Staples High School students, parents and fans have seen an uptick in winning seasons and championships since 2021. Notably, Caleb Smith ’24 was named the 2023 MaxPreps Connecticut High School Football Player of the Year and Kansas City Royals prospect Hiro Wyatt ’23 was named Gatorade Connecticut Baseball Player of the Year. While the on-field performance and coaching have been excellent, this recent success is also due to the player’s training that happens off the field.
Staples High School Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Drew Accomando– known to his students as Coach Drew –fell in love with the self-improvement aspect of fitness and uses his vast knowledge to train Staples student athletes. His passion for training students has helped make these athletes stronger, faster and more prepared for their seasons.
“My favorite part [about working with student athletes] is just their sheer will to work towards a goal,” Coach Drew said. “Student athletes are so determined. They are so willing to do whatever it takes to get to that specific goal.”
Before coming to Staples, Coach Drew co-founded A Team Performance and Chiropractic (ATP+) with his high school friend. He heard from a client that the Staples boys’ lacrosse team needed a strength and conditioning coach. He remembered his experience working out in the off-season as a high school athlete and wanted to bring his joy and expertise of strength and conditioning to Staples.
Coach Drew now works with the boys’ football, lacrosse, baseball and basketball teams. He has helped numerous student-athletes achieve their goals, whether it is playing at the next level, rehabbing from an injury, or just getting in shape for the season.
“[I love the] opportunity to make a true impact,” Coach Drew said. “You can really change the trajectory of somebody’s life by giving them these valuable skills to take with them for a lifetime.”
Coach Drew uses four-week programs to build foundational skills for athletes and progresses among those skills to more advanced workouts to further strengthen muscles that are essential for peak game performance. Also, Coach Drew tailors these programs to each of the different sports and positions he trains students for.
“A single football play lasts less than three seconds, so you are training the football player around the specific energy system they use in their sport,” Coach Drew said. “Lacrosse is much different. Most of the athletes are working for 20 to 60 seconds or greater, so you are going to work more of the anaerobic or aerobic system.”
Coach Drew believes that specificity in the weight room is important and helps achieve greater success on the field.
“A quarterback has to be more mobile, so they would do some lateral skater jumps or medicine ball throws because it is going to mimic the action of that specific position. In basketball, it’s more jumping,” Coach Drew said. “You can get very, very specific in the weight room.”
Former Staples football coach Adam Behrends recognizes the value that Coach Drew has brought to Staples and how it has allowed for team bonding.
“I think culture is built in the weight room when you can get a group of people to believe that they can push and go a lot farther than they think they can. People finding out what they are capable of and finding a new belief in themselves [is important], but also the teamwork it takes, being a good training partner, being a good teammate, and [having] accountability,” Behrends said.
As a result of Coach Drew’s workouts, his players are both stronger and more confident than their opponents on the field.
“Coach Drew’s training has improved my mobility and flexibility to make me more comfortable on the field,” football captain Harry Fiala ’26 said.
Staples coaches and athletes have benefited from the success that Coach Drew has brought them, and with his help, will continue to be successful in the future.
