Roger Marandino steps down as head strength and conditioning coach at Brown

Brown Athletics Reports:

Providence, Rhode Island – Roger Marandino, the head strength and conditioning coach at Brown since 1995, has stepped down to become the first assistant strength and conditioning coach with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Marandino was responsible for the coordination of all strength and conditioning programs for Brown’s 37 varsity sports. He utilized a hands-on approach to assure that all players maintain peak physical conditioning to be able to play at the highest level possible. Marandino developed a lifting program for the Brown football team, helping the squad to three Ivy League Championships (1999, 2005, 2008) in his tenure.

Marandino, who was named the NSCA Collegiate S&C Professional of the Year for Division I in 2000, was a three-time, drug-free national power-lifting champion and is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS). Marandino earned his coach practitioner distinction from the NSCA in 2003. In addition, he is certified by the United States Weightlifting Federation as a Level I Olympic Weightlifting coach.

In 1997 and 2000, Marandino was chosen as the NSCA Strength and Conditioning Professional of the Year in the Ivy League. He has been a NSCA National Conference speaker, giving 10 presentations at NSCA conferences. He has had three articles published in the NSCA journal, and contributed to a video on using weightlifting combinations to train multiple sports.

A 1993 graduate of Kean College of New Jersey, Marandino earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Exercise Science and Adult Fitness, with a concentration in Exercise Physiology. He completed a strength and conditioning internship at the University of Pacific after graduation and then enrolled in the graduate school at the University of Connecticut in 1993. While working towards his Master’s of Education Degree in Sport Biomechanics, which he completed in May 1995, he served as assistant strength and conditioning coach for two years.

A national search will begin immediately.

For more information on the world of strength and conditioning visit Strength Performance Network.

Tips To Running A Faster 40 Yard Dash Time

Guest blog from:  Coach Gio, CSCS / Parisi Speed School / Fair Lawn, NJ

Running the 40 yard dash is a skill not a race. Most people just line up and go about running the 40, but do they really understand how to line up correctly and take off in the right manner? Well, we at the Parisi Speed School in Fair Lawn NJ understand every single aspect from 0-40; training over 1,000 athletes over the past decade and decreasing every single 40 yard dash time that came in through the door. Not only in high school athletes, but in college and pro as well.  Here I have 10 small tips on ways that can assist you in decreasing your 40 yard dash time:

1. 45 degree body angle
2. Horizontal shin angle
3. Explosive arm action
4. Chest up/hips forward
5. Toes pointed straight forward and up
6. Explosive 1^st step
7. Work your way from a 45 degree angle to up tall
8. Rotate only shoulder and hip joints (resist twisted torso and moving head while running)
9. Keep hands open and face muscles relaxed
10. Step over the opposite knee

Steps 1-6 are in the acceleration phase of the sprint.

Keep in mind that these tips are focal points and not drills.  Also keep in mind that corrective progression and program design will also allow for a better decrease in time than just going out and running regular sprints.

Running your 40 yard dash to achieve the best time is a skill that is developed over time using correct technique through proper training. That is what we do here at the Parisi Speed School in Fair Lawn, NJ. Running your 40 yard dash at a fast pace is the best way to run it, but is it the most efficient way of doing it? With incorrect technique and just running a 40 at your fastest way possible can cost you the smallest amount of seconds that can cost you BIG TIME, and if you’re looking to get into the pro’s, it can cost you MILLIONS OF DOLLARS in a contract. Think about it, the more you train on correcting your technique on running a greater 40 yard dash time, ultimately can decrease your time and get you looks from the next level (college or pro). Let’s do the math: If you can decrease .005 of a second every week you train, and you train for 16 weeks, you have just knocked off .08 from your 40 yard time. BIG NUMBERS. Why? Well, say you ran a 4.55 before training, after 16 weeks you knocked your time down to a 4.47! HUGE DECREASE! If you don’t think that the decreased time was huge, well think again, because those guys that are doing the recruiting in the NFL and for colleges will notice a .08 difference in 2 different athletes of the same position.

