Athlete Academy ATHLETE ACADEMY soccer

Progress is a number, not a feeling

We measure every athlete at the start, train what the numbers say, and measure again. Here is what that looks like when we show our working.

The pattern worth noticing

Most training is sold on the vertical jump. It is the easiest number to quote and the least useful one on its own.

Look at the single-leg columns instead. In every athlete below, the weaker leg improved more than the two-footed jump did — and in three of the four, the gap between left and right narrowed.

The framework: the gap matters more than the number. A fast player built on a lopsided athlete is a player cutting off one leg. Closing the side-to-side difference is what makes the speed safe to repeat.

The numbers

Rafael Soccer · 12 months

TestBeforeAfterChange
Countermovement jump 15.50″ 19.75″ +27.4%
Single-leg jump, left 8.75″ 11.75″ +34.3%
Single-leg jump, right 6.75″ 10.38″ +53.7%

Cara Volleyball · Outside hitter · 5 months

TestBeforeAfterChange
Countermovement jump 11.63″ 15.88″ +36.6%
Single-leg jump, left 5.50″ 9.50″ +72.7%
Single-leg jump, right 6.75″ 9.00″ +33.3%
Cara's story Cara talks about what changed, in her own words.

Kendall Volleyball · Outside hitter · 7 months

TestBeforeAfterChange
Countermovement jump 17.00″ 20.63″ +21.3%
Single-leg jump, left 7.38″ 10.88″ +47.5%
Single-leg jump, right 9.25″ 12.50″ +35.1%
Kendall's parents Doug and Merideth Stewart on what seven months looked like from a parent's side.

Lilly Softball · Catcher · 9 months

TestBeforeAfterChange
Countermovement jump 12.88″ 15.75″ +22.3%
Single-leg jump, left 7.00″ 10.00″ +42.9%
Single-leg jump, right 6.25″ 9.13″ +46.0%

Countermovement jump is a two-footed jump from standing. Single-leg jump is the same test on one leg at a time, which is where side-to-side differences show up. These are individual athletes, measured on the same protocol before and after. Results vary with age, stage, starting point and how much training actually happens.

The work behind the single-leg numbers

The column that moved most is the one-legged jump. This is the kind of work that moves it.

Pistol squat demo Soccer is played on one leg. Single-leg strength is what closes a side-to-side gap, and a two-legged squat lets the stronger side hide the weaker one.

What we did not do

We did not cherry-pick the best month or change the test between measurements. Same protocol, same equipment, before and after.

And we are not claiming these outcomes are typical. They are four athletes who trained consistently. What we will claim is that we measured them, and that we would rather show you numbers than adjectives.

What families and coaches say

All athletes who participated in your program got faster over the distances tested.
Andrew McKnightHead Coach, Kennedy Women's Soccer · two-time 4A State Champions
Kit came through a strong season and a state championship, and the physical side was a real part of it.
Mark WeaverSoccer parent
I’ve been playing professional soccer for 5 years, but after 1 month training with Aaron, I am bigger, faster, and stronger than I have ever been. It’s not just lifting weights for the sake of it, it’s practical and sport-specific. It’s perfect for me during the off-season so I can get back to the top of my game.
Tom ParrattProfessional player, Scottish Premier League · five years professional

See where your athlete actually stands

Every athlete here started with an assessment. That is the same place your athlete would start.

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Questions parents ask

Are these results typical?

No — they are individual athletes, and we would be misleading you to present four people as an average. Starting point matters enormously: an athlete who has never trained has more room to move than one who has trained for years. What is consistent is the approach, not the percentage.

Why show single-leg numbers at all?

Because soccer is played on one leg almost all of the time — every cut, every plant, every stride. A large side-to-side difference is a known risk factor, and a two-footed test hides it completely. The single-leg test is where it shows.

How often do you re-measure?

Enough to see whether the plan is working and to change it if it is not. Re-testing is part of the programme, not an upsell — a plan that never gets checked is a guess with a schedule.

What if my athlete does not improve like this?

Then we say so, and we look at why. The most common reasons are not mysterious: not enough training actually happening, load elsewhere in the schedule, or a starting point that was already strong. You get the honest read either way.