-athletes endured rigorous training on the SAAS rooftop, gym and weight room. 

Kyle Petheram is a strength and conditioning specialist and owner of KP Elite Performance Training, where he has built a repertoire as a performance trainer for the likes of NFL athletes Bobby Wagner, KJ Wright, DK Metcalf, Josh Gordon, Myles Jack, Buddha Baker, Richard Sherman, Poona Ford, Joe Tryon, and hundreds of others. He has a rich background as head strength coach of numerous baseball, basketball, and football teams for Bainbridge and North Kitsap High Schools. Kyle has also trained NFL Draft Class, elite college football programs and trained countless other athletes. 

Now, when he is not face-to-face with professional NFL athletes, he is putting our SAAS students through these same workouts, with modifications only as needed. 

“It is so rare that kids have access to professional training,” says Kyle, “The value is hard to measure.” And indeed, Kyle had honed in on exercises for kids and adults alike that focus on speed, agility, form, and power. “Especially in the weight room, it is really a mixed bag for how kids learn form and technique.” Kyle’s eye helps to manage different abilities across different ages and sports. “Whether an elite athlete or someone new to the weight room, it is so important to learn all of these skills right out of the gate. Get your foundation, and with that, you get better and faster.” 

SAAS Boot Camp focused on training aimed at giving our students athletic advantages such as speed, agility, mobility, movement, footwork, change of direction, speed mechanics, plyometrics (explosive exercises, jumping) and in the weight room, where students finessed main olympic lifts (bench press, squat, power clean, hang clean, and deadlift). These are big lifts from a performance standpoint and foundational for learning technique.

Kyle emphasizes goal-oriented training focused on form foundation. There is no dead time during boot camp, so the full hour is utilized for strength and conditioning gains. 

“Being around all of these professional athletes, I see what makes them elite,” Kyle explains as he sees students receiving so much more from this boot camp than pure strength and conditioning. “For many, the ‘elite’ attribute comes from work ethic and not wasting any time in transitions and between exercises. I try to apply these lessons I learn from my older athletes to the younger athletes. Learning to crack the code on how to be great involves applying a work ethic and attitude for how these students attack their fitness and athletic goals.” 

And in just six weeks of camp, consistency and hard work are key. “You get out of it what you put into it.” 

“Kyle himself is a self-made man,” says Zac Townsend, Head Basketball Coach at Seattle Academy. Zac and Kyle both attended Bainbridge High School when they were kids. “Since I met Kyle as a younger kid in our community on Bainbridge, he’s always been super driven and passionate about sports. His passion for football took him on a journey that spanned six years of playing collegiate football.”

“I’m proud of all that Kyle has accomplished and that we’ve had a continued connection that now has him supporting our SAAS student-athletes in their pursuit to develop,” shares Zac.

Kyle’s boot camp met this summer in parallel with soccer training on the SAAS rooftop. Cardinal Girls Varsity Soccer Coaches Craig Tomlinson and Brad Evans, both of whom are retired professional soccer athletes and former Sounders players, also created space this summer for informal soccer prep ahead of the fall season. Craig, Brad and Kyle agree that heading into the season in top conditioning shape is the first hurdle for any team to tackle. These efforts, boot camp and soccer conditioning, will undoubtedly give Cardinal competitors an edge right out of the gate.

We get a sneak peek of what this fall athletic season holds on September 23 during our annual Fall Mania event at Starfire, where lacrosse, ultimate, and soccer players compete against rival independent schools. Fan buses, gear booths, and general school spirit will be present as the whole school joins in cheering on these Cardinal athletes. See you there! 

View more SAAS Student-Athlete Boot Camp Photos Here