One Summer is all it’s taken. Adam Cherveny, a Junior at East Grand Rapids, walked into PowerStrength at the start of this past Summer looking to get stronger for baseball. 

A few months later, the results are showing up in exactly the places that matter — in his strength, in his contact at the plate, and in a highlight he’s not likely to forget anytime soon.

Athletes who understand that talent alone doesn’t separate you – it’s how you develop it. That process teaches a lot. And the work off the diamond magnifies it.

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THE START

For Adam, the decision to train at PowerStrength came down to something simple but important: trusting the people and the environment he’d be walking into every day.

“I knew the community was really good here — it’s just a good spot to be,” he said.

That first impression has held up. 

Months into his training, Adam still points back to that sense of environment and culture as a big part of why he’s kept showing up. Adam has found a reason to keep showing up while balancing a demanding summer schedule of travel ball, school workouts, and everything in between.

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THE RESULTS

In just a few months, Adam has noticed a clear jump in his own strength — and just as important, in how that strength has carried over to his actual performance on the field.

“I’ve definitely gotten a lot stronger, and it’s shown up with baseball,” he said. “Hitting the ball harder, for sure — everything’s just that much better.”

It’s a simple statement, but it’s the one that matters most to a hitter: strength that was built in the weight room showing up in the box, at game speed, against real competition.

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THE HIGHLIGHT

Ask Adam for the moment that made all of it feel real, and he doesn’t hesitate.

“I played a couple games up in Northwestern — hit two balls to the fence, which felt really good,” he said. “That’d be my highlight.”

Two balls to the fence in the same stretch of games isn’t an accident — it’s the kind of repeatable, hard contact that comes from a stronger, more explosive swing. Not just a lucky hot streak. 

For a player who spends most of his time as a middle infielder and utility option, adding that kind of pop to his bat only makes him more valuable to his coaches and his lineup.

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WHY IT WORKS

Adam, who plays all over the infield for East Grand Rapids, points to the completeness of the training as what sets it apart from anything he’s tried before.

“It highlights all parts of the body — there’s nothing that’s really left out,” he said. “It keeps you in contact, keeps you conditioned, all that kind of stuff.”

He’s also noticed a real difference in structure and intentionality compared to other training he’s done. 

“It’s just a lot more active here,” he said. “There’s always a plan to do — like, everything.”

This kind of structure removes the guesswork and makes every session count. Athletes who aren’t used to that level of detail notice it right away. And they appreciate knowing that their effort is being maximized and not wasted.

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THE VALUE OF STRENGTH TRAINING

For Adam, strength training isn’t a side benefit to his baseball development — it’s central to it.

“I think it’s a big thing,” he said. “I think the conditioning part is also a big help.” 

He also sees it as part of what separates players in the eyes of college coaches, pointing to physical development as something programs actively look for as players advance and the level of competition rises. 

It’s a perspective more and more serious baseball players are coming around to: the gap between good and great increasingly comes down to who’s put in the off-field work.

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THE TEAM BOND

Beyond his own individual gains, Adam values something less measurable but just as important — training alongside a group of teammates he’s known for years.

“It just gets us closer,” he said. “Playing with them over the summer is always good — I’ve known some of these guys since I was nine. It’s a good group.”

That kind of continuity — teammates who’ve grown up playing together, now pushing each other in the weight room as much as on the field — is part of what makes a summer of training feel less like a chore and more like a natural extension of the season itself.

Asked to sum up what PowerStrength has meant to him, Adam kept it simple.

“PowerStrength is great,” he said.

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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.