continuing advancement for the premier coaches of today Volume I, Issue VIII March 2010

Are YOU giving back for all the gifts that you’ve been given? - Dave Tate

LEADERSHIP 101 As strength and conditioning professionals, we understand the “big picture” when it comes to designing programs. It’s not to create a better lifter, but rather to create a more efficient, injury resistant and successful athlete. A great leader also understands and sees the big picture. Vince Lombardi’s Leadership Rule #4 states that “the big picture is your road map and rudder. It can’t change in response to minor setbacks. But it MUST change as the competitive environment changes.” Complacency is the number one threat to any leader and his or her team. If you continue to do what you have always done, then you will always get what you've always gotten. Failure to see and react to change will leave you and your teams in the dust as others prosper in their professional development. So, you have to ask yourself: Do you and your staff have a sense of urgency? Are you acting NOW and not later? Are you accomplishing something important TODAY?

1) Your resume certainly speaks for itself with stops Western Illinois, U-Texas El-Paso, The Ohio State University and Arizona State. Who took the time to develop you into the coach you are proud to be today? What can interns and graduate assistants learn from the different programs they work with along the road to success? I think that as a young coach in this profession working as an intern or graduate assistant, the more experience you can get in different programs the better it will prepare for the one day you have the opportunity to run your own program. There is so much to learn and so many to learn from. I would not be the coach I am today if weren’t for the invaluable mentorship of coaches like Craig Sowers, Kirk Davis, Anthony Glass, Al Johnson, and Joe Kenn. I owe these great coaches who have taken the time to mentor me as a young coach more than they know and will forever be in debt to them. Also, I believe I have the greatest staff in the country (Josh Storms, Rich Wenner, Ryan Reynolds, Michael Ray, and Dan Stone) and they help to keep me sharp in that we are constantly talking shop and bouncing ideas off of each other.

2) Are there any atypical methods of training you or your staff uses with your varsity teams? How important is it to keep your athlete’s engaged in the process of strength training and conditioning? Tough question because I’m not sure what it is considered atypical anymore? Our athletes work hard and we make consistent effort to keep them engaged in the process of strength training and conditioning. We have to realize that none of the athletes we work with at ASU came here on a weightlifting scholarship. This is something that as a young coach was tough for me. I think I expected everyone to enjoy lifting like I did when I was an athlete and obviously this is not always the case. We try and keep our athletes engaged and to enjoy the process by creating a positive environment in the weight room where our athletes are excited about the opportunity to get better. The attitude is one in which I “get to” work out, not I “got to” work out. That simple shift in mindset is huge. The energy and atmosphere in the weight room is one in which our athletes are excited to be a part of because they enjoy the process of getting better and they know in the end their hard work is going to pay off.

Ben Hilgart

Head Sports Performance Coach

Arizona State University

continuing advancement for the premier coaches of today Volume I, Issue VIII March 2010

Are YOU giving back for all the gifts that you’ve been given? - Dave Tate

BOOK OF THE MONTH

BLINK

By Malcolm Gladwell Are you ever faced with a situation that requires immediate attention with no time to think? Or have you ever prejudged one of your athletes without even saying one word to him/her? Unfortunately, we all have our preconceived judgments of our athlete’s abilities and attitudes. But can we learn to manage them and become better coaches? Malcolm Gladwell presents a wide array of information on the topic of learning how to think without thinking, “thin-slicing”. Thin-slicing is the ability to find patterns in situations and behavior based on very narrow slices of experience. We can learn as much, if not more, from one glance at an individual or situation as we can from hours of exposure. However, truly successful decision making must rely on a balance between deliberate and instinctive thinking. Check out BLINK.

3) Before assuming the role of Head Sports Performance Coach at ASU, you made your mark with the national champion track and field teams. How important is communication and individualization when working with specific teams like track and field?

