Northwestern University Athletics
Camp Kenosha: Day 11
8/18/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 18, 2003
KENOSHA, Wis. - Anyone who watches ESPN with regularity can tell you what a Strongman competition is. What everyone on Northwestern's football team can tell you is, stay away from the Junkyard!
"The Junkyard" is an area set off, appropriately, by steel barricades in the corner of the practice fields -- think of jail and you get the picture -- and it is dedicated to the rehabilitation of injured athletes. Thus, while seriously injured athletes spend their time with the athletic training staff, the players in the category of "physically unable to practice" are subjected to time in "The Junkyard."
"The days of injured kids just watching practice are over!" proclaims assistant director of strength and conditioning Nick Zostautas.
The Junkyard consists of two empty kegs, numerous sandbags and cinder blocks, a giant tractor tire, plenty of rope, a steep hill and two gentlemen willing to go the extra mile for the good of the team -- director of strength and conditioning Larry Lilja and Zostautas, a Strongman competitor who came up with the idea.
After having been to numerous practices over the last 10 days, NUsports.com caught up with Coach Lilja and Coach Zostautas after practice Monday to find out exactly what the purpose of the Junkyard is.
NUsports.com: How did you and Nick come up with the idea of The Junkyard?
Coach Lilja: A year ago we weren't equipped with the weight training equipment we were used to having up here, so instead of not working the guys out, we created another method of weight training.
NUsports.com: What is the purpose of The Junkyard?
Coach Lilja: Basically, it is a creative way for us to train football players who can't practice. If they are not seriously injured, but still unable to practice, they end up with us in The Junkyard.
NUsports.com: What are the benefits of The Junkyard?
Coach Lilja: It allows players who can't practice to maintain a certain level of physical fitness. Mentally, it helps them feel better about being injured, as if they're helping in their recovery, which helps them return to the field sooner.
NUsports.com: Coach Zostautas, what was the inspiration behind the junkyard and its lifts?
Coach Zostautas: Coach Lilja and myself wanted to keep the guys who are unable to practice physically active, making sure they kept an edge. Football is a physical game, and the longer you can't work out the harder it is to come back. So we decided to come up with creative ways to keep the JYD's (Junk Yard Dogs) training.
NUsports.com: What was the inspiration for some of the lifts?
Coach Zostautas: If you watch ESPN, then you've seen the Strongman competitions. That's mainly what I used -- the keg throw, tire lifts, its all great. We aren't as extreme as the guys on T.V., but we keep it intense.
NUsports.com: What do you think the players in the Junkyard think about your methods?
Coach Zostautas: I know they'd rather be playing football.
