Welcome back to training.
Coach Lee here—today we’re talking about one of the most important (and most overlooked) decisions a high school football player can make:
Running track in the spring.
If you’re serious about becoming a better football player, this isn’t optional.
This is where separation is built.
A lot of athletes believe speed is something you’re born with.
You either have it or you don’t.
That mindset is what keeps players average.
Speed is a skill. And like any skill, it can be developed with the right coaching and repetition.
Track teaches:
Acceleration mechanics
Top-end speed
Stride efficiency
Running posture
In football, you might run fast.
In track, you learn how to run fast.
And that difference shows up on film.
Everybody looks good in the first quarter.
Track prepares you for the fourth.
Sprint training forces your body to:
Recover quickly
Maintain speed under fatigue
Stay mentally sharp when tired
That’s what separates players late in games.
You’ve seen it—two teams with similar talent, but one team pulls away.
That’s not luck.
That’s conditioning.
Football is a team sport.
Track is personal.
When you step on that line, it’s just you.
No excuses.
No hiding.
No blaming anyone else.
It builds:
Accountability
Focus
Competitive discipline
And when you bring that mindset back to football, you become a different kind of teammate.
Track isn’t just about speed—it’s about efficiency.
You learn:
Proper sprint mechanics
Body control
Coordination and rhythm
This leads to:
Fewer soft tissue injuries
Stronger movement patterns
More efficient energy use
Instead of just working hard, you start moving correctly.
I’m in a unique position when it comes to this.
As a football coach, I’m always thinking about how to develop athletes beyond just the season.
But I also coach sprinters at San Leandro High School during track season.
So I don’t just tell players to run track…
I get to train them myself.
And I’ve seen the transformation.
I’ve watched football players enter track season as solid athletes and leave as:
Faster
More explosive
More efficient movers
More confident competitors
Their stride cleans up.
Their posture improves.
Their understanding of speed becomes intentional.
By the time they return to football…
They’re not the same players.
And it shows immediately.
The biggest mistake athletes make is thinking development only happens during football season.
That’s not how it works.
The best athletes are developed year-round:
Fall: Football season
Winter: Strength & preparation
Spring: Track (speed development)
Summer: Skill work & conditioning
Track isn’t extra.
It’s a key phase of development.
And if you skip it, you’re falling behind someone who didn’t.
No matter what position you play, track makes you better:
Running Backs: Hit the hole faster, create breakaway runs
Wide Receivers / DBs: Create and close separation
Linebackers: Improve range and pursuit angles
Quarterbacks: Develop footwork and lower-body coordination
Speed translates across the board.
If you’re one of the athletes I coach, understand this:
Track season is not a break from football.
It’s where you build the tools that define your next season.
Every rep matters.
Every sprint matters.
Every detail matters.
Because when you step back on that field…
You should be different.
Coach Lee here—That’s the work for today.
Spring is where speed is built.
Speed creates separation.
And separation changes everything.
If you’re a parent or athlete looking to take your performance to the next level, this is the standard.
Year-round development.
Intentional training.
Real results.
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👉 If you’re ready to train with purpose, stay locked in—more programs and opportunities are coming soon through Lee’s Fitness Unlimited.
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