Success in athletics relies on all parts doing their jobs, but working together cohesively.
“The strength coach knows what a blitz is, but he ain’t coordinating the defense.
The sport coach knows what a squat is and feels the need to dictate the strength coaches implementation of them?
If lanes didn’t serve a purpose, I’d reckon they wouldn’t paint them on the road.”
-Ray Zingler on X
We’re hardly 3 weeks into the college football season, and just like there is every year, there is chirping going on about strength coaches.
Most notably Sonny Dykes of TCU throwing shade at his strength staff, blaming them for the Week 1 loss, comparing his exhausted players who “couldn’t play every snap” to the phenom anomaly who is Travis Hunter (dang is that dude fun to watch).
“We take a lot of pride in Strength & Conditioning and Nutrition, and they just didn’t come through for us, today” was the quote.
This was disgusting for him to say, not only out of disrespect for his strength staff (who, mind you, is one of the best in America) and lack of personal leadership via ownership of the loss as the Head Coach, but for failure to understand that S&C, while a major part, is only a part of the process.
Process is the key word here. Processes take place over cumulative periods of time. They aren’t localized events.
Could it be that it was the first game of the season, temperatures were extreme, adrenaline was at an all-time high, and it was a dogfight to the very end in which your players were giving everything they had to give?
Could it have been the lack of fatigue management during practices in the week(s) leading up to the game (process = cumulative periods of time, remember). This coach was also caught bragging about practicing extensively during some of the most historically hot temperatures in DFW history and how a player lost 17 pounds in a single practice.
Could trying to build “mental toughness” (and failing) contributed to a lack of physical preparedness on the stage where it matters most, the actual game?
I understand the Head Coach is the leader of the organization and he should have some input on his strength staff, expectations, style of play, and etc. I am not arguing any of that.
But if as a sport coach you want to have a hand in the performance side, you must understand fundamental physiological demands of sport and understand it’s not a one size fits all concept.
In summary, as the leader, always own the fall and let qualified people do their jobs.
It generally works out best for all involved.
