There is a giant gap in the field of strength and conditioning/athletic performance coaching. The role of a modern strength and conditioning coach may feature one of the biggest divides between what is read in books and taught in an “exercise science” degree, and learned in actual practice.
It is easy to say “I want to be a strength coach”, but it is much, much harder to make that dream a reality. When that dream becomes a reality, coaches find that the job, their role and responsibilities is a lot more than sets, reps and coaching technique.
In my own work, I found myself jumping from a NCAA DIII track coach to DI strength coach in an instant. In the transition, I had a lot to learn with the administration and creation of a team culture that fit the standard of an extremely high level of competition. The experience of a strength coach is not one easily found in books or texts, and just like swimming, you can’t truly understand it until you jump in the water.
That being said, there was a great recent book written on the subject of coaching by Ron McKeefery, and it is my pleasure to bring you this interview with him on the practice of being a strength coach. Ron is the head strength coach at Eastern Michigan University, and author of “CEO Strength Coach”, a phenomenal book on his path at a S&C coach, as well as his practical advice on all arenas of the job.
Let’s get to the interview.
Just Fly Sports: One thing that I was thinking about upon finishing CEO Strength Coach was individual coaching style. What are your thoughts on the general personality type of a strength coach, and what types of personal growth do you feel are important to a coach through their career?
Ron McKeefery: Most will label us as meatheads that grunt. I have a Master’s degree, and multiple hours toward my Doctorate. However, I can’t tell you how many times I have gone to a conference and felt like I was the dumbest person in the room. Our profession has some of the most intelligent and motivating people in the world.
It takes a person with great professional will but personal humility to do this job. They must truly want to make an impact in their athlete’s life. By its nature the human body does not want to physically do the things we ask our athletes to do. Combine that with moments were their mind thinks the same thing the only thing we have is our ability to motivate an athlete through the relationships we have formed.
Above all it requires a tremendous work ethic and willingness to build others up.
It takes a person with great professional will but personal humility to do this job.
Just Fly Sports: One of my favorite passages in the book was regarding your experience working with Mark Asanovich. You mentioned a strength camp that Coach Asanovich was putting on where you got into a debate with the Virginia strength coach on HIT vs. a traditional and Olympic based programming, and Asanovich was able to scientifically argue, and win, either side of the debate (even though he utilized the HIT principle over the traditional Olympic system). He mentioned that philosophies are a battle of Ph.D’s while programs should be based on principles. What principles from HIT and traditional Olympic work have found themselves into your current training system?
Ron McKeefery: Coach Asanovich is a phenomenal teacher and I hope to one day have his understanding of Strength and Conditioning principles. Additionally, I have adopted the principles that Ken Mannie, Head Strength Coach at Michigan State, uses. I believe you have to be a “Principle Based” Strength Coach and not a “Philosophy Based” Strength Coach. You must base your program on scientifically proven principles that transcend a particular philosophy.
To see produce a neuromuscular adaptation you must OVERLOAD the muscle past it’s present capacity. That’s science, we may differ sometimes on the best way create overload, but regardless of what philosophy you have we have common ground on that being the most fundamental principle. Once you overload to continue to see an adaptation you must PROGRESS. Since we train athletes and not Power lifters, Olympic lifters, etc. we train the entire body to have BALANCED DEVELOPMENT.
To ensure that we are working on what we say we are working on there must be PERFECT TECHNIQUE and SUPERVISION. Muscle is use it or lose it so you must train for the principle of REVERSIBILITY and train every 96 hours, while maintaining the goals of the annual plan PERIODIZATION. We train over 400 athletes in 17 different sports with a multitude of different positions. Our programs must be designed to be SPECIFIC to the sport, position and athlete. To ensure we are getting the desired effect we EVALUATE. Lastly, one of the most important principles is to maintain VARIETY so that the athletes stay engaged and motivated to train.
Just Fly Sports: You have had a lot of twists and turns in your coaching career. What has been the hardest point in your professional career thus far as a strength coach, and how have you grown from it?
