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Starting Young: How Londyn Hebner Built the Foundation for College Soccer
Londyn Hebner, a rising Senior at South Christian (class of ’27), has spent five years building the strength, speed, and confidence that now have college soccer coaches taking notice.
STARTING EARLY
Londyn walked into PowerStrength as a seventh grader and never really left. She trained through middle school, then moved into PowerStrength’s high school athlete sessions and has trained continuously ever since.
“I really, really loved it,” she says of those early sessions, pointing to the community as much as the results. “I just really enjoyed being in the community of PowerStrength and just everything that it had to offer.”
That head start matters.
“It definitely gets you ready for high school,” Londyn said, looking back at starting in middle school.
It also meant she wasn’t lost when she hit the Varsity weight room.
“It honestly helped me not to be as confused in the weight room with certain movements,” she explained. “I was able to lift more than some of the other athletes, some of my friends. It really gave me confidence in those weight rooms I was going into.”
Her advice to any middle schooler weighing whether to start now: “I definitely recommend someone starting early.”
RESULTS THAT SHOW UP ON THE FIELD
A two-sport athlete who plays outside back in soccer and pin hitter in volleyball, Londyn points to tangible, sport-specific gains from her time in the weight room.
On the soccer field, she covers ground constantly, and the added strength has changed how she competes for it.
“I feel more powerful. I feel like I have more confidence to go into tackles with people,” she said. “When I was younger, I was smaller than some of the girls, but I had most of the power.”
That translates directly into 50/50 balls and open-field chases.
“Because of PowerStrength, I feel more confident going into those chases, just because I’ve seen that growth in the past couple years. It’s been really awesome.”
On the volleyball court, where she plays an undersized pin position, the impact shows up in her vertical.
“I’ve gained a few inches on my vertical since I’ve been here,” she said, “and it really helps at the varsity level, just being able to compete with those taller athletes.”
Strength gains have shown up in the weight room, too.
Londyn recalls a recent split squat session where she was working with 25 pounds on each side — until her coach, Stephan, stepped in.
“He took them off and said, ‘No, you’re doing a plate.’ It turned out just fine. He was like, you’re a lot stronger than you think you are.” The moment stuck with her: “It gave me more confidence in my lifting.”
MORE THAN PHYSICAL
Londyn is quick to point out that the biggest changes haven’t only been physical.
She credits the community at PowerStrength — coaches and fellow athletes alike — with pushing her past what she thought she was capable of.
“Everybody here wants to get better. We’re all pushing each other to be the best that we can be,” she said. “I’ll be split squatting, and these girls will be yelling, encouraging me. As an athlete, having that support behind you really helps translate to the field or the court, and in those last minutes of a big game, being able to push through in those final moments. If I can do it in my training, I can do it here.”
She also credits PowerStrength’s sport-specific approach for making the training feel relevant, not generic.
“It’s very personalized to the sport that you’re playing,” she said, describing how her programming shifts between vertical-jump work for volleyball and horizontal, broad-jump work for soccer. “It’s really trying to get you to be the best you can be in your sport.”
LOOKING AHEAD
As she enters her senior year, Londyn is fielding interest from several colleges and has camps on her calendar, with the intention of playing college soccer.
She believes her training shows up the moment she steps on the field in front of recruiters.
“Coaches can tell if you lift or not,” she said. “Even going to PowerStrength can help your speed — a lot of girls that are fast on the field, it’s not just genetics. Most of them are working every week to be the best that they can be, and coaches can see that.”
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.