Sept. 8, 2011
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern's Strength and Conditioning Department has changed its name to the Northwestern Sports Performance Department, Director Jason Pullara announced today (Thursday, Sept. 8).
"This title change more accurately reflects the services our department provides to our student-athletes here at Northwestern," Pullara said. "We surpass traditional strength and conditioning concepts to focus on athletic development, functional movement, recovery, strength, speed, agility, force production, power development and mental toughness. All things related to sports performance are addressed with the programs our staff members develop and implement."
Pullara, who assumed the Director position in July of 2011, heads up the Sports Performance Department alongside Jay Hooten, who at the same time was named Director of Sports Performance for Football. Pullara and his staff oversee the sports performance programs for 18 of Northwestern's 19 varsity sports while Hooten and his staff are dedicated to the needs of NU football.
In addition to Northwestern's 12,000-square foot, glass-encased Byron S. Coon Center, NU Sports Performance takes advantage of indoor and outdoor FieldTurf practice surfaces along with Northwestern's North Beach on Lake Michigan for sand workouts -- a unique option not available at many institutions.
Sports Performance will work closely with the Sports Medicine staff providing seamless services to the student-athletes, giving special attention to screening for potential weakness, preventing injuries and assisting with return-to-play protocols. Sports Performance and Sports Medicine staff also will collaborate on both individual-specific and team programming that will include cutting-edge techniques designed to enhance the overall Northwestern student-athlete experience.
The Sports Performance department is dedicated to providing a world-class experience to Northwestern's student-athletes by focusing on developing the complete athlete using proven scientific methods and innovations. The Sports Performance staff constantly is evolving with the changing demands of today's sports to help ensure Northwestern's athletes stay healthy and perform at their peak potential.
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