By Kevin Mills,Staff Writer

LEWISTON – As the game continued, the knee pain would persist.

It would get so bad that Alicia Dube would have to come off the field.

“It would hurt when I’d play for the varsity team at Poland,” said Dube, a sophomore soccer and softball player. “If I played for like 30 minutes, I’d be like, Oh my God, take me out.’ I could barely run. It would ache, and when I’d bend my leg, it would hurt.”

So as a half dozen high school girls went through a morning fitness camp Thursday, there was Dube, going through the paces in hopes of building her knee strength.

“I wanted to get my knee in better shape and be able to do double sessions when they start” said Dube, who has been hampered by knee pain since eighth grade and banged it up while playing softball. “I wanted to get my legs stronger because my legs are kind of weak.”

This six-week summer conditioning camp is put on by HealthSouth and features trainers from three local high schools – Pete McDaniel (Lisbon), Mary Britt (Lewiston) and Brianna Frye (Poland).

“We’re kind of doing this as a co-op between HealthSouth, Central Maine Orthopaedic and Lewiston Rec lets us use the track for no charge,” said McDaniel. “So in the end we can do this at a low cost since we don’t have to pay for the facilities.”

The six-week program costs just $100 and began the last week of June.

“You can’t beat it,” said McDaniel. “It’s pretty much a speed camp and an injury prevention camp. Because a lot of them are females, we’re strengthening the knees specifically and a lot is just general conditioning, getting them ready for the fall.”

There are 16 athletes representing Lewiston, Oak Hill and Poland. Ten of the athletes are girls. There a two sessions each day to choose from three times per week, and on Tuesday and Thursday, athletes can go to the HealthSouth facilities and train on their own.

“Most of the kids are here because they wanted to come,” said Frye. “That’s really a great thing, but it is hard in the middle of the summer. It’s so hot and the kids want to be doing other things. A lot of times, they’re doing soccer and basketball. They’re doing all the other things, and it’s hard to peak their interest, but by the end of it, they feel pretty good about themselves.”

Lewiston’s Jessica Hunt was encouraged to sign up by her father. She also knew that an exercise regiment would produce the results she likely wouldn’t get on her own.

“I wanted to do it because I wanted to get in shape, but I probably wouldn’t have the motivation myself,” said Hunt, a senior field hockey, basketball and tennis player.

Hunt said she started with the hopes of getting more flexible and gaining more muscle and building some stamina. Only halfway through the program, she feels the results and can’t help but admire her newly sculptured calves. People have even commented about the difference they see on the basketball court.

“I don’t feel like it, but people have told me that I look better, and that I run faster down the court,” said Hunt. “So I guess I am getting better.”

The athletes were given basic tests to begin the program and will measure their progress.

“Hopefully everything we’ve tested them on before the camp, they’ll be improved in that,” said McDaniel. “We also gave them a goal list. Hopefully, we’ve educated them enough where they meet the goals and learn to do things on their own.”

Wednesday morning, the kids did speed and agility work. They used bungee cords to run forward and backwards. They were also timed in various 10-yard dashes. After some movement and plyometric work, they had a half dozen stations to work on various drills from squatting, jumping rope, band walking and lateral moves with the bungee.

Frye said the change from when they first began is drastic. They’ll vary the workouts and add new twists. Having two trainers at each session also allows for individual work with athletes.

“They’re improving in everything,” she said. “They’re flexibility is so much better. People are losing weight. People are putting on muscle. Their times are getting quicker. It’s awesome to see it.”