2023 PA State Youth Football Combine $55
(buy your ticket here)

A football combine typically consists of several athletic tests to evaluate the skills and abilities of football players.  The biggest combine event in the world is the annual NFL Combine, which is held each year right before the draft.

Even though the metrics at the combine are not the end all be all for how good a player is, the numbers do have value.  A player who has a great combine has a significantly better chance of being drafted than a player who has a lousy combine.  Therefore, it’s important for athletes to maximize their time at the combine.

Our PA State Youth Football Combine for youth athletes is taking place on Saturday, July 22 at 9am at my gym and The Center School.  I’ll be assisted in the combine by Coach Jospeh Morrison of Apex Elite Training, LLC and Coach Warren Harvey, who is a former Syracuse University cornerback.

We will be testing the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, pro agility shuttle, broad jump, and the bench press.  I want to give you a brief explanation of each drill that the athletes will be tested in below.

You can learn about me and my career as an athlete and performance training specialist here.  And you can sign up for the combine HERE.

1. 40-Yard Dash

The 40-yard dash is by far the most popular event at the combine.  The 40-yard dash is a sprint test that measures a player’s acceleration and speed.  The 40-yard dash holds a ton of weight in football circles.

Some players, who would have been drafted much later or not at all, have drastically improved their draft stock by running an elite 40 time.  We only use electronic timing as it is the gold standard for recording sprinting times. There are no fake hand times at our combine.

While the 40-yard dash does not tell us how a good a player will be, it never hurts to be fast.  

2. Vertical Jump

The vertical jump is the 2nd most popular event at the combine.  The vertical jump assesses an athlete’s lower-body power and explosiveness.  We measure the vertical jump with the Vertec, which is the universal standard tool of measurement for the vertical jump.

Again, a player who would normally be a later round or undrafted free agent, can substantially improve their draft stock by posting a great vertical jump.

3. Pro Agility Shuttle (also known as the 5-10-5 Shuttle):

The pro agility shuttle measures an athlete’s lateral quickness and change of direction.  This is an important metric as the sport of football is not played in a linear fashion.  Certain positions in football require higher levels of agility and lateral quickness.

4. Broad Jump

The broad jump evaluates an athlete’s lower-body power and explosiveness in a horizontal fashion.  The broad jump also can tell you just how explosive and athlete is, in a similar fashion to the vertical jump.

Athletes need metrics in order to be properly assessed by scouts.  To sign up for the 2023 Youth Athlete Football Combine click HERE.

5. Bench Press

The bench press is used as a measure of upper body pushing strength.  For the purposes of the combine it measures your strength endurance.

During the test at the NFL Combine, players are required to bench press a weight of 225 pounds for as many repetitions as possible.  The bench press is considered a measure of a player’s ability to generate power from the chest, shoulder, and triceps muscles, which are important for various football activities such as blocking, tackling, and shedding blockers.

With my combine being for younger athletes, most of the athletes will not have the ability to bench press 225lbs.  But I offer modifications so that the athletes still have a chance to bench.  The weights being used will be:

45lbs or 65lbs for beginners
95lbs or 135lbs for intermediate lifters
185lbs for advanced lifters

Now if there is a 16-year-old who comes to the combine, and benches 225lbs, I’d be ecstatic!

These tests are commonly used to assess various physical attributes and athletic abilities that are important in football.  They provide a standardized way to compare and evaluate players’ performance during a combine or scouting event.

PA State Youth Football Combine Information

It’s important for prospective athletes to know that we will run the 40-yard dash and the pro agility shuttle at The Center School Athletic Field, which is a short, 5-7 minute walk from my gym.

Host:
The Fitman Performance & Physique Center

Date:
Saturday 7/22/2023 at 8:30am (rain date 7/29/2023)

Locations:

The Fitman Performance & Physique Center (for registration, the bench press, vertical jump, and broad jump)
1518 Easton Rd. Unit #10
Roslyn, PA. 19001

The Center School (Athletic Field for the 40-yard dash and pro agility shuttle)
2450 Hamilton Ave.
Abington, PA. 19001

Parking:

Parking at my gym is limited.

I typically have about 2-6 available spots.  I advise prospective participants families to use the street parking on Patane Ave or Hamilton Ave when my parking lot is filled up.

The Center School also has a parking lot.  When we run the 40-yard dash and the pro agility shuttle, prospective participants families can feel free to park in that lot.

Registration Cost:
$35 per athlete (if you sign up before 7/22/2023)
$55 per athlete (if you sign up the day of the combine)
You can sign up for the combine at the link below.

PA State Youth Football Combine Registration

Order Of Events and Important Information

• Parents/guardians of the athletes will receive a waiver through email to sign after they register the athlete.  No athlete under the age of 18 is allowed to participate in the combine without having this waiver signed by their parent/guardian.  No athlete over the age of 18 is allowed to participate without them signing the waiver.  Athletes who sign up on the day of the combine will need to sign the waiver when they arrive.  There are no exceptions to this rule.

• Athletes will meet at 8:30am sharp at my gym.  We will not be waiting around for athletes who are late.  After a brief meeting, we will walk over to the Center School’s athletic fields, warm-up, and conduct the 40-yard dash and the pro agility shuttle.  Athletes will be shown a brief demonstration of each drill, but it’s important to know that this combine is for testing purposes and not training purposes.  Parents/guardians who are interested in personal training for their children can speak with me after the combine is completed.

• After those drills are completed, we will walk back to my gym to perform the bench press, vertical jump, and broad jump.  Again, the athletes will be shown a brief demonstration of each drill, but it’s important to know that this combine is for testing purposes and not training purposes.  Parents/guardians who are interested in personal training for their children can speak with me or the other coaches after the combine is completed.

PA State Youth Football Combine Registration

I’ll holla at you at the combine.
The People’s Trainer
Fitman