Utah Lions 
                                                      
              High Performance Player 
                            Manual 
                                   
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                           Table of Contents: 
            
            
            
            
               Introductory  Letter – 3 
            
               Player Criteria   - 4 
            
               Age Grade Pathway  -  5 
            
               Strength and Conditioning  Background Information   - 6 
            
               Strength and Conditioning  Program  -8 
            
               Strength and Conditioning  Testing Benchmarks and Testing Protocols  - 17 
            
               Nutritional  Information:   
                 o  Stop Light  Chart   - 21 
                 o  Nutritional  Camp Guidelines  - 22 
                 o  Meal Guidelines   - 23 
                 o  Competitive  Sports Nutrition    -  30  
               Player Goal Setting Sheet  - 38 
            
               Suggested Reading List  - 39 
            
               Positional  Profiling   - 40 
            
            
            
            
            
            
            
            
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        Gentlemen, 
        You are receiving this manual because you are currently being considered for 
        Selection  to the Utah Lions,  a High Performance Rugby organization.   
        Congratulations  on this achievement which is a testament to your athleticism,  rugby 
        ability,  and commitment  and attitude.  This team competes at the Elite level in 
        domestic and international  tournaments often against US High School  All Americans, 
        Canadian Provincial  rep sides, top British  schools and other Elite  Rugby Academies 
        in the US. 
         
        The following  Manual is meant to assist you in your development  as a player.  All 
        aspects of being an elite rugby player are important  (strength and conditioning, 
        nutrition,  mental skills,  skill  development  and tactical knowledge).  If you want to 
        achieve the goal of making  the National  Team, we hope you continue to work hard 
        and develop  as a player in all these aspect.  We hope this information  will  serve to 
        help you become the best player you can be, and we look forward to seeing on our 
        team and in our tours this year! 
         
        Regards, 
         
        Michael Cressler 
        Utah Lions:  Head Coach 
        coach@utahlionsrugby.com 
        801-712-5884 
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
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                Age Grade Player National Team Criteria 
                           
        This sheet outlines what we are looking for in players as selection criteria 
        toward making the age grade national teams.  These are the characteristics 
        that we look for in players to select and if you desire to be an Lion you should 
        be able truthfully answer ‘yes’ to all of these questions. 
         
            Athletic Ability:   Are you strong, explosive,  quick and fast, and do you work 
           hard on your strength and conditioning  levels to maximize  your abilities  in 
           these areas? 
         
            Skill Level and Tactical Knowledge:  Do you have the required skill  levels 
           to play the game at the elite level?  This includes  general skills  required of all 
           players (passing,  catching, tackling,  rucking,  etc) and position  specific skills 
           (kicking,  jumping,  throwing,  etc)? 
           Do you understand the game as a whole tactically  and do you fit into  your 
           team’s philosophy  and game plan, making  those around you better and playing 
           within  a system?  Are you a student of the game, striving  to always learn and 
           improve? 
         
            Commitment/Attitude:  Are you committed to learning,  improving  and 
           developing  as a rugby player?  Do you constantly give maximum  effort and 
           focus in training,  games, meetings and all elements of your rugby? Are you 
           motivated  and willing  to put in extra time and effort to develop yourself to be 
           the best athlete and skilled  rugby player you can be? 
         
            Coachability:  Are you coachable and willing  to take on board constructive 
           criticism  to help you improve?   Do you have the desire, to listen,  learn and pay 
           attention to constantly improve  in all facets of the game?  Do you actively 
           seek out advice and knowledge from your coaches and peers? 
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
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