Samson Strength Coach Collective

Conner Freeland, Vice President of Municipal Sales at O2X Human Performance, joins the Samson Strength Coach Collective to discuss how relationships have defined every stage of his career—from the weight room to business leadership. A career-altering back injury redirected his focus to coaching, sparking a passion for helping others move, perform, and recover. Conner reflects on developing athlete buy-in, teaching recovery in tactical populations, and how mentorship and servant leadership continue to guide his approach to building people and programs. Key Takeaways: * A major injury led Conner to discover his passion for coaching. * Recovery and simplicity often create the greatest progress. * Buy-in starts with authenticity, humility, and consistency. * Servant leadership connects coaching and business development. * Mentorship and curiosity fuel long-term professional growth. * Tactical coaching requires empathy, recovery education, and adaptability. * Great leaders build people through relationships, not authority. * Leaving every role or program better than you found it defines success. Quote: “OK, now what do I do? I need to rehab. I need to like… get back to be able to just squat and move again, like what do I do? And it was kind of going through that rehab process with the ATs, the PTs, the docs, strength coaches—getting that one-on-one attention. It was really cool to see that you can make substantial progress even from an injury, to get back to moving well. That became an avenue for me to stay in sports and provide value to others the same way others had poured into me.” — Conner Freeland

In this episode, tactical strength and conditioning coach Mark Christiani talks about his transition from military service to coaching and the lessons learned along the way. He discusses how structure and adaptability from military life translate to strength coaching, why the Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness initiative demands better preparation for coaches, and how the field can grow through mentorship and structured internships. Key Takeaways • Tactical S&C needs structured internship pipelines. • Military discipline and adaptability improve coaching. • The Army has hundreds of unfilled coaching roles. • Nutrition and education drive soldier readiness. • Mentorship is key for young coaches entering tactical S&C. • Collaboration between collegiate and military coaches boosts effectiveness. Quote “But in the tactical setting, I think we need to develop some sort of internship pipeline. Specifically talking about the military right now, the Army has hundreds and hundreds of jobs that will be coming available in the next five years… but there’s no experiential internship for young coaches to get geared in that direction.” — Mark Christiani

S02|E226 Real Education in Strength Coaching with Dr. Justin Lima | Samson Strength Coach Collective On this edition of the Samson Strength Coach Collective, host Connor Agnew speaks with Dr. Justin Lima, high-performance consultant and owner of Strength Coach Network. Justin shares his career across the B1G, ACC, Ivy League, and CAA, and how Strength Coach Network transformed his coaching knowledge and personal growth. We cover why the most valuable education often happens outside the classroom, how to balance time management with coaching demands, and the role of honesty, spirituality, and ethics in the profession. Justin also explains how Strength Coach Network supports coaches with CEUs, webinars, and career resources. ⸻ Topics Covered: • Real education vs. classroom education in coaching • How Strength Coach Network supports coaches • Why coaches must train themselves • Time management and productivity in coaching • Honesty and candor in the profession • Spirituality and personal growth as foundations for coaching • Ethical challenges in product promotion • Building meaningful relationships in strength coaching ⸻ Keywords: strength coaching, education, experience, time management, ethics, Strength Coach Network, personal growth, relationships, athletic performance

In this special episode, Connor Agnew speaks with Mike Campagna, Financial Advisor and Senior Qualified Plans Specialist, about developing financial wellness. The conversation covers essential money habits, from budgeting and tracking expenses to tackling high-interest debt and starting retirement savings early. Mike emphasizes removing shame from financial discussions, being kind to yourself during setbacks, and making small, consistent improvements over time. Drawing parallels between financial discipline and athletic training, he offers actionable strategies to help strength coaches and young professionals take control of their financial futures. Key Takeaways * Start building financial habits early, just like fitness. * Automate savings to make it easier to save money. * Track your spending to identify areas for improvement. * Focus on paying off high-interest debt first. * Don’t let lifestyle inflation consume income increases. * Retirement savings should start as early as possible. * Be kind to yourself when facing financial setbacks. * Use budgeting tools to categorize and visualize expenses. * Consider refinancing student loans for better rates. * Work with a fiduciary financial advisor for personalized guidance. Quote "When approaching all of this stuff, be kind to yourself... A slip up doesn’t mean you quit. The same thing with your financial health—get back on the wagon and keep going." — Mike Campagna

On this edition of the Samson Strength Coach Collective, we sit down with Abbey Phillipson, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for Adaptive Sport and Head ParaPowerlifting Coach at the University of Michigan. Abbey shares her journey as an athlete with a disability and her path to becoming a leader in adaptive sports. She discusses why strength training principles apply universally, the misconceptions about adaptive sports, and the competitive drive of adaptive athletes. Abbey also talks about founding Michigan’s ParaPowerlifting team and the importance of testing, data collection, and long-term investment in adaptive sports. Key Takeaways * Strength and conditioning principles do not change for adaptive sports. * Abbey founded the first collegiate para powerlifting team at the University of Michigan. * Misconceptions about adaptive sports often stem from lack of understanding. * Strength training is essential for improving quality of life for athletes with disabilities. * Adaptive sports are highly competitive and empower athletes just like able-bodied sports. * Institutional investment in adaptive sports remains limited and needs improvement. * Testing and data collection are crucial—“If you’re not testing, you’re guessing.” Quote “Then we're creating the narrative that kids with disabilities, people who acquire disabilities, the normal is that you play sports. The normal is that you go to the gym. The normal is that you are living life like any other person.” – Abbey Phillipson