For more information from the world of strength and conditioning, visit Strength Performance Network.

College Coach’s Choice Award: Down to the Top 5 Finalists!

Click here to vote for this year’s winner

Strength Performance, LLC today announced the Top 5 finalists for the 2011 Strength Performance College Coach’s Choice Award.  The top 5 finalists, nominated by their peers, and listed in no particular order are:

• Tommy Moffitt:  Louisiana State University
• Donnie Sommer:  Texas Christian University
• Ike Hammerly:  William Penn University
• Kaz Kazadi:  Baylor University
• Andrea Hudy:  University of Kansas

As the only award given to a strength and conditioning coach who is both nominated and ultimately voted on by fellow strength and conditioning professionals, the Strength Performance College Coach’s Choice Award sets itself apart from others by enabling professionals in the industry to recognize one of their own for outstanding performance in a given academic year.

“The participation during the nomination phase of the College Coach’s Choice Award was fantastic,” said David Harris, co-founder of Strength Performance, LLC.  “Strength and conditioning professionals are excited to have a forum through which they can recognize colleagues for their positive impact on the strength and conditioning industry, the evolution of the profession and the development of coaches and athletes alike.  The Top 5 finalists have made a career of striving for excellence and should be congratulated.”

ABOUT THE AWARD:

The 2011 Strength Performance College Coach’s Choice Award will be awarded to a college or university strength and conditioning coach in recognition of his or her achievement as a strength and conditioning professional and dedication to his or her current institution’s athletic program and athletes during the 2010-2011 academic year.  Nominees must be a current NCAA Division I, II, III, or NAIA Head/Director/Assistant strength and conditioning coach.

Brian Harris, co-founder of Strength Performance, LLC, said, “We’re constantly looking for ways to continue the positive evolution of the strength and conditioning profession,” adding:  “There’s simply no greater honor than to be recognized by one’s colleagues.  Thus, it seemed natural for the industry to have an award that could be given to an outstanding strength and conditioning professional as recognized by his or her peers.  The Strength Performance College Coach’s Choice Award will enable this recognition to take place on an annual basis.”

Nominations were made online and accepted through July 6, 2011.  Only members of Strength Performance Network were eligible to make a nomination.  Strength Performance’s staff reviewed all nominations and announced the 5 finalists for the Award on July 11, 2011.  Members of Strength Performance Network are now eligible to vote online for one of the five finalists July 11, 2011 through August 31, 2011.  The finalist that receives the most member votes will win the Award.  This year’s Award winner will be announced September 2, 2011 on Strength Performance Network.

NOTE:  When considering nominees attention was given to:

• 2010-2011 on-court/field competitive record of athletic team(s) coached by the nominee
• New/unique strength and conditioning programs implemented during the 2010-2011 academic year
• Stories expressing the personal impact a coach had on an athlete or athletes during the 2010-2011 academic year
• Examples of leadership as demonstrated through the development of a strength and conditioning staff and related program
• Influence on the evolution of the strength and conditioning profession (through speaking engagements, articles/books published, technical innovations developed, etc.)

About the Award

The 2011 Strength Performance College Coach’s Choice Award will be awarded to a college or university Strength and Conditioning Coach in recognition of his or her achievement as a strength and conditioning professional and dedication to his or her current institution’s athletic program and athletes during the 2010-2011 academic year.

Nominees must be a current NCAA Division I, II, III, or NAIA Head/Director/Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach.

The Strength Performance College Coach’s Choice Award is the only award given to a strength and conditioning coach who is both nominated and ultimately voted on by fellow strength and conditioning professionals.  Nominations were made online and accepted through July 6, 2011. Only members of Strength Performance Network were eligible to make a nomination.

Strength Performance Network’s staff will review all nominations and announce 5 finalists for the Award on July 11, 2011.  Members of Strength Performance Network will then be eligible to vote online for one of the five finalists from July 11, 2011 through August 31, 2011.

The finalist that receives the most member votes will win the Award.  This year’s Award winner will be announced September 2, 2011 on Strength Performance Network.

