The Pacer

Issue date: 10/7/08 Section: Sports Extra

Media Credit: Amanda Carr

UTM's student athletes have what it takes to compete with the best of the Ohio Valley Conference in the field of play.

Our teams discipline their bodies on a regular basis throughout the semester by following a planned diet and work-out schedule established by their coaches and support staff.

Charlie Rayburn, associate professor in the Health and Human Performance Department, sets the workouts for eight of UTM's sports teams: men's and women's basketball, cross country, volleyball, soccer, golf, equestrian and softball.

"Some of the teams are in season right now and some will be in season before the semester is over," Rayburn said. "If the team is in season, they usually go two days in the weight room while the out of season groups do three days.

"We try to give them a good mix of total body workouts, mainly with free weights instead of weight machines. The in season groups try to maintain a level of strength and muscular endurance without overdoing their workouts, since they still must practice and play games," Rayburn said.
Rayburn also said that teams about to start their seasons work on building strength with muscle endurance for about three weeks before their first game.

Rayburn admitted that the schedules can be grueling on students.

"Athletes have to carry the load of being a full time student in good standing, attend practice sessions and get to the weight room the allotted number of times which is quite a strain on the body and mind," Rayburn said.

Adam Beauchamp, defensive line coach and strength and conditioning coordinator for the football team said that the travel roster athletes lift weights on Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesday, and redshirted freshmen work out on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday..

The tennis and baseball teams are the only teams that handle their own workouts, though Rayburn said he supplies written workout instructions for the baseball team.

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