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The Extra Step Basketball Players Need
Less than a year ago, Drew Evans was a scrawny kid getting pushed around on the court.
Today, the homeschool basketball Junior has added 30 pounds of muscle, nearly doubled his chin-up count, and built the kind of physical presence that lets him guard players taller than himself.
His story is proof of what a serious, consistent commitment to strength training can do for a competitive athlete in under a year.
THE START
Drew’s decision to train at PowerStrength came from watching someone close to him get real results first.
“My little brother had been coming here — I already saw the results with him, and they worked out pretty well,” he said. “My own personal workouts weren’t really working out a whole lot, so I needed somewhere to get stronger.”
THE NUMBERS
The transformation shows up clearly in the metrics Drew tracks most.
“I put on about 30 pounds of body weight, mostly muscle,” he said. “Chin-ups especially — I went from six my first time coming here to ten now. I’m also just more of a presence everywhere I go.”
Before starting, Drew wasn’t sure a transformation like this was realistic for him.
He’d heard about a teammate’s experience putting on significant weight and strength during his own first year of serious training, which gave him confidence it was possible.
“I thought it was definitely plausible,” he said. “But I didn’t realize how well it would work — how much putting on weight really would lead to strength.”
THE INTENSITY
For Drew, the difference between training on his own and training at PowerStrength comes down to a level of intensity he couldn’t replicate alone.
“My own home workouts — I could get done with one and barely break a sweat,” he said. “But I come here, and every single time, it completely tears you down before rebuilding you into a stronger person.”
THE MENTAL EDGE
Drew credits the coaches with developing more than just his physical strength.
“They’ve helped me both physically — taught me how to train and be strong — but also mentally, pushing me further than I thought I could go,” he said. “Most of the time, your body has a lot more in you than you realize. It’s only your mind holding you back.”
ON THE COURT
The results Drew has built in the weight room have translated directly to his performance in games.
“Past years, before I started lifting, I was a scrawny kid, and I would just get pushed around,” he said. “But now I go out there, I’m bigger — I can guard people even taller than me, because they can’t outmuscle me.”
The shift goes beyond just physical matchups.
“I relied on skill, which I didn’t have much of. But now I go out there, and it gives me a presence on the court that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Drew sees strength training as a non-negotiable part of what separates good basketball players from those who make it to the next level.
“It’s that extra step basketball players need to take to get to the next level,” he said. “Most basketball players don’t lift nearly enough — they’re still skinny, scrawny guys. Lifting, getting a good, strong diet, putting on weight, getting stronger — that’s one of the most important things to make it to the next level.”
HIS ADVICE
For any athlete considering whether PowerStrength is worth the commitment, Drew’s answer is straightforward.
“I would tell them to get their foot in the door. Just start coming,” he said. “There’s no harm in trying something new, so give it a try. I guarantee you’ll like it once you’re in.”
Asked to sum up what PowerStrength has meant to him, Drew’s answer was simple.
“PowerStrength is fun,” he said. “I have a lot of fun here.”
WANT TO SEE BIG RESULTS?
3rd–12th grade athletes of all sports and ability levels can sign up at PowerStrength at any time throughout the year while spots remain. Choose the PowerStrength location most convenient for you — Alpine, Kentwood, Jenison, Plainfield, Holland, or Byron Center. Visit powerstrengthpro.com/athlete/contact/ to learn more or click below to schedule your assessment and get started.