My name is Lars Hanson, and I am the head coach (and founder) of the Ignite Your Game Summer
Speed & Agility Camp. Last year, Sporting KC recognized the Ignite Your Game Camp as the
“Valedictorian” Camp of the Sporting 22 Scholarship program. I will graduate from Olathe East High School
in May of 2012, and this summer will be my fifth year coaching the camp. The camp utilizes many different
types of drills to make athletes faster, stronger, and more agile. I have seen outstanding improvements in
young athletes’ athleticism. In the course of just 36 practices, I have seen athletes improve their 200M dash
by 12 seconds, 40M dash by 4 seconds, gain 10” to their vertical jump, and gain 18” to their broad jump.
FYI:
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The camp fee is- $200. This covers 24 practices (as well as 8 optional practices), a camp T-shirt, and
a piece of equipment that your son will keep and bring to each practice. (Many other speed and agility
camps will charge more than this for camps less than a week in length.)
This camp is a big commitment. However, it does not mean that attendance at every practice is
expected. With 32 total practices, even attending half of them will make a huge difference. I am very
understanding of camps, vacations, and tournament
conflicts that the boys will have each summer.
Each athlete learns the importance of a strong work
ethic, self-discipline, and leadership as the camp
transpires. As their coach, it is inspiring to see the
young athletes encourage each other to work harder
day after day, and then to be able to see their work
pay-off at the end of the summer.
7th-10th graders practice M-W-F from 9:00-10:00am
4th-7th graders practice M-W-F from 10:05-11:00am
o Both age groups have “optional” practices
from 9:30-10:30am on Tuesdays.
PERSONAL BIO:
I grew up playing soccer and basketball. When I was in fourth grade I was cut from my competitive
basketball team. The coach told me it was because I was, “too slow, didn’t have enough stamina, and lacked
the strength to compete at that level.” I had two choices at that time: to be bitter, or get better. I chose the
latter.
I started running, and doing strengthening exercises (without weights). I also began attending various
speed and agility camps.
I was able to find a different competitive basketball team to play for my fifth grade year, and
continued to pursue my passion for the game. In 7th grade, I decided to run track to continue working on the
“weakness” of stamina that I had. With all the work I had put into running, I ended up going undefeated in
both the 1600M and 800M events for all three years of junior high. In high school, I earned a spot in the
varsity lineup despite having over 100 runners on the team, and was named team captain during my junior
year. I say these things, not to boast, but to reveal the importance of hard work, perseverance, and passion for
the game.
In addition to coaching the camp, I am a volunteer head coach for
two competitive youth basketball teams: Crush (8th grade) and KC Blitz (4th
grade). I also lead the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Olathe East and the
Athletic Perfection Bible Study with my basketball teams. I am planning on
pursuing a career as an NCAA basketball coach, but for now, I want to do
everything I can to help young athletes achieve their dreams on and off the
court/field.
Lars Hanson
larshanson@mac.com
www.igniteyourgame.org