Coach John Sedlack doesn't have to look any farther than the locker room wall for the key to Central's early-season success.
"Every one of our players on our Wall of Fame in the locker room made their career lifting weights," Sedlack said.
As testament to the physical and psychological benefits of its weight training program, Central started 4-2 (including 2-0 in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference), best among the county's Class 3A and 4A schools.
"In our area, I don't think anybody puts the amount of time in the weight room that we do," Sedlack said.
Central took a couple of weeks off at the end of last season, then returned to the weight room to lift three times a week. As many as 10 or 11 players regularly attended workouts, and several continue to lift three or four days a week.
Though some coaches say weightlifting adversely affects flexibility and shooting, Sedlack maintains that weight work, along with flexibility training and shooting practice, has helped players such as Alex Ruoff (who bench presses 260 pounds), Chance Blevins (250), Andy Sedlack (240) and Justin Lewis (205) look, feel and play better.
"Psychologically, it makes a difference how our kids feel about themselves, no question about it," Sedlack said. "When they hear from other kids at school how big they're getting, it makes kids feel good."
PROBLEM SOLVED: Hernando coach Jeff Laing found a solution to his biggest concern by moving shooting guard Jeff Brown to point guard. The switch allowed Hernando (3-3) to trim its turnovers from 24 per game to 11 in a Dec. 9 victory over Wildwood without limiting Brown's scoring opportunities.
"We ran three or four guys through that position," Laing said. "Ultimately, we had to go through Jeff."
ROLE PLAYING: Until top frontcourt threat Chris Pape regains full use of his broken right hand, Springstead (1-6) is taking solace in the efforts of role players such as Jose Yearwood and Nick Schick.
The 6-foot-1 Yearwood averages 7.9 rebounds while battling players five or six inches taller. Shick often draws the Eagles' toughest defensive assignment and has held Citrus' Jamaal Galloway to seven points and Central's Ruoff to 14.
OPENING EYES: Laing has been working the phones in an attempt to spread the word about Brown and senior forward Kyle Swanston, who averages 21 points. The calls paid off when a Nebraska assistant agreed to attend a Leopards practice between scouting trips to Miami and Orlando.
