Core 1 training comes to Northwest Indiana

By John Burbridge
Saturday, May 17, 2008

ST. JOHN | It costs as much as a used car. But here's the catch: it doesn't use gasoline.

"It's one of the latest innovations in sport training," Rick Kucera said of the VertiMax, a multipurpose machine with so many ropes, levers and pulleys that you'd think it can train mountain climbers as well as middle linebackers.

Maybe it can.

"You can set it for just about anything," Kucera said. "It's a sport-specific machine."

And it's a prominent tool for sport-specific Core 1 Training for aspiring athletes of various levels and ages.

"I wish I had something like this when I was growing up," said Core 1 trainer Chris Sims, who played basketball for Downers Grove South, but couldn't quite get the Division I scholarship offer he hoped for. "It would have definitely helped my explosiveness."

"First-step explosiveness is so important ... and not just in basketball," Kucera said.

Explosiveness, agility, speed ... better, stronger, faster are among Core 1 Training's goals for its clientele.

"But just as important, we want to train to prevent future injuries," Kucera said.

Core 1 Training has been around in Illinois for about five years. It has helped train the Illinois Wolves Basketball Club, the Eclipse Soccer Club and the Avalanche Volleyball Club -- all elite organizations that boast Division I and all-state alumni.

Schererville resident Kucera, a former high school and collegiate basketball player who coaches youth basketball and baseball, came in contact with Core 1 co-founder Jim Wnek through a business association.

"We decided to bring Core1 to Northwest Indiana," said Kucera, who oversees the Core 1's NWI operation.

About two months ago, Core 1 started holding training sessions at Midwest Ice Arena in St. John. On May 30, June 6 and 13, Core 1 will hold a "combo" camp at Dave Griffin's in Griffith. Core 1 will focus on speed, strength and agility training to go with Griffin and his staff's baseball fundamental clinic.

"We can go anywhere," Kucera said. "We are equipped to be mobile. We don't need a big building and overhead."