In my opinion, communication and individualization in the training programs for track athletes is crucial in order to have success. I was fortunate to work with what I believe are some of best track coaches in the nation who understood the importance of strength and power development in the weight room. I was treated as a member of their coaching staff, not just the guy in the weight room. Communication amongst all members of the coaching staff, whether it be the head coach, event coaches, myself, or the athletic training staff was stressed from the top down and very much a part of what we did. We not only met at the beginning of each training block, but we would communicate on a daily basis. Every day, whether it was by email, text, phone call or in person, we would communicate to each other what our plans were for that day to ensure we were always on the same page. For instance, prior to a sprint workout I would always know exactly what the sprinters were doing during practice and if there were any modifications made to the plan. In turn, the Sprints coach knew exactly what movements we were performing in the weight room, as well as what intensities/volume we were working at. Without consistent communication, often strength coaches will try and do what they feel is best for the track athlete in the weight room and their coach will do what they feel is best for them on the track in regards to sprint work, and whereas each of these training methods may be sound they may not necessarily complement each other. In order to be optimal, strength and speed cannot be trained independently of each other. You have got to be on the same page in order to ensure that both the work you do in the weight room and on the track works hand in hand. In addition, in a sport like track where peaking at the right time is paramount in order to be successful individualization of the training plan is key. At the beginning of the year, we would map out an annual plan for each group (Sprints, Jumps, Multi’s, Vaults, etc.). However, over the course of the indoor and outdoor season we would always allow for individualized modifications based off of a number of circumstances including how that athlete is responding to the training and where they are at in their competitive calendar. Without question though, the number one reason we were able to win a combined 4 national championships during the time I worked with track was because we had some phenomenal athletes. But in order to successful at the highest level like we were, your program has to be sound from top to bottom and I believe they way we were able to work together and stay on the same page with one common goal helped us to achieve that goal of winning the national championship.

4) What are three “uncommon” texts or videos you would recommend every sports performance specialist to check out and why?

continuing advancement for the premier coaches of today Volume I, Issue VIII March 2010

Are YOU giving back for all the gifts that you’ve been given? - Dave Tate

TIP OF THE MONTH

Keep a journal How many times throughout your day do you think of a great idea and forget to write it down? Or if an athlete/coach/administrator says something to you and you forget to log it into your administrative log for future reference? Documenting incidents, ideas and discussions is one easy way of improving your relationship building skills. For administrative purposes, always keep logs for each of your sport coaches containing when and what things were said. If you ever run into a problem with scheduling or attendance issues, you will have documentation listing the issues. When dealing with a staff, it’s always a good idea to write down when things go awry throughout their tenure with your department. When it’s time to make a change, you will have reasons why. Carry a pen and pocket pad with you at all times. Whether you’re at practice or just hanging out, you will be prepared for the next “A-ha” moment for you and your teams.

I’ve just recently read Jim Wendler’s 5-3-1 manual. In addition to the great training information I think it was a good read because it reminded me how sometimes a simplified approach can be the most effective one. I make it a point to read as many autobiographies of successful coaches as I can. I find it interesting to learn about the different paths they took to get where they are and to try and identify some of the common characteristics that they have had as successful coaches. Recent coaching books I’ve read include ones about Nick Saban, John Wooden, Bill Belichick, and Dan Gable.

5) Any tips or guidelines you would tell young adults preparing to break into the field? How can candidates separate themselves away from the field when interviewing for college sports performance positions?

Experience is everything. Ideally, your first experience as an up and coming coach will come from your time as an athlete training in a strength and conditioning program. I’ve found that as we hire interns or graduate assistants, those who have spent the last 4 or 5 years in a weight room in a collegiate strength and conditioning program as an athlete usually have a leg up on those who have not. Next, you will need to find a graduate assistant position. These positions have become highly competitive and those who have prior experience working as a volunteer or intern in a strength program will typically have an advantage. So if you are serious about wanting to become a strength coach this is a sacrifice you will have to make. We have yet to hire a graduate assistant at Arizona State who does not have some prior experience volunteering in a strength program. This is important to us because we know these coaches have gained some invaluable practical knowledge and, depending on their role as an intern, have experienced the day to day grind of this profession and have decided this is something they want to do. Many people have a hard time making this sacrifice to work a semester or two for free to gain this experience to try and break into the field. With as competitive as graduate assistant positions have become this is something you are most likely going to have to do. We have all made sacrifices along the way to get to where we are at. Once you’ve landed a graduate assistant position be prepared to work harder than you ever have in your life. To me the ability to roll up your sleeves and work hard is an attribute that all successful coaches have. Obviously, the longer you are in the program the more you will learn about the X’s and O’s of wherever you are at, but working hard is something you should come in with on Day 1. Work hard, remain loyal to those you work for, and enjoy this job because it’s the greatest job in the world.

continuing advancement for the premier coaches of today Volume I, Issue VIII March 2010

Are YOU giving back for all the gifts that you’ve been given? - Dave Tate

COACH’S CORNER ● Get to know your staff on a personal level,

not just as co-workers. When you learn to see them for who they are on the inside, you will be able to earn their trust and engage in constructive conflict for the better part of the team.

● Explain your program principles and

expectations every chance you get. Mine are accountability, attention to detail, and self-discipline. Coaches and players must understand the big picture.

● Get with your IT department and invest in a

separate computer for your weight room music. Purchase Pandora and never worry about bad music playlists or skipped songs ever again!