Download Press Release

Dynavision Sports Hires National Business Development Specialist

Cincinnati – Tuesday, June 28, 2011 – Dynavision Sports has hired Dan Sellers as a national business development specialist. Effective immediately, Dan’s job is to accelerate the integration of Dynavision technology throughout professional, collegiate and youth athletic programs across the country.

Dan Sellers attended the University of Cincinnati on an athletic scholarship, going on to play six years of professional football with multiple CFL teams and the NFL New York Jets. He also has more than a decade and a half of experience in the corporate business development field, working for companies like Panasonic and Multivista.  In 2005, he started his own company, Diversified Facility Solutions LLC, where he continues to provide an array of services to clients including Wells Fargo, Frito Lay, Macy’s Department Stores and more.  Dan was even invited to the White house by President Bush in 2003 to participate in the first meeting of the Urban Entrepreneur Partnership.

Dan says that while he’s done well in his career, he’s looking forward to getting back to his athletic roots in his new role, and merging his passions for sports and business at Dynavision.

For more than 20 years, Dynavision has developed training and evaluation devices to improve performance and rehabilitation for athletes everywhere. Dynavision recently released two state-of-the-art training systems – the I-SPAN and the D2 – both of which Dan will be responsible for selling. The I-SPAN provides scoring capabilities for agility, explosive reaction time, speed and other forms of movement, while the D2 tracks and improves reaction time, peripheral awareness, hand-eye coordination, and other visual-motor skills.

“Dan understands the value of our devices throughout the athletic realm,” Mark Hallis, CMO of Dynavision Sports said. “His background as an accomplished athlete and business professional makes him the ideal person to perpetuate the growth of Dynavision. We are lucky to have him on board.”

Dynavision technology can be found at Gatorade Sport Science Institute, IMG Performance Institute, University of Cincinnati, Baylor University, University of Central Florida, WestPoint, Air Force Academy, NASCAR Racer Kasey Kahne’s facility and countless other athletic programs across the nation.

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For more information, please visit: http://www.dynavisiond2.com/index.php

For more information from the world of strength and conditioning, visit Strength Performance Network.

 

Oklahoma State To Begin Construction On Sherman E. Smith Center

Oklahoma State University will begin construction on the Sherman E. Smith Training Center approximately Aug. 1, 2011.

Story from:  http://www.okstate.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/062111aaa.html

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State Director of Athletics Mike Holder has announced that the University will begin construction on the Sherman E. Smith Training Center, the school’s indoor practice facility, approximately August 1, 2011.

Work has already begun on the new grass and turf practice fields that will be located adjacent to the Smith Center and just north of Boone Pickens Stadium. The approximate cost for the new indoor facility will be $16 million, with the practice fields and surrounding fencing to be completed for $3 million.

The Smith Center and practice fields will be the latest of several new dynamic athletic facilities that rise above Hall of Fame Avenue in Stillwater. The Smith Center, Gallagher-Iba Arena and Boone Pickens Stadium will compose one of the finest athletic footprints in the country.

“Sherman Smith was a good friend of mine,” Holder said. “His relationship with Boone Pickens dates back to the 1940s. They shared the same birthday, were in the same fraternity and had a business relationship.”

Sherman Smith passed away on June 6, 2011.

“It’s fitting that two of the most important structures for OSU Athletics will be across the street from each other and will bear the names of Sherman Smith and Boone Pickens,” Holder added.

Smith’s gift for OSU’s practice facility was originally termed an endowment.

“We owe another thank you to the Smith family,” Holder said. “They have allowed us to use their gift for the construction of the indoor facility. Boone Pickens has made a testamentary gift that will provide for the endowment of the facility.”

OSU is continuing to fundraise for the practice fields project.

Click here for pictures of the Sherman Smith Center from OSUAthletics on Flickr.

For more information from the world of strength and conditioning, visit Strength Performance Network.

