Blog #32 Final CEO STRENGTH Coach Blog “We STAND on the shoulders of GIANTS” and NEW Summer “Certification Series” by Chris Morland
Last month I attended one of the most beneficial learning experiences in San Antonio, Texas called the CSCCa (College Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association) conference. There were 1300 strength and conditioning coaches in attendance from professional sports, college sports, and some in high school too.
In this last blog of the CEO STRENGTH Coach series I’d like to tie a bow on the series and unveil the summer series for MorlandSTRENGTH.com
I always get really excited when I get around other coaches learning about the newest technology and the most updated techniques in the profession. This show had it all with 300+ vendors from across the United States and around the world. Two of most interesting conversations happened with the ASCA (Australian Strength and Conditioning Association) educational arm and also with a testing group from Australia using an iPad to design speed and agility tests from scratch!
No matter how many new things I learn about in this field they can’t be substituted for the tried and true techniques that came from the giants that began the STRENGTH and CONDITIONING profession. It was amazing to attend a round-table session at the conference and to hear 3 of them (Johnny Parker, Al Miller, Bob Ward) present their principles over 120 years of experience.
Coach McKeefery finishes the CEO STRENGTH Coach book with a reminder to professionals about the trail that was blazed for them. What did Lewis and Clark feel like when they began the journey up the Missouri river? What was Boyd Epley thinking when he became the first strength and conditioning coach at Nebraska in the early 1970’s? In reality, McKeefery writes “there were just a few of the forefathers of S & C who created a profession from nothing, when coaches believed lifting would make you stiff and slow.” Maybe you feel like you’re blazing your own trail at work as you attempt to land your first paid position. For just a few minutes I’d like to encourage you to reflect to find renewed courage to push forward with determination to succeed.
My examples in the profession came from Steve Javorek, Tommy Moffitt, and Charles Stephenson and today I seek to be the same type of example to other young professionals.
Coach McKeefery comments in this chapter about the future of high school strength and conditioning, “High school strength and conditioning is an untapped market right now. It’s untapped.” As a health and fitness professional we need to look at the trends and go after our dreams and start doing what is required much like the giants that went before us. They did not throw their hands up and say, “Why should we try anymore,” but they took a soldier’s mentality and went out there and fought every day.
My suggestion to you as a reader is to be great, to contribute to the profession, and do the best job you can every day. This book has reminded me to engage coaching as a process that takes time. When I teach and coach I can’t expect my students and athletes to “get it” the first time. In a similar way, our career takes time and effort to get closer to our goals. Thanks Coach Mac for this reminder!
As we reach for new levels of excellence the topic of certification always comes up in those that I’ve mentored. This is why our blogging team is going to tackle a series of 7 exciting topics about certification this summer. We hope to bring clarity to questions like:
-
“What are the options available for certifications in the health and fitness profession?”
-
“As a client or athlete what type of certification should a coach attain?”
-
“What are the best health and fitness certifications including the pros and cons of each”
-
“What certifications are more difficult to get, which ones are easier?”
-
“What certifications are the best value for your time and effort?”
In the last two weeks I’ve had an opportunity to meet with two aspiring high school coaches and talk about the rewards of the strength and conditioning profession. This includes relationships with athletes as they progress through the program which is more rewarding than anything I’ve ever done. In high school I can literally see kids increase their strength and speed in just a few months along with the growing their leadership skills. Each day my athletes and volunteer coaches inspire me to teach and coach better than I did yesterday. This feedback loop is awesome and it creates #ChampionMoments most every day. These conversations have led to the Gibbons STRENGTH mission “to create a positive environment that is relational and gets results.”
Did you like the CEO series? Please comment below so our blogging team can see your feedback. Would you like a PDF copy of this series for your library? Let us know and we’ll send you a copy this summer. Please send your request to admin@morlandstrength.com
Chris Morland, MS, CSCS
Director of Strength and Conditioning/Teacher
Educator and Coach | Visionary in High School Strength and Conditioning
Would you like to follow Morland STRENGTH’s link here: new Instagram account?
#dreammor #MorlandSTRENGTH #CEOSTRENGTHCOACH
“The views, opinions, and judgments expressed in this message are solely those of the authors and peer reviewers. The contents have been reviewed by a team of contributors but not approved by any other outside entity including the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh.”