● Be proactive with your initial paperwork

and meetings. Show coaches you care by initiating meetings with them NOW, not later.

“If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else”

I don’t know anyone that wants to be in debt or have to worry about money, and the above quote featured on every page in Dave

Ramsey’s book reminds us that to reach financial security, one needs sacrifice, discipline, and good planning. In fact, you are probably

wondering why there is a financial book review in a newsletter for strength & conditioning coaches. In this age of coaching turnover,

having a financial safety net can be the difference between staying in the field and having to find a new profession to keep food on the

table. Throughout the book you will find examples of families who overcame tens of thousands of dollars of debt to become completely

debt-free by following Ramsey’s principles. Many of them did this while supporting multiple children on a combined income that is in the

same ballpark as a young strength coach’s salary. Imagine that – no credit card debt, no car payments, student loans paid off, and for the

most focused, a house completely paid for. With these things accomplished, now your money can work for you and you can save, invest

and give at an incredible rate, enjoying financial freedom.

As athletic performance professionals, we work in a highly volatile industry for long hours and often low pay. Having our finances in order

can allow us to reserve more energy for our families and athletes while also preparing us to handle emergencies that will come up. If you

are at all like me, by the time you were done with college, you had some good sized student loans and little education on how to manage

your money both in the short and long term. I was a victim of what Ramsey calls, “financial ignorance” (very few of us have been taught

how to properly handle money). “Financial ignorance” coupled with “keeping up with the Joneses” are the two biggest problems he

identifies in people’s money mismanagement. Too often we get caught up in trying to buy nice things to keep up with what our friends

have. Unfortunately, this leads to digging a deeper financial hole for ourselves; meanwhile we don’t know that the people we are trying to

impress are in debt as well. Having both of these problems is a very poor way to start off your post-graduate career.

Throughout the book, Ramsey does a good job debunking common myths about money and debt through using dollar figure examples.

For instance, investing an average car payment each month for 40 years can turn that money into over five million dollars by age 65, or a

$110,000 15 year mortgage at a 7% interest rate will cost you an extra $256 per month on your house payments when compared to a 30

year mortgage, but will save you $85,000 over the life of the loan.

Chris Ruf Director of Football Athletic Performance

Baylor University

Arizona State University

continuing advancement for the premier coaches of today Volume I, Issue VIII March 2010

Are YOU giving back for all the gifts that you’ve been given? - Dave Tate

ANNOUNCEMENTS

● All previous newsletter can be

downloaded at our YSCCa google group here: http://groups.google.com/group/yscca

● Remember to sign up for the CSCCa in

May. It will be the 10th anniversary celebration in Orlando, FL.

● We are looking for head coach

interviews for the summer months ahead. If you’d like to be featured in our newsletter, let us know!

● Stay tuned for our own YSCCa website

and forum for continuing advancement!

SPN

Ramsey’s debt free formula is broken into seven easy to understand steps. They are simple ideas, but will require sacrifice and discipline

to succeed. A monthly budget needs to be made and strictly followed, credit cards must stopped being used, and his plan works best

when focusing all of your efforts on one thing at a time - think of it like block periodization! The first step is to build a $1,000 emergency

fund in order to eliminate the need to use credit cards or loans to pay for car repairs, hospital bills, etc. Once the emergency fund is built,

Step 2 is to start erasing your debt by making the minimum payment on all of your debts except for the one with the smallest value. You

will pay as much as possible each month towards that smallest debt until it is paid off. Once this is done, move up the ladder to the next

smallest debt, and so on until all your debts except your home mortgage are paid off. Step 3 is to further build your emergency fund so it

can cover three to six months of unemployment. After these steps are finished, the last 4 steps are now addressed and are more long

term. Getting a jump start on your retirement investing is #4, building your children’s college fund is #5, paying off your mortgage is #6,

and lastly, #7 is building a great deal of wealth. Several charts and tables are included to assist with budgeting, calculating payments, and

projecting retirement needs to help you minimize debt and maximize wealth. When the order of these steps is strictly adhered to, you will

be amazed at how quickly your debt will be eliminated.

Whenever this book was open, all I could think was that “I wish I would have read this when I got out of college” as we would have been

better prepared to handle finances and overcome the inevitable bumps in the road. This book is highly beneficial for anyone from the new

intern looking to get out of debt and get their savings started, to the individuals that are at the top of our food chain who can use Ramsey’s

formula in order to help set up a very financially comfortable retirement.

“If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else”

Adam Feit Head Sports Performance Coach

Eastern Michigan University Afeit1@emich.edu