Chandler tie to Stoudemire comeback
Dec. 23, 2005 12:00 AM
Amare Stoudemire was back on the court Wednesday, shooting free throws with his Suns teammates during practice at America West Arena.
It was another bright moment after Tuesday's 111-83 win over Seattle lifted the Suns into a tie for the Pacific Division lead.
"We've been doing it kind of privately on our own," Chandler resident and head athletic trainer Aaron Nelson said of Stoudemire's work from the charity line. "But today it was like, 'Let's just do it anyway.' " advertisement
It wasn't as earthshaking a moment as landing on the moon, but it was clearly another small step all concerned hope will be a harbinger of larger leaps to come.
"He's been working really hard and he's just excited to be out there," said Nelson, who has been overseeing Stoudemire's rehab from microfracture surgery on his left knee on Oct. 11. Projections have him returning sometime after the All-Star break in February.
"We don't have him moving around or doing anything. We aren't going to rush him," Nelson said. "We're just trying to get him on the court. To be around the other players. A lot of this game is emotional. The psychological lift can be enormous."
Interestingly enough, the other two men who handle the training duties for the Suns are also from Chandler. Erik Phillips is the strength coach and Mike Elliott is an assistant athletic trainer.
Along with Nelson, they make up one of the youngest training staffs in the NBA. Nelson is 36, Phillips is 31 and Elliott is 26.
"I think it is a real advantage," said Elliott, an Arizona State University grad. "We share a lot of the same energy as the guys on the team. They know we stay active, so we already have something in common."
Phillips, who was the strength coach for six years with the Denver Nuggets before joining the Suns last season, added that all three have had similar training.
"We're all certified as athletic trainers and strength coaches. We all have the different credentials," he said. "If Aaron is busy doing something with one of the other guys, I can step in for him. Or Mike can do it. Or vice versa."
Nelson, who is only the second head athletic trainer in the team's history, credited the ability of all three to work together with keeping things running smoothly.
"It allows us to work seamlessly," he said. "I think it's easier on the players, too. One person isn't saying one thing and then somebody else saying something else. It's good for everyone."
The Suns also incorporate the services of Mike Clark, who is the head of the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Yep, he's from Chandler, too.
The NASM system studies body movement and flexibility to point to injuries an athlete might be predisposed to. Players are put through several exercises and photo images are fed into a computer.
"The athletes are then given flexibility exercises and therapies designed to prevent the injuries," Clark said. "It's all about finding a 'kinetic chain,' which spots weak muscles that may cause injuries in other areas."
Injuries still happen. The Suns have already had their share this season.
"Last week, all the training tables were filled, with guys standing around waiting for a place," Nelson said. "Today, it's 45 minutes after practice and the tables are empty. That's the way we like it."
Stoudemire will be joining the Suns on the road for the first time this season when they head out for a five-game trip starting with a Monday game in Minnesota.
"It will put him on the same schedule as the rest of the team," Nelson said.
"He's halfway through the bulk of his rehab and he is anxious to be on the court. The guys like seeing him around, too."
Amare Stoudemire Update
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