Building Better Coaches with Devin Young

Building Better Coaches with Devin Young

Devin Young, Senior Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of Pittsburgh, did not take a straight path into the profession. He grew up chasing a hockey career through the junior ranks, walked on at Fitchburg State, and did not make the team. That setback pushed him into exercise science and a string of internships at UMass Lowell, Eastern Michigan, Princeton, St. Francis, and James Madison before he landed his first full time job at North Carolina A&T. Young was the department's director during COVID, running a football strength program with roughly 100 athletes, five platforms, a fraction of the normal equipment, and a single part time, uncertified assistant. He walks Connor Agnew through the daily problem solving that era demanded and how it shaped the coach and communicator he is today. The conversation centers on what Young says has done more for his growth than any book: investing directly in mentors through site visits, cohorts, and phone calls, because a mentor can answer the follow up question a book cannot. He connects that philosophy to Pitt's staff culture, weekly continuing education, and the summer internship program he now runs, where he is trying to give young coaches the same head start his own mentors gave him. * Young's fastest growth as a coach came from investing in mentors and site visits rather than books alone, calling it the difference between reading about a problem and actually getting it answered. * Directing a strength program during COVID with no staff and constantly rotating athlete pods forced Young to build rapid problem solving and communication skills that still define how he coaches today. * Pitt's staff runs weekly continuing education and full peer reviewed program audits, using force plate data and KPIs to catch blind spots without turning it into a competition. * Posting workouts and running a handwritten whiteboard series forces him to be certain of what he is teaching before it goes public, sharpening his own knowledge in the process. * Pitt's summer internship runs on daily meetings, a full 15 week programming project, guest round tables with outside coaches, and live coaching drills that get progressively harder, built to give interns the same mentorship head start he got. "I'm a big believer in finding people who are doing what you believe in and reaching out to them. Go intern for them. That's the best way to learn, because now you're hands-on, learning and doing at the same time." Guest: Devin Young, Senior Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach, University of Pittsburgh * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devin_sc_coach/ [https://www.instagram.com/devin_sc_coach/] * Versatile Training Academy, Devin's side company (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/vta_sports_performance_/ [https://www.instagram.com/vta_sports_performance_/] | linktr.ee/VTAcademy [https://linktr.ee/VTAcademy] * University of Pittsburgh Strength & Conditioning (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/pitt_sportsperformance/ [https://www.instagram.com/pitt_sportsperformance/] * Devin's staff bio, Pitt Athletics: https://pittsburghpanthers.com/staff-directory/devin-young/3836 [https://pittsburghpanthers.com/staff-directory/devin-young/3836] * Talkin' Pitt Podcast: Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3oJDVPMKYK2erbS0dSNgt2] | Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talkin-pitt-by-pitt-sports-performance/id1677557747] Keywords: Devin Young, University of Pittsburgh, Pitt strength and conditioning, strength coach mentorship, COVID training protocols, program audits, continuing education, Talkin' Pitt podcast, internship program, Connor Agnew, Samson Strength Coach Collective

Flip the Switch with Morgan McCrary

On this episode of the Samson Strength Coach Collective, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at UT Tyler, Morgan McCrary, joins us to discuss his journey through nearly every corner of the strength and conditioning profession. From JUCO athletics and private sector coaching to the collegiate level, Morgan explains how each experience shaped his coaching philosophy. Throughout the conversation, Morgan emphasizes that relationships, communication, and trust are the foundation of every successful program. He shares how he builds athlete buy-in, develops accountability, and encourages athletes to "flip the switch" once they step into the weight room. Morgan also reflects on overcoming setbacks, staying motivated throughout his career, and why adapting your coaching to the environment and athlete is essential for long-term success. Key Takeaways * Building trust starts with genuine relationships and consistent communication. * Every coaching environment offers valuable lessons that shape long-term growth. * Athletes perform best when expectations and accountability are clearly established. * Adaptability is one of the most valuable traits a strength coach can possess. * Career setbacks become opportunities when approached with perseverance and a growth mindset. Quote "I call it flipping the switch. Whatever you've got going on outside of the weight room, when you're in the weight room, it's time to go." — Morgan McCrary

The Administrative Side of S & C with Bailee Sturgeon

On this episode of the Samson Strength Coach Collective, we sit down with Bailee Sturgeon, Coordinator of Certification and Education for the CSCCa. Bailee provides an inside look at the administrative side of strength and conditioning, explaining how certification, accreditation, continuing education, and conference planning all contribute to the profession's growth. She shares her journey from collegiate athlete to organizational leader, discusses the importance of mentorship and relationship building, and explains how maintaining high standards benefits coaches across the industry. Bailee also gives listeners an update on exciting initiatives coming from the CSCCa and encourages professionals to become more involved within the organization. Key Takeaways * How Bailee transitioned from athletics into organizational leadership. * What goes into maintaining the CSCCa certification process. * Why accreditation matters for the future of strength and conditioning. * The year-round work required to organize conferences and continuing education. * How strong relationships create opportunities throughout your career. * Advice for coaches interested in leadership and administrative roles. * New updates and opportunities available through the CSCCa. Quote: "It's always been about the people and giving back to the people... knowing what I do matters so much—not only to the strength coaches that matter to me, but also making sure the CSCCa certification maintains that gold standard." — Bailee Sturgeon

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