Overhead Lifting Considerations

Check out today’s blog from Strength Performance Network member Matt Siniscalchi

Even though I consider the typical “shoulder” day ridiculous, in my opinion there are many ways to do certain overhead lifts properly (aka not seated) to keep a person’s shoulder safe.  Typically, the best athletes generate the most force through their lower extremity whether it is sprinter, baseball player throwing a ball, soccer playing kicking a ball, or a football player creating power from  his feet to lay a hit.  Basically, the legs are the powerhouse to produce the power in athletic movements.  So onto the considerations that I have learned about over the year or so…

Shoulder presses should at least be performed standing for a variety of reasons

• 1) In the above statement I put, athletes produce force from the ground up and the general population sits too much anyway.
• 2) Seated presses (unless there is some type of lower extremity injury) can restrict optimal muscle activity–seated can restrict the range of motions at the scapula-thoracic/gleno-humeral joint
• 3) Pinning the scapula back on the bench can alter the scapular-humeral rhythm which is paramount for safe overhead lifting movements–(heard this from Robert Paniarello PT)
• 4) This lack of rhythm will lead to screwed up muscle force couples and stabilizers.. Meaning that the deltoids are going to get overworked and the scapular stabilizers, underworked–we know that these stabilizers need to work optimally in conjunction with the deltoid to create safe overhead movements (a main reason why people may have problems with overhead pressing in the first place)

Another interesting tidbit is to test for the extensibility of someone’s latissimus dorsi..you know, the one in which every guy thinks he has huge shoulders and walks around like this guy.

If you walk around like this, you might not be able to get you arm overhead

The latissimus dorsi has a huge attachment  through the throacolumbar fascia from the lower 6 thoracic spinous processes, all the lumbar spinous processes, down to the sacrum and iliac crest.  This allows the muscle to affect the lumbopelvic alignment.  Sahrmann describes these compensatory patterns in her book, so that a short lat (as the arm is raised overhead) will cause an extension force, tilting the pelvis anteriorly.  Even if the lat is not short, there is a possibility that the abdominals are not stiff enough to resist the extension at the lumbar spine as the arm is overhead (relative flexibility). This is another case why we need to work on muscle tissue all the time.  Looking at the test below, if the girl were to extend at the lumbar spine while getting her wrist closer to the floor, this would be an example of the lat possibly being short or stiff.

Lat test goal= to get wrist to floor without lumbar extension

These are just some considerations to look for in order to keep the shoulders safe.  Another quick consideration when shoulder pressing with DB’s is to press with the palms facing each other which allows more space in the shoulder joint to get overhead.

For more information from the world of strength and conditioning, visit Strength Performance Network.

Strength Performance 2011 College Coach’s Choice Award

Nominate those who inspire you to become a better athlete…..

The 2011 Strength Performance College Coach’s Choice Award will be awarded to a college or university Strength and Conditioning Coach in recognition of his or her achievement as a strength and conditioning professional and dedication to his or her current institution’s athletic program and athletes during the 2010-2011 academic year.

Nominations are now being accepted below. Nominees must be a current NCAA Division I, II, III, or NAIA Head/Director/Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach.  All nominations will be accepted through July 6, 2011.

NOTE:  When considering nominees attention will be given to:

• 2010-2011 on-court/field competitive record of athletic team(s) coached by the nominee
• New/unique strength and conditioning programs implemented during the 2010-2011 academic year
• Stories expressing the personal impact a coach had on an athlete or athletes during the 2010-2011 academic year
• Examples of leadership as demonstrated through the development of a strength and conditioning staff and related program
• Influence on the evolution of the strength and conditioning profession (through speaking engagements, articles/books published, technical innovations developed, etc.)

Click HERE to visit Strength Performance Network and nominate your inspiration.

About the Award

The 2011 Strength Performance College Coach’s Choice Award will be awarded to a college or university Strength and Conditioning Coach in recognition of his or her achievement as a strength and conditioning professional and dedication to his or her current institution’s athletic program and athletes during the 2010-2011 academic year.

Nominees must be a current NCAA Division I, II, III, or NAIA Head/Director/Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach.

