High school athletes tune in on Army fitness

Photo By Staff Sgt. Christopher Hernandez | Sgt. 1st. Class Brian L. Darden, the noncommissioned officer-in-charge for the Performance Triad (P3) program, gives a class on P3 inside the Alamodome the day prior to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, Jan. 5, 2017 in San Antonio, Texas. The All-American Bowl is the nation's premier high school football game, serving as the preeminent launching pad for America's future college and NFL stars. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Christopher Hernandez, 345th Public Affairs Detachment/Released)  

SAN ANTONIO, TX, UNITED STATES

01.05.2018

Story by Sgt. Christopher Hernandez 

345th Public Affairs Detachment

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — While the Soldier at the podium gives his speech in a pale white room accentuated by the overhead fluorescent lighting, the high school football players listen intently. The silence is disrupted by occasional howls of laughter and astonishment from the students, an inevitable reaction to the speaker’s humorous anecdotes.
Sgt. 1st. Class Brian L. Darden, the noncommissioned officer-in-charge of the Performance Triad (P3) program, enlivens the crowd with his booming baritone. The Washington, D.C., native’s speech is part of the highly-structured Bowl Week for these young athletes as they prepare for the 2018 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, Jan. 6 at the Alamodome.
Originating from a pilot program launched in 2013 by the U.S. Army Medical Command, Army P3 advocates peak performance by focusing on a spectrum of three target behaviors.
“P3 basically takes the best of sports science and presents sleep, activity, and nutrition to promote Soldier readiness,” Darden said. “This includes getting seven to eight hours of sleep, making sure to eat five to six times a day for nutrition, and making sure that you have those activities into your daily routine and with you throughout the week.”
Although the presentations have been packed with an array of facts and concepts, they nevertheless remain brief so the players can return to their rigorous training as soon as possible.
“A lot of the students here are full of energy, they always want to get on the field, and do what they got to do so they can become the next best thing,” said Darden. “Therefore, we just got to make sure that they know how to take care of themselves, as well as taking care of their stardom in the future.”
Darden said that the program, which benefits Army Soldiers, has resonated with the athletes and their coaches, foreseeing that both will implement the system later on in their professional careers.
“The students and coaches here have both been very receptive,” Darden said. “They like to bring back things they’ve learned here to their teams so they can come back next year, or use this to become the next rising star.”
While all three elements of the triad are important, some students take to prioritizing their personal favorites.
“I’ve been sleeping nine hours every day, and it helps out in the long run,” said Allen Leiato, varsity football player and a student of Clear Lake High School, Houston, Texas.
For others, the triad means taking responsibility for your own self-care.
“It’s all about being disciplined and doing what’s best for your body in order to become a better athlete,” said Clifford Funderburk, varsity football player and a student of North Forney High School, Forney, Texas.
The All-American Bowl is the nation’s preeminent high school football game, serving as a catalyst for the players’ ascent into the collegiate league and National Football League.
“We want our players to be the best, optimal athletes they can be,” said Darden.

• Date Taken: 01.05.2018
• Date Posted: 01.06.2018 16:25
• Story ID: 261451
• Location: SAN ANTONIO, TX, US
• Hometown: WASHINGTON, DC, US