Challenges and Solutions for the Small College Strength and Conditioning Coach Josh Bullock, MA, RSCC, USAW
Outline What this presentation is not A discussion about working with coaches or administrators A discussion about motivating athletes A discussion about fundraising Influences, Barriers to Success and Solutions External NCAA By Laws Internal Academic Schedule Weight Room Schedule / Facility Staff Program Design Recovery and Nutrition Best of all, no expenses.
NCAA By Laws EXTERNAL INFLUENCES
NCAA By Laws Relative to S&C Types of institutions that make up NCAA Division III More than 180,000 student athletes at 450 institutions make up NCAA Division III, the largest NCAA Division both in number of participants and number of schools. Institutions are very different; they range from the state college to the small private college. Participants are integrated on campus and treated like all other members of the student body The Rules and Regulations as Applied to the Strength and Conditioning Practitioner Voluntary Workouts Supplements Summer Benefits
Barriers to Success and Solutions INTERNAL INFLUENCES
Many Possibilities ACADEMIC SCHEDULE
Academic Schedule What does the Academic Schedule Look Like? Depends on the institution There may be an N period There may be an extracurricular period There may be a designated academic day There may be classes from 8:00am to 9:00pm Classes may begin or end and random times throughout the day There may be other unscheduled academic obligations Lyceums Field trips SI sessions Summer and Break periods 12/40 potential training months (12/24 Post Season/Off Season/Pre Season) are spent away from campus
Sample Weight Room Schedules
Solutions to a Challenging Academic Schedule How can coaches get their kids to train enough to make a difference? Solution #1: With the approval of you AD and Academic Dean, create activity courses. Student athletes will enroll in the course Realize that the general student will likely enroll as well. Pros: 1) Student Athletes can gain academic credit. 2) The instructor (you) can take attendance and create accountability. 3) The instructor (you) can communicate with coaches regarding the attendance of their student athlete. Cons: 1) Because general students can enroll you will likely have a variety of fitness levels. 2) Because of other academic obligations students may not be able to take the class. 3) Because an entire team with other students may enroll the training group may be quite large.
Solutions to a Challenging Academic Schedule How can coaches get their kids to train enough to make a difference? Solution #2: Schedule voluntary workout times. Student athletes attend with out attendance requirements. Coaches can limit the workout to only the team(s) involved. Pros: 1) You will have the attention of just the team(s) in the room. 2) The opportunity exists to develop a high degree of peer accountability and leadership. 3) Student athletes learn to communicate with coaches regarding their experience. Cons: 1) Attendance can fluctuate in unmotivated teams and athletes. 2) Coaches are uninvolved in the post/off season period (no communication) 3) Certified Coaches: The exception to the rule.
Solutions to the Break Period Create Resources for Systematic Training How do you keep student athletes from entering a black hole at the end of the year? Senior Leadership and Peer Communication Resources that can help.. Create a video library Get you SID to help Create descriptions for exercises Keep it simple Instruct student athletes (especially incoming freshmen) to reach out to the team leaders Create themed workout for breaks 12 Days of Fit Mas Swol Santa Training Program Suns Out, Guns Out Workout Build in de load periods during short breaks
Campus Recreation Center WEIGHT ROOM LIMITATIONS
Potential Demands on Small College Weight Rooms Open to the campus community Faculty Staff Coaches Administrators All Students Independent Contractors Open to the local community Alumni Local Residents Open to the traveling community Visiting academic professional Visiting campus guest (speaker, donor, other guest) Activity Courses Academic Courses
All are NCAA Division III
Solutions to a Tricky Weight Room Schedule First, realize that everyone is sensitive to this issue! You must decide. If you will close the facility during training periods (in season). If you will reserve the equipment should you decide to keep it open. If you will just blend with the normal traffic. Do your very best to communicate the demands of the facility effectively. Publish times for workouts, classes, and events well in advance Communicate with the campus community using a variety of means College or University newsletters Signage in the facility Electronic signage in other parts of campus Social media My advice, in a community facility, reserve what you need to conduct a safe workout. Scheduling teams, is it a matter of priority?
The Possibilities STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING STAFF
What Type of Staff Could be Present? Most NCAA Small College Coaches work with a high number of teams and athletes. University of Redlands Approximately 600 student athletes, 21 varsity sports University of La Verne Approximately 500 student athletes, 21 Emory & Henry College Approximately 400 student athletes, 13 varsity sports Lynchburg College Approximately 200 student athletes, 21 varsity sports (no football) Determine the strengths of those around you. GA or Assistant. Professional Intern.. Student Intern. Volunteer Strength and Conditioning Coach.. Certified Sport Coaches.. Weight Room Student Staff. What tasks would you be comfortable delegating? No Wall Flowers
Acquiring More Staff Resources NCAA Grants NSCA Grants Academic Programs Student Employees Local or Regional Partnerships Alumni Certified Coaches Of course, you can push for funding for assistant coaches and/or interns.
Managing Big Numbers and Individualized Programs PROGRAM DESIGN
Implementation and Design It is common practice to have multiple teams or components of teams in the weight room. For example, basketball, a few baseball, a few softball, a few swimmers, and a few regular students working out at the same time. Coaches have responded with an Umbrella approach. Athletes go through the same assessment processes (with some minor variations). Many of the exercises are the same just varied on the progression continuum. Volume, pairing, and inter set rest are used differently based on the energy system demands of the sport. Coaches use a combination of white board notes, workout cards, and software programs to manage big numbers. Using excel to manage big numbers https://www.youtube.com/user/exceltricksforsports
Sample Excel Document Using Mail Merge
Sample Excel Document Using Mail Merge
Sample Excel Document Using Mail Merge
Working with On Campus Resources RECOVERY AND NUTRITION
Sample NCAA DIII Student Athlete Schedule Sample Volleyball Athlete Schedule 6:00am Wake Up 6:45am Weights 8:00am Breakfast 9:00am Class 10:00am Class 11:00am Class 12:00pm Class 1:00pm Lunch 1:30pm Study Hall 3:00pm Meetings 4:30pm Treatment 5:30pm Practice 8:00pm Dinner 8:30pm Study Session (advisor) 9:30pm Homework 11:30pm Sleep Sample Football Athlete Schedule 5:15am Wakeup 6:00am Weights 6:45am Treatment 7:00am Breakfast 11:00am Class 12:20pm Lunch 12:45pm Individual Meeting 1:30pm Class 3:30pm Position Meeting 4:15pm Practice 5:45pm Team Meeting 6:00pm Dinner 8:00pm Homework 11:00 pm Sleep
Enhancing the Recovery Process Athlete Education Lectures Dining Hall Tours Books Documents Food Logs Implementation Sell a RTD Meal Replacement Provide produce, bagels, bars NCAA Dining Hall / Bookstore Assisting Student Athletes Boxes RTD Weekly email Roll & Stretching Sessions Restorative Yoga Volume Reductions Questionnaire
Special Thanks Matt Durant Head Strength Coach, University of La Verne Ed Smith Head Strength Coach, Lynchburg College Lee Munger Head Strength Coach, University of Wisconsin Whitewater Tom Blaney Head Strength Coach, Salve Regina University
Resources Lythe, J. (2011, October 18). About: Excel Tricks for Sports. Retrieved October 20, 2015, from YouTube Web site: https://www.youtube.com/user/exceltricksforsports/about National Collegiate Athletic Association. (2015). NCAA 2015 2016 NCAA Division III Manual. Indianapolis: National Collegiate Athletic Association. www.ncaa.org. (2015, October 20). National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved 10 2015, 2015, from National Collegiate Athletic Association Website: http://www.ncaa.org/about?division=d3