Learning from Legends | Kainon Clark

Learning from Legends | Kainon Clark

On this episode of the Samson Strength Coach Collective, we sit down with Kainon Clark, Associate Director of Football Performance at Washington State University. Kainon reflects on his path through the strength and conditioning profession, highlighting how experiences at multiple programs helped shape his coaching philosophy and approach to athlete development. Throughout the conversation, Kainon discusses the importance of moving outside your comfort zone to gain new perspectives, balancing sports science with traditional coaching principles, and tailoring training to meet the unique demands of football positions. He also shares valuable lessons learned from working alongside respected leaders in the profession and explains why relationships remain one of the most important aspects of long-term success in coaching. Key Takeaways * Moving between programs can accelerate growth and broaden coaching perspectives. * Developing your own coaching philosophy requires exposure to multiple environments and mentors. * Effective football training balances sports science data with practical coaching experience. * Position-specific demands should influence program design and athlete development strategies. * Strong relationships and mentorship opportunities are critical for career advancement. * Building connections within the profession creates lasting opportunities and support systems. Quote "Realizing how small this industry is, but also the fun, beneficial connections that you don't realize you get to run into. It's always fun, but it connects you as a staff." — Kainon Clark

Redefining Tough in the Weight Room with Andy Holmes

Andy Holmes carries two titles that rarely appear in the same sentence. He is the Business Development Manager for the Americas at Informed Sport and Informed Choice, the world's largest anti-doping third-party certification organization. He is also the Strength Chaplain at Ottawa University, a role he helped create and one that speaks directly to what he believes coaching is actually for. On this episode of the Samson Strength Coach Collective, Holmes makes the case that toughness has been misread by athletes and coaches alike, and that the weight room is one of the best places to correct that. The reframe is direct. Fighting is easy. Drinking is easy. Walking away from both, showing up when it is hard, being accountable to something bigger than yourself, that is tough. Holmes builds that framework with a football roster of 150 to 200 players at the NAIA level, players who come from all kinds of backgrounds and often land at Ottawa because something did not work out somewhere else. He is not running a Sunday school class. He is coaching, and the physical demands of training give him a credible platform to say things these athletes have not heard from many men in their lives. Holmes also spends significant time on the supplement safety side of his work. As someone who has spent a decade inside the anti-doping certification world, he has a clear-eyed view of the manufacturing vulnerabilities that put athletes at risk. One in ten non-third-party-tested products contains something that could trigger a failed drug test. NIL has compounded the problem by flooding the market with unvetted brands and unvetted product, and the legal exposure for strength staff and dietitians has grown alongside the money in sports. The two halves of this conversation connect. Whether Holmes is talking about what goes into an athlete's body or what goes into an athlete's mind, the underlying principle is the same: responsibility is not optional, and taking the easy road has a cost. Key Takeaways * Toughness is not what most athletes think it is. The easy road is fighting, drinking, and avoiding accountability. The hard road is showing up, doing the work, and being responsible to something beyond yourself. * Athletes respond when a coach cares about more than their position on the depth chart. When a player knows their value is not tied to their spot on the roster, they open up. That is where real influence starts. * The weight room is a credible platform for hard conversations. The struggle of getting stronger maps directly onto the struggle of growing as a person, and athletes who train hard already understand what it means to earn something. * One in ten non-certified supplements contains something that can cause a failed drug test. The manufacturing pipeline is more compromised than most coaches and athletes realize, and the legal exposure for strength staff when something goes wrong has grown significantly. * NIL has created a supplement compliance gap most programs are not equipped to handle. Athletes signing deals with unvetted brands and taking untested product are putting their eligibility at risk, and the coaching staff can end up in the lawsuit. Quote "The easy way out is fighting, drinking. A lot of times doing the hard thing is being tough. That's one of the biggest things we try to teach. What does it mean to be tough spiritually as well?" — Andy Holmes

Finding Your Way Through Adversity with Gage Taylor

On this episode of the Samson Strength Coach Collective, we sit down with Sports Performance Coach Gage Taylor to discuss how adversity can become a catalyst for growth. Gage reflects on his athletic journey, the injuries and setbacks that challenged him, and how those experiences ultimately led him toward a career in strength and conditioning. Throughout the conversation, Gage emphasizes the value of resilience, mentorship, continuous learning, and staying open-minded throughout your coaching journey. He shares practical advice for young strength coaches looking to establish themselves in the profession while remaining grounded in their purpose and values. Gage also discusses the importance of being proactive, creating opportunities, and learning from every challenge that comes your way. Key Takeaways * Challenges and setbacks often create opportunities for growth. * Injuries can provide valuable perspective and shape future coaching philosophies. * Mentorship and networking are critical for career development. * Staying open-minded helps coaches continue learning and evolving. * Faith, purpose, and personal values can guide professional growth. * Young coaches should take initiative and create opportunities rather than waiting for them. Quote "Be an initiator. Don't sit around waiting for opportunities, create them." — Gage Taylor

How Challenges Shape Us with Josh Poahway

On this episode of the Samson Strength Coach Collective, we sit down with Joshua Poahway, Director of Sports Performance for Cache Public Schools. Josh shares his journey from growing up in Lawton to returning home and leading sports performance efforts in his community. Throughout the conversation, he reflects on leadership, mentorship, relationship-building, and the importance of authenticity in coaching. Josh discusses the process of building a structured sports performance program within a public school system, creating alignment with coaches and parents, and developing trust with athletes through transparency and communication. He also explains how pursuing higher education and embracing his cultural background shaped his perspective as a coach and mentor. The episode dives into how challenges and adversity can become powerful teaching tools for young athletes, and why strength coaches have an opportunity to impact lives far beyond the weight room. Key Takeaways * Building trust starts with transparency and consistency * Community and culture heavily influence coaching philosophy * Strong communication helps align athletes, coaches, and parents * Personal struggles can become tools for mentorship and leadership * Sports performance programs should prioritize human development * Authenticity creates stronger athlete buy-in and relationships Quote “Struggles shape you into something amazing.” — Josh Poahway

Embracing the Director Role with Johnny Fabrizius

On this episode of the Samson Strength Coach Collective, we sit down with Johnny Fabrizius, Assistant Athletic Director for Strength and Conditioning at Florida State University. Johnny shares lessons learned while transitioning into a director role, including how leadership responsibilities evolve and why relationships remain the foundation of successful athletic departments. The conversation dives into emotional intelligence, delegation, staff management, and building trust with coaches and athletes. Johnny also reflects on the importance of staying connected with staff members beyond the weight room, identifying challenges early, and creating an environment where coaches feel supported and valued. Key Takeaways * Transitioning into a department leadership role * The importance of emotional intelligence in leadership * Building trust with coaches, athletes, and staff * Learning to delegate responsibilities effectively * Staying connected with staff outside the weight room * Leveraging relationships within athletic departments * Navigating challenges and resource limitations as a director Quote “In this previous semester, trying to understand the difficulties of what some of my strength coaches were going through, I think I struggled to realize the fact that I needed to be just involved in their life.” — Johnny Fabrizius