The Strength Performance College Coach’s Choice Award is the only award given to a strength and conditioning coach who is both nominated and ultimately voted on by fellow strength and conditioning professionals.  Nominations can be made online and will be accepted through July 6, 2011. Only members of Strength Performance Network are eligible to make a nomination.

Strength Performance Network’s staff will review all nominations and announce 5 finalists for the Award on July 11, 2011.  Members of Strength Performance Network will then be eligible to vote online for one of the five finalists from July 11, 2011 through August 31, 2011.

The finalist that receives the most member votes will win the Award.  This year’s Award winner will be announced September 2, 2011 on Strength Performance Network.

Institute of Sports Sciences and Medicine kicks off at Florida State

From FSU Athletics, Director of Strength and Conditioning Jon Jost, right, an adviser to the new Institute of Sports Sciences and Medicine, assists graduate student Brandon Sanders, who is pursuing a master's degree in exercise science with a focus on sports sciences.

Florida State University experts in medicine, exercise science, nutrition, sports psychology and athletic training have partnered with one of the nation’s premier sports medicine and orthopedic treatment centers to establish the Institute of Sports Sciences and Medicine (ISSM), a public-private collaboration that spells good news for millions of athletes of all ages.

Based at Florida State, the institute will lead interdisciplinary research and educational outreach programs focused on the development of elite-level athletic and human performance — including an emphasis on long-term health and the prevention and treatment of athletic injuries such as concussions.

A formidable team, the ISSM links a top-tier research university and sports powerhouse with distinguished sports medicine physicians atTallahassee Orthopedic Clinic, which has provided comprehensive orthopedic health care for more than 35 years.

“Our institute’s focus is the end users — athletes of all ages — and all its activities will be designed to directly benefit them by promoting peak performance and optimal health,” said ISSM director Mark J. Kasper, a faculty member in FSU’s Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences. “Our research and outreach efforts will target the general public as well as the medical and scientific communities.”

Under construction is a state-of-the-art Human Performance Laboratory that will house the ISSM research and programs. Located near the Florida State University track-and-field complex, the laboratory is slated for completion by fall. Then, research will become a key part of the game plan.

Among the forthcoming projects:

• Physicians from Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic will lead a study of “autologous conditioned plasma” — also known as platelet-rich plasma — which may help to speed the healing of persistent tendon injuries. To obtain the plasma, a patient’s blood is drawn and spun to separate the platelet-rich portion from the red blood cells. The platelet-rich plasma is then injected back into the patient at the injury site. While some U.S. sports-medicine doctors are already performing the procedure, it is still considered experimental.
• Kasper will develop a database for athletes — especially those at the high school level — to track the incidence and prevalence of injuries and other chronic conditions over time as athletes age.
• For medical students interested in sports sciences and medicine, Dr. Daniel Van Durme, chairman of the FSU College of Medicine’s Department of Family Medicine and Rural Health, is developing ISSM mentoring opportunities that will include summer research fellowships and research electives during the fall and spring semesters.

“The rural, minority, elderly and other underserved populations with which College of Medicine students work may particularly benefit from the institute’s efforts to better understand and improve exercise behaviors,” Van Durme said.

When it comes to the practical application of cutting-edge sports medicine research, FSU Intercollegiate Athletics Director Randy Spetman predicts an international role for the institute and an invaluable one closer to home.

“We are very pleased that our outstanding student-athletes will have the opportunity to work within this innovative program and benefit from an association with world-class experts in the sports-medicine field,” said Spetman, a key member of the ISSM team along with Athletics’ award-winning strength and conditioning coach, Jon Jost.

Institute partner Dr. Tom C. Haney of Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic has a long association with Florida State University — as a former student (B.S., biological science, 1964), a courtesy professor in the College of Human Sciences, and in his work as FSU team physician from 1975 to 2009.

“All of our TOC physicians have published research articles in the past, but the demands of our orthopedic practices make it very difficult to pursue our research ideas,” Haney said. “Now, the Institute of Sports Sciences and Medicine gives us a rare, wonderful opportunity to work with FSU professors and students on beneficial research in areas of mutual interest.”

