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The secret behind UConn's incredible NCAA Championship run this season
WORDS. ANTHONY EGGLETON PHOTOS. STEVEN COOPER
An icon throughout the Bay Area sports scene, Anthony Eggleton, more widely known as Coach Ant, has trained hundreds of high school, college and pro athletes for over 25 years. As Director of Athletic Training at Ant's Mind and Body since 2009, Eggleton combines physi- cal training and psychological techniques from all over the globe, which has led him to
become one of the most innovative sports performance trainers in the country. As one of his students put it, "Coach Ant is like the guru of mind and body." But there's a catch: He'll only train people that want to work. With that said, Coach Ant gives you the competitive edge.
The most remarkable men's basketball team this March was not Virginia Commonwealth, although the Rams certainly were remarkable. Not expected to make the NCAA Tournament, they became the first play-in team to beat a No. 1 seed, and beat teams from fi ve major conferences. Nor does Butler claim this honor, despite becoming the first team not seeded as a No. 1 or No. 2 to make back-to-back Final Fours. No, the Con- necticut Huskies were the most remarkable team, and for an unlikely reason.
UConn won fi ve games in fi ve days en route to the Big East Tour- nament Championship, and somehow continued that success in the Big Dance. No other team in recent memory has displayed the physical resiliency necessary to compete and emerge victorious on fi ve consecutive days. Few activities combine high-impact running, jumping, quick changes of direction and unpredictable physical contact to the same degree basketball does, and Connecticut's
sports medicine staff merits praise for its supreme management of the Huskies' grueling fi ve-game run. While we wait for the team to release a book on its recovery secrets, here are my own tips on recovering and preparing for the next tip-off.
Taking care of your body is paramount for every ballplayer. Proper recovery between games and practices enables you to play the next day at your maximum capability. Basketball movements, such as jump shots, crossover dribbles or drop steps, become more fl uid as your muscles learn how to perform them. Naturally, muscle memory functions much better when your body is not fatigued. Muscles also need rest so that they do not breakdown and make you susceptible to injury. Immediately after you play, cool down exercises are neces- sary to bring your system back to stasis. Most coaches advise a light jog followed by static stretching, which will certainly help reduce your heart rate and ease out any muscular tensions that may have accumulated during play.
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