S&C Intern Chit Chat

Zach Fowler - Performance Course

Join us for an insightful conversation with Zach Fowler of The Performance Course. We dive into non-traditional career paths in strength and conditioning, moving beyond college and high school coaching. Zach shares his journey from an 8-year-old athlete at PC to a Site Coordinator, the critical importance of initiative for young strength coaches, and how PC utilizes technology and specialized programming (including tiered systems and VBT) to train high school athletes. Plus, hear his recommendations for essential coaching qualities, a must-read book, and a top-tier podcast. SOCIAL: https://x.com/Z_Fowl37 [https://x.com/Z_Fowl37] https://www.instagram.com/zachfowler37/ [https://www.instagram.com/zachfowler37/]

Ross Garner - Effingham County HS

The "S&C Chit Chat with Ross Garner" includes conversation about facility conflicts, staff introductions, and an in-depth look at Ross Garner's career path and high school strength and conditioning philosophies. Career Advice: Master's in Education + CSCS provides best job security for high school S&C coaches. * Training Philosophy: Conjugate training approach, primarily using deadlifts and the snatch (preferred over the clean for high school athletes). * Deadlift Focus: Strong belief in deadlift's carry-over to speed; emphasizes correcting upper back posture. * Speed Training: Speed and jump work is done after strength training to "prime" athletes and teach them to "be fast tired." * Technology & Grants: Used business background to secure two $5,000 grants for iPads and data collection (Rock Daisy). * Job Stability: Highlighted the value of standalone, 12-month strength coach positions (like the one at Cleburne) for program consistency. * Recommendations: Book: Chosen Suffering. Podcast: Voodoo Power with Steve Thompson. COACH GARNERS LINKTREE: https://linktr.ee/coachrgarner [https://linktr.ee/coachrgarner] https://www.instagram.com/coachrgarner/ [https://www.instagram.com/coachrgarner/] SOCIAL FOR COACH GARNER: https://x.com/CoachRGarner [https://x.com/CoachRGarner] OTHER PODCASTS COACH GARNER HAS BEEN ON: https://rss.com/podcasts/victoryoverselfradio/ [https://rss.com/podcasts/victoryoverselfradio/] https://youtu.be/WSvH6RUejB8?si=z0dDIu1UP3y9ScEK [https://youtu.be/WSvH6RUejB8?si=z0dDIu1UP3y9ScEK] https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chosen-suffering-friday-night-speed-w-coach-ross-garner/id1659846420?i=1000749257750 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chosen-suffering-friday-night-speed-w-coach-ross-garner/id1659846420?i=1000749257750] https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/nhssca/episodes/Work-Capacity-with-Ross-Garner--Effingham-County-High-School-e3e4opf [https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/nhssca/episodes/Work-Capacity-with-Ross-Garner--Effingham-County-High-School-e3e4opf] https://www.youtube.com/live/YSU3CKG4_jI?si=OOrZgjiwM3ULCvQU [https://www.youtube.com/live/YSU3CKG4_jI?si=OOrZgjiwM3ULCvQU]

Michael Gragg- Harding University

Michael Gragg does a phenomenal job at Harding University and in this podcast. I on the other hand did less than desirable in pressing record for the first 10 minutes. Tune in for a "S&C Chit Chat" with Coach Michael Gragg from Harding University. We break down the technical and philosophical pillars of their national championship-winning strength and conditioning program. Topics include: the use of Catapult GPS, VBT systems (Vitru), and a Just Jump mat for athlete readiness; the high-low, four-day offseason training split; and the core importance of ground-based movement, team culture, and earned player autonomy. SOCIAL: https://www.instagram.com/mdgragg50/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/mdgragg50/?hl=en] https://x.com/MichaelGragg [https://x.com/MichaelGragg] OTHER PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/culture-warrior-michael-gragg-head-strength-conditioning/id1806921751?i=1000719474083 [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/culture-warrior-michael-gragg-head-strength-conditioning/id1806921751?i=1000719474083] https://open.spotify.com/episode/4HuTrzh36Z4ZB4Jd2khe9D [https://open.spotify.com/episode/4HuTrzh36Z4ZB4Jd2khe9D] https://castro.fm/share/episode/2X4rs3 [https://castro.fm/share/episode/2X4rs3] https://youtu.be/aTID4ANcpFg?si=oCfHzMIgOlr8zQdU [https://youtu.be/aTID4ANcpFg?si=oCfHzMIgOlr8zQdU] https://youtu.be/oH9mrOoRAdI?si=OMySWkVSnb_BVorf [https://youtu.be/oH9mrOoRAdI?si=OMySWkVSnb_BVorf]

Cameron Prater- SMU Football

In this episode, James Burk, Brock Calvo, Jaxson Money, and Colin Elliot chat with HSU alumni Cameron Prater, an alum who is now the Internship Coordinator and Sports Science Coordinator for SMU Football. They dive into Prader's career journey, from his time at Hardin-Simmons University to his professional blueprint. The discussion covers his philosophy for training interns—prioritizing hard work and on-time arrival—and the core principles of SMU's football strength and conditioning program, including their four-day upper/lower split, daily posterior chain work, and the use of the Catapult system with "Player Load" as a key metric. SOCIAL: https://www.instagram.com/primetimeprater/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/primetimeprater/?hl=en]

John Bloom- Elevated Athlete Development

In this must-listen episode of S&C Chit Chat, we sit down with John Bloom—Strength and Conditioning Coach at Parish Episcopal School, founder of Elevated Athlete Development, and host/author of the Strength and Numbers podcast and book. John provides incredible insight into his transition from collegiate D1 men's basketball to running his own private business, Elevated Athlete Development, discussing the motivations for seeking greater autonomy. We dive deep into: * The Power of Mentorship: John shares how Tim Ferriss’s Tribe of Mentors inspired him to write his book, creating an essential resource for new S&C professionals. * Coaching Certifications & Business Savvy: Hear his take on the practical value of certifications like Precision Nutrition versus the CSCS, and the importance of hiring smart people and developing marketing and sales systems in a private coaching business. * Training Philosophy: We cover his application of FRC and RPR components at the high school level, how he defines training "blocks" as a superset of exercises, and his approach to training young athletes for skill acquisition. John also shares a vital piece of advice for new coaches—focus on coaching competence first—and recommends Range by David Epstein. Don't miss this one! SOCIAL: https://www.instagram.com/johnbloom30/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/johnbloom30/?hl=en] https://x.com/johnbloom30?lang=en [https://x.com/johnbloom30?lang=en] OTHER PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-strength-in-numbers-podcast/id1811118851 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-strength-in-numbers-podcast/id1811118851] https://basketballimmersion.com/the-basketball-podcast-ep359-with-john-bloom-on-insights-from-expert-coaches/ [https://basketballimmersion.com/the-basketball-podcast-ep359-with-john-bloom-on-insights-from-expert-coaches/] https://www.samsonequipment.com/strength-coach-podcast/e133-john-bloom/?srsltid=AfmBOoo2u0G0E4oIM7BXYeG0Udecld5Yx06ueboZqqo42_bnHjNoYHpA [https://www.samsonequipment.com/strength-coach-podcast/e133-john-bloom/?srsltid=AfmBOoo2u0G0E4oIM7BXYeG0Udecld5Yx06ueboZqqo42_bnHjNoYHpA] https://coachobrien.com/episode-133/ [https://coachobrien.com/episode-133/] https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/strengthcoachcollective/episodes/John-Bloom--Episode-133-e2buatb/a-aak21i2 [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/strengthcoachcollective/episodes/John-Bloom--Episode-133-e2buatb/a-aak21i2]