In addition to Kasper, institute leaders at Florida State include associate directors Angela Sehgal and Michele Garber, athletic trainers in the College of Human Sciences. Joining institute partner Spetman and advisors Jost (Athletics) and Van Durme (College of Medicine) is College of Education Professor Robert C. Eklund, an internationally recognized expert in sports psychology. From Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic, CEO Martin Shipman joins Drs. Haney and Steve E. Jordan as institute partners.

To learn more about the research and educational outreach programming envisioned for the Institute of Sports Sciences and Medicine, contact Kasper at mkasper@fsu.edu or (850) 644-1829.

For more information on the world of strength and conditioning, visit Strength Performance Network.

Cam Newton Workout Highlights

Highlights of 2011 NFL #1 draft pick Cam Newton’s workout in front of the media.

Muskego Coach Receives Recognition

By Denise Konkol

URL:  http://muskego.patch.com/articles/muskego-coach-receives-recognition

Muskego High School’s strength and conditioning program fueled and formed by coach’s passion

When you meet Muskego High School’s Coach Mike Nitka, there’s no mistaking he’s a focused and dedicated man: His handshake is firm, his eyes lock onto yours when he talks, and he speaks directly, yet passionately, about his involvement with his students.

For the past 35 years, Nitka has taught physical education and health at MHS and coached football and wrestling. Now, Nitka can add Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach, Emeritus (RSCC, *E) to his list of achievements. He is the only high school coach to ever achieve this title, which exemplifies the standards for coaching excellence. It is one of the highest distinctions awarded by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) – the world’s largest health and fitness association with 45,000 members worldwide.

Out of the 125 coaches listed on the NSCA’s strength and conditioning coach registry who are eligible for the RSCC, *E title, Nitka is one of only nine coaches to receive it.  Coaches must have more than 20 years experience, hold a degree in a recognized exercise science discipline, be a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist^®(CSC^®), and maintain current CPR certification.

Nitka earned the recognition in part from his ongoing efforts with Muskego High School’s co-ed strength and conditioning program that he conceived, developed and fine-tuned over the course of 30 years. Three years ago, he started the application process for the Strength of America Award, which is co-sponsored by the NSCA and the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition.  The award recognizes programs that represent the gold standard in strength and conditioning, and in 2010, Nitka’s program at Muskego High School won it.

That Muskego High School was selected the winner from hundreds of eligible schools across the country is notable.  “I’m really proud of what we have here,” says Nitka. “Our program’s not good; it’s incredible.”

Led by Coach Nitka to improve MHS’s curriculum, the strength and conditioning program went from a “workout room” to eventually become a year-round endeavor of progressive, 12-week sessions that build on athletes’ knowledge and skills over a four-year period. Students must commit to complete each session (only two misses are allowed) before progressing on to the next.

Most coaches of the high school’s athletic teams incorporate the strength and conditioning program into their sport’s season.  “It develops the athlete’s quickness and power and gives the team what they need to compete,” Nitka says.  “I’ve had other coaches tell me that they don’t necessarily have the fastest kid on the field, but they do have the fastest team. And it’s showing in our team scores.”

As an elite member of the NSCA, Nitka finds himself in the company of the best minds in the industry on which he can draw. He regularly collaborates with fellow NSCA registry and association members, and with coaches at the university and professional sports level, such as Arizona State University, the Miami Dolphins, and the Chicago White Sox, to name a few.

Nitka himself is also an authority.  He speaks at conferences around the world as an NSCA delegate, has twice served on the NSCA board of directors, and been a member of three strategic planning committees. He admits he’s been approached by the Bucks, Packers and Colts for advice and has even been offered positions.  However, Nitka’s niche – and heart – is with high school athletes, both male and female.

His dream?  To create an all-female strength and conditioning program that addresses their unique needs.  With no sign of retiring yet, Coach Nitka just might make that happen.

For more information on the world of strength and conditioning, visit Strength Performance Network.