| | Facility Links | STRENGTH & CONDITIONING STAFF |
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| Director of Strength & Conditioning | Bob Lemieux | rlemieux@kent.edu | | Football Strength & Conditioning Coach | | | | Assistant Strength & Conditioning | Rhen Vail | rvail@kent.edu | | Graduate Assistant | Justin VanDusen | jvandus@kent.edu | | Graduate Assistant | Mary Catherine (MC) Powers | mpower19@kent.edu | | Graduate Assistant | Sean Lockwood | slockwo4@kent.edu |
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Mission and Philosophy:
The Mission of the program is to change the culture of the athletic department’s student athletes both physically and mentally, and to develop the total athlete by focusing on three areas.
1. Increase an athlete’s performance; To be Faster, Stronger and more Explosive.
2. Reduce the risk of or severity of an athletic related injury.
3. Increase both Physical and Mental toughness.
The Strength and Conditioning Coach has the greatest potential to change the culture of the athletics department both physically and mentally due to the amount of time they spend with a student athlete throughout the year. The program develops athletes both physically and mentally for practice and competition using discipline and strong work ethic. Student-athletes are provided with training programs to match the demands of each sport and no two programs are the same. The Golden Flashes have opportunities to train out of two weight rooms on campus. The Field House Weight Room houses Football, Field hockey, Soccer, Baseball, Softball and the Track and Field Program and the MAC Center Weight room houses Men's and Women's Basektball, Volleyball, Wrestling, Gymnastics and the Men's and Women's Golf Programs.
The Program follows a “Fix them, Teach Them, Train them” mentality:
Each program starts with making sure an athlete is prepared for activity by fixing any mobility or stability deficiencies they may have during a team warm-up. Using mobility exercises and dynamic flexibility prior to a training session with help “fix” their bodies. This will prepare them for optimal training sessions, practices and competition.
Teaching athletes how to use free weights and Olympic lifts will require mental focus, balance and coordination, thus developing those characteristics and then carried over to a given playing surface. Showing them how to move better through proper speed, agility and plyometric exercises will have an immediate impact on competing in a faster, stronger and more explosive manner and reducing the risk for injury.
Training and conditioning with learned exercises prepares one to endure practices and competitions so that fatigue is not a distraction or limiting factor when competing at the highest level. Physical and mental toughness is developed when an athlete begins to doubt the ability to finish activities due to fatigue. Making the choice to push through and persevere at this time results in the same ability to push through and prevail in similar practice or game situations.
Great Effort & Attitude are expected at every training session in order to train and compete at the highest level. This sets the tone for a successful training environment and is essential for building team chemistry. A positive attitude is just as contagious as a negative one and can provide the spark for a successful team building environment and the ability to Finish Strong.
