Univ. of Florida Strength & Conditioning Clinic

I just returned from the University of Florida Strength and Conditioning Clinic in Gainsville and was impressed with the topics, speakers and class of the whole staff. The clinic took place on Friday and Saturday. On Friday the Strength and Conditioning staff has an in-service session that covered Neck Training, Plyometrics, Functional Exercise Variations,Training with Machines, and Agility Ladder Work.

The clininc was attended by about 250 coaches, athletic trtainers, physical therapist, strength and conditioning coaches. Coach Marotti and his staff did an outstanding job of running this two-day event. The Saturday speakers included, Susan Tillman, Clinical Coordinator from Shands Rehab, Kurt Schultz, Strength and Conditioning from Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dr. Ted Lambrinides, Director of Performance from Sports+Field, Michelle Rockwell, U. Florida Sports Nutritioninst, and Lon Record, Football Strength and Conditioning Coach for Florida International University.

The thing I enjoyed the most about this clinic was seeing all the guys that have worked together under Coach Marotti at University of Cincinnati and University of Notre Dame. The list includes Mike Vorkapich, currently working with men and women's hockey and basketball at Michigam State. Scott Holsopple, currently working with basketball at University of Kentucky. Lon Record, curently working with football at Florida International University. Frank Piraino and Sergio Lund, currently working football with Coach Marotti at U of F.

It was awesome spending time with the guys that I came up in the field with during the past 13 years. Ideas where exchanged, theories questioned and everyone called out. But one thing was made very evident. That as the field continues to grow and new methods of training are flitered into all these young up and coming coaches, the one constant is that athletics is about mental toughness, increased work capacity and putting it on the line every day for your team. It reinforced all the things we do at St. X as we pay the price everyday as we try to win another state title.

Good luck to all the basketball guys as you go into the tournament next week. Great to see all of you.