College Strength Coaches - Basic Outline & Tips for Overall Success

I have spent many years training all levels of athletes from youth all the way to the highly skilled.  It has given me the opportunity to learn from trial and error and sharpen my craft.  I have spent numerous hours studying in the classroom and have read hundreds of the top trade journal publications available out there.  In a nutshell, my and everyone’s goal as a strength and conditioning professional is simple.  Evaluate! This means to do a thorough needs assessment of your athlete. The evaluation should consist of many of the physical attributes needed for success in their particular sport.  Once you have determined where your athlete stands, the fun starts and your role as a strength and conditioning professional now begins. 

Popular belief out there is that all athletes are the same in their sport and the strength and conditioning programs you implement should be simple and able to push your athletes the same. My philosophy differs in that I believe although a sport has similar physical requirements, no two athletes are identical. As determined in a good evaluation, you will find you must sometimes work on the building blocks with some and others you don’t.  For example, a freshman might not have the same technique as a senior, or you have a group of athletes that have a strong lower body but their upper body strength or flexibility is lacking.  As a strength and conditioning professional, you must focus on those weaknesses to elevate the athletes all around physical attributes to make them balanced in all areas and then you can push them to greater achievements.  Listed below are the things I continue to consider and go through when designing sports specific programs or when working with a group of athletes in a particular sport.

A. PHILOSOPHY - Three things that dictate an athlete’s success in their particular sport:

1. Genetics - Which we have no control over, received from parents.
   
   
2. Intensity - Determination, discipline, drive and desire of the athlete to improve and perform well.
   
   
3. Lifestyle - Diet, sleep and social habits of the athlete.

B. AREAS OF CONCENTRATION

Technique - Coaches responsibility to teach and refine the athlete’s mechanics. (video, verbal queues, etc.)

Improve "ATHLETICISM" - Through strength & conditioning improve the athlete’s physical parameters to maximize potential.

POWER - The product of strength and speed. This includes:

• Strength - The ability of a muscle to produce maximum force.
  
• Speed & Agility - Strength guided by skill.
  
• Balance & Coordination - Poise and to bring to a harmonized action.
  
• Explosiveness - Through plyometric training.

C. DEVELOP POLICIES & CONTROLS TO MINIMIZE AREAS OF CONCERN

• Must develop team rules concerning partying, missed practices/workouts etc.
  
• Develop some sort of curfew system.
  
• Monitor weight and body fat of athletes, provide nutritional counseling, training table.
  
• Random drug testing.
  
• Hold athletes accountable for their actions.
  
• Develop reward and punishment systems.

It is my hopes as strength and conditioning professionals, we continue to evaluate and design individualized sport specific programs to elevate and push our athletes to be the best they can be.  You typically only get to work with athletes a few times a week so you have to create and motivate the athlete to make good lifestyle choices, otherwise everything you worked so hard to accomplish is not wasted or lost.

By Dusty DeStefano