The Misguided Trend to Train Young Amateur Athletes Like Our Most Elite Fighting Forces

Posted On October 12, 2026

A Public Service Announcement

Greetings to all of my Adirondack Outlaw blog Readers & followers. This post received such resoundingly positive feedback on my Facebook page that I decided to share it again here.

Please read & share freely.

Thank you for your time & attention,

Rangers Lead the Way!

ADKO

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So, as both a former amateur athlete & athletic coach/trainer, as well as former soldier & U.S. Army Ranger School graduate, I guess this is something of a public service announcement based on personal perspective & experience.

I just watched a piece on the news about a college athlete, apparently a hockey player, who was hospitalized & now faces permanent injury or disability as a result of an athletic training session scheduled by his college coach with a former Green Beret (AKA U.S. Army Special Forces). I remember when my Taekwondo master instructor once wanted me, as both a U.S. Army Ranger School graduate & one of his black belt instructors, to lead a weekend Ranger style “Shock Camp Retreat” for his students as a black belt prep camp. I declined. Here’s why:

U.S. Army Special operations forces (AKA Ranger/Special Forces/Navy Seals, etc.) selection & training programs are extremely intense, highly specialized, MILITARY training programs developed & designed to hone soldiers, seamen & airmen who have gone through a RIGOROUS and EXTENSIVE preselection & training process just to get there. And even then, amongst those selected, the washout rate is still high. WHY? Because this type of training is NO JOKE! It’s not a weekend retreat or a merry jaunt through the woods. It’s goal is to take already hardened fighting men & hone them into razor edged weapons, the spearhead of U.S. fighting forces.

So, for all the coaches out there thinking that they’ll “take their athletes & team to the next level by bringing in a Green Beret for the weekend”, just don’t. You have no idea what it is you are asking for. Your athletes, no matter how hard you & they might THINK they are, are not prepared for such training in any way shape or form & all you are doing is putting them at great risk of severe injury, disabilty, or worse.

So, please, avoid the “I wanna play tough guy soldier for a day”.

You are training young athletes, not elite hardened soldiers.

There’s a big difference.

Thank you.

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Until Our Trails Cross Again:

ADKO