As COVID-19 continues to affect millions of Americans daily, one entity that has been hit hard is that of collegiate student-athletes. Many freshmen who have been recruited on sport scholarships but have yet to engage in physical training due to COVID 19 restrictions and regulations.
There are a lucky few who had the opportunity to practice and compete this past fall season, keeping alive their dreams of becoming professional athletes. But when campuses worldwide shut down they no longer had access to a full service staff and equipment needed to properly train them for their division championships. A man by the name of Carrington Beckford set out to solve this problem and has been doing so all of quarantine.
Beckford, the proud owner of Overdrive Elite performance center in New Canaan, Conn., saw the need to reinvent his brand in order to be a bigger resource to those who need him most. He has become the go-to trainer for professional hopefuls looking to stay in tiptop shape while at home. From sending college athletes workouts they can do in their dorms, to creating high intensity workouts for NFL stars, Beckford ensures everyone affiliated with him has a safe training environment.
Beckford has stayed connected with athletes by sending workouts via text, email and video chat, growing his brand and platform in the process. But for athletes who live in the New Canaan area, Beckford offers speed training at his facility on weekends.
“Some athletes did not have the luxury to train with a team and I did not want them to miss out on that high level training because of it,” Beckford said, describing what prompted him to reinvent his brand to stay afloat during quarantine. “As a result I sent out at-home workouts for athletes to do in their dorms and at home gyms. With many virus scares, and interruptions to training, I felt like this would be the safest and most efficient way to keep athletes trained at a high level while practicing social distancing.”
Beckford was a collegiate football player at the University of Connecticut, so he understands the importance of high quality training no matter what the circumstance. To ensure the safety of all of his patrons, all athletes are put in groups of 4-6 based on sport and by the Connecticut COVID-19 protocol. His team at Overdrive are also working closely with CDC guidelines & governmental health agencies to apply all possible measures that will ensure a healthy staff and member base.
The most important thing is keeping everyone safe and out of harm’s way, Beckford explains. As some athletes have asthma, allergies and other health conditions, there is additional cleaning with hospital-grade cleaning products and operational procedures are performed wearing CDC approved masks. On top of keeping everyone safe, he focuses on athletes’ strength and performance, while increasing their mental strength to perform at a high level.
As a professional trainer working with student athletes who attend such prestigious colleges as the University of Connecticut, Stanford, Yale, Cornell, Merrimack, USC, University of San Diego, Michigan, Duke, and Georgetown, Beckford is hopeful that the NCAA will have a plan by March. With the new year right around the corner, Beckford tries to be a gatekeeper for collegiate athletes battling to achieve their professional dreams despite the pandemic. When asked what is one thing he tells his athletes to keep them motivated during the pandemic is, “If you don’t bring that upbeat energy, competitive edge, willing-to-learn spirit, you will not be better than you were yesterday”.
To learn more about Carrington Beckford and the ways he is helping student athletes beat the pandemic, visit his official Overdrive Elite website here.
