Sept. 1, 2011
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By Doug Richards
UCFAthletics.com
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ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Typically the smallest player on the court during games, A.J. Rompza is used to being bumped and pushed by opposing players. Generously listed at 5-foot-9, Rompza takes a physical pounding each game, so he worked hard this summer to gain strength and weight.
For most individuals, weight gain is nothing to celebrate. In Rompza's case, adding pounds is a major victory.
Thanks to a balanced diet and ample time in the weight room and on the track, Rompza has gained 16 pounds since June, and now weighs around 170 pounds. He says that the extra muscle has helped him on the court.
"Now when I play, it makes the game so much easier," he said. "You can take that extra bump. When I get to the basket now, I am not getting pushed over. I can take the contact. It is something that is definitely a plus."
In August, Rompza was durable during UCF's three-game exhibition tour of Canada. Despite the Knights recording a pair of blowout victories, he played 26.3 minutes per game and averaged 9.0 points and a team-high 4.7 assists.
Rompza spent the first half of the summer home in Chicago. He was hesitant at first about gaining too much weight, thinking that the extra pounds would slow him down. That was not the case in Canada, as the speedy point guard still found a way to move all around the court.
Rompza says that his style of play - up-tempo all the time - has made gaining weight difficult in the past. Now in addition to exercising, he is eating three to four meals per day, plus regularly enjoying healthy snacks.
"It has always been hard for me to gain weight just because I run so much. When I was at home, I started eating a lot more. I was lifting two times a day. I have been doing a lot of running on the track. Usually when I run I lose weight easily. But I have been running on the track with (rubber) bands. I am still keeping the weight on. I am eating right and doing everything that needs to be done."