The strength and conditioning program at Saint Viator is one of the athletic highlights of the school, and the presence of a full-time strength coach has been a huge contribution to this factor. Many students have made lifting and agility training a priority due to the excellent program put together by the on-staff strength coach. But now, and for the past five months, Saint Viator has not had a strength coach.
Following the departure of head strength and conditioning coach Alex Nadolna, there has been a gap of time when no coach is running a full time strength and conditioning program. For this time, the duty has fallen upon each individual sports team to run their own lifting regimen to stay competitive on the field. Opportunities within the weight room have also slimmed, with fewer open gym times for all athletes to utilize. However, amongst the darkness shines a light of hope: a new hiree ready to take over and optimize the strength programs.
While the candidate is currently unnamed, they have already begun some basic pre-entry work to prepare to inherit the program prior to their rumored start after the first semester.
“They are here now…to do some testing with the student-athletes so they can prepare workouts,” said athletic director Mr. Jason Kuffel.
Some of that testing includes a Google form sent out to provide information for the new “Director of Strength and Conditioning,” the position’s official title. Other than this, little more than rumors have surfaced regarding the mysterious candidate. One detail is nearly certain, however: the new coach should be starting their term at the beginning of next year, most likely in January.
Expectations are high for the new strength coach following the excellent program run in the past. Many students have noted that their athletic success has come from their time in the Murphy Wellness center.
“[The strength program] has made me a much better football player due to the explosiveness, power, and agility I was able to develop,” said sophomore Aleks Paskiewicz.
“[It has] been able to…[help me] develop my muscles,” said senior Jack Raclaw.
The strength program is a cornerstone of the physical development of Viator athletes and has been instrumental to previous athletic success. The new strength coach has large shoes to fill with the program’s previous success at developing athletes, but judging by the new coach’s proactive approach, our athletes are in good hands.