Ron McKeefery: In the book I go into several challenging times in my career. The most challenging was when we went through a coaching change as USF, and my job was in jeopardy. In that moment I learned firsthand the volatility of the profession and the impact that can have on your family and you personally. Looking back I did not handle a lot of things well, but I learned a ton about myself and grew from it.
Just Fly Sports: What has been the biggest part of being a strength coach that you didn’t expect when you first got into the profession?
Ron McKeefery: Early on I did not realize how hard it would be to manage people. You have to be able to provide a clear, concise vision and message for your department with athletes, coaches, administrators, alumni, media, etc. Then motivate them to see it through with each bringing their own beliefs, values, opinions, personalities, and intellect to the table. I don’t remember too many management classes in my Exercise Science curriculum. This has been where a majority of my studies post college have focused on.
Just Fly Sports: It is often mentioned that strength and conditioning is a young profession that is still growing. What are some changes you hope to see in the strength and conditioning field in the next decade?
Ron McKeefery: One of the pressing issues with our profession is that we are not retiring being strength coaches. We spend so much time and sacrifice so much to obtain positions strength coaches. However, because of the volatility of the profession many good coaches are forced out. To address this we need to start by arming those that determine our employment with a specific criteria to evaluate. Right now coaches are hired and fired based on popularity or loyalty.
Because of the nature of our business you will not always be the most liked person, and we like the loyalty card when it works in our favor but not when it doesn’t. Personally I think we need to embrace the art of what we do and align ourselves with more coaches than administration. When we do that we increase our earning potential. We don’t do much for decreasing the volatility, but when showing admin and coaches that there are no other coaches on staff that work with their athletes everyday and all of them we should be compensated accordingly. We can then explore areas within S&C such as Assistant AD, Non Revenue Sports, or High School S&C positions that would allow for more stability.
To address this we need to start by arming those that determine our employment with a specific criteria to evaluate. Right now coaches are hired and fired based on popularity or loyalty.
Just Fly Sports: What are the top three pieces of advice you would give to an aspiring strength coach looking to break into the profession?
Ron McKeefery: First would be that you don’t know what you don’t know. You must seek those that have walked the path you are walking and learn from their mistakes. Second would be to start developing those three areas (Technician, Manager, Entrepreneur) now. Lastly, there is a difference between being qualified and experienced. Make sure you are working in the environment you want to work in. Then put your head down and work harder than anyone else in the building.
The optimal relationship is when you care more about them as a person then you do as an athlete.
Just Fly Sports: I really enjoyed the piece in CEO Strength Coach where you mentioned asking athletes the hardest thing they’ve gone through. What are your thoughts on the optimal relationship between coach and student athlete in the modern strength and conditioning environment?
Ron McKeefery: Our business is a relationship business. You must truly have a passion for making a difference in your athlete’s life. Without a sincere genuine passion for that you will never be able to motivate your athlete to reach their full potential. The optimal relationship is when you care more about them as a person then you do as an athlete.
Just Fly Sports: What are three books you’ve read recently that have directly changed the way you approach working in the weight room?
Ron McKeefery: I am an avid reader, and typically try to read one book per week. I rotate between one Family Development book, Strength and Conditioning book, and a Business/Leadership/Entrepreneurship book. Three that have impacted me lately would be Legacy by James Kerr, Switch and Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath. Legacy is a leadership book outlining the leadership principle of New Zealand’s All Blacks Rugby Team the winningest professional organization in the world. Switch is about changing a culture, and Made To Stick is about creating messages that are impactful.
Just Fly Sports: What are some of the biggest things you have learned in the last few years about the professional aspect of being a strength coach?
Ron McKeefery: Probably the premise of the book, which is to be a success in this profession you must be three things equally: a great Technician, a great Manager, and a great Entrepreneur. You must know your craft, but to advance you will have to learn to manage. You must learn how to manage time, people, and resources. Lastly, you must continually sharpen the sword and challenge your ideals. Find ways to push both yourself and the profession forward.
About Ron McKeefery:
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