CLC students conduct fitness tests for Chicago Blackhawks players

The Chicago Blackhawks' success in winning three Stanley Cup championships in five years is a testament to teamwork and individual talent.

It's an accomplishment that is also based on top-notch physical fitness, and since 2011, dozens of students in the College of Lake County's health and wellness promotion program have played an active role in assessing the fitness levels of Blackhawks' players during training camps.

No other college is involved with the Blackhawks in this way, according to Dr. Francis Ardito, chairman and founder of CLC's health and wellness promotion program.

Ardito, who joined CLC seven years ago, has worked with the Hawks since the late 1980s under the auspices of Kim Rostello, a Blackhawks exercise physiologist and CLC adjunct instructor in health and wellness promotion.

With over 20 players participating in each session, completing the fitness tests in a timely manner takes more than 15 people, many of whom are CLC students or graduates, Ardito said. The students are volunteers, but their participation counts toward the clinical hours required for earning their degree or certificate.

Three different camps, one each for Blackhawks rookies, prospects and veteran players, are held each summer, usually at the United Center, according to Ardito, a fitness and wellness expert. In addition to the Blackhawks, he has worked with hundreds of professional and Olympic athletes, including the United States Olympic Karate Team.

Because working with the Blackhawks is a resume-building experience, Ardito holds a competitive process to select the participating students.

"The training camps offer our students real-world experiential learning that looks great on their resumes," Ardito said. "Having a long-standing relationship with professional and elite athletes and sports teams like the Chicago Blackhawks really enriches the reputation and credibility of our program."

The fitness tests conducted by CLC students have included a five-mile stationary bike test in which each player is fitted with a heart rate monitor and a test that involves having players stand on one foot, then jump and land on both feet.

The latter test, which mimics the motion of skating, helps the Blackhawks' training staff determine a player's single-leg power.

A third assessment, known as a pullup test, measures upper-body pulling strength by requiring players to do chin-ups with a stick in their laps and their legs at a 90 degree angle.

The chance to work with Blackhawks players has left a lasting impression on the CLC students.

"Behind the scenes, you see what it takes to become a Blackhawks player," said camp participant Marcelo Vega, a CLC psychology major who earned a certificate in wellness coaching last year and is pursuing a career as a life coach.

"I see the players' commitment and dedication to their sport. They're very competitive, but they're also humble guys and thankful for our work. And the staff, from the coaches to the personal trainers, have their different fields, but they combine their talents. That's how you create a great organization. It's been an honor to work with them for the past three years."

To view a video of the CLC students working with the Blackhawks players, visit video.blackhawks.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=631060

CLC's Health and Wellness Promotion program is currently accepting enrollments for the Fall Semester at www.clcillinois.edu. Fall classes begin Aug. 24.