Last blog I covered my first three points on what to expect as a strength and conditioning intern. This blog will cover my next 3 points to help you prepare for your internship, and to help you become the best strength coach possible. Now I know by all means I still have much to learn, but this is all advice I believe every new intern needs.
4. This is possibly the most important point I can make. LISTEN TO YOUR MENTOR! Any of your full time staff you are learning under did not get to where they are by happenstance. They worked their butt off just like you are right now. They have put in the hours of grunt work, cleaning barbells, wiping off the floor from chalk, changing weights for athletes and then standing there as an observer. Listen to what they tell the athletes, how they communicate with you as well as administration. They have more to offer to you than you could possibly imagine. If you are lucky enough to get an internship like the one I had, the mentor will be your best friend. Often times all you have to do is ask and they will help you as much as they possibly can. If they are busy at that moment they will get back to you. Their job is not only to develop athletes, but develop you as a better coach.
When I said you don’t know anything, just spend 5 minutes talking shop with your mentor to realize how much you still have to learn. A quick meeting will open your eyes to how much can be done with athletes, and all the little subtleties that go into being a great S&C coach. I was lucky with my mentor to get someone who has been coaching at a very high level for a very long time. Try to find a mentor like that and soak up everything you can from them. This includes all the good, and the bad.
5. With the grunt work I spoke of earlier, take pride in every single job you are given. If you are told to be a spotter, be the best spotter in the weight room. If you are asked to clean the weight room from floor to ceiling, you make sure that room is spotless. As you do this your mentor will see your work, and slowly give you more responsibilities. The more responsibilities you have, no matter how low you think they are, the more trust you have earned. If your mentor can not trust you with these little task, they will never be able to trust you with a team of your own, or running a workout. Take these little task head on with pride, and make them your own. These are character building, and also a good experience if you ever want to run your own program.
6. READ EVERY SINGLE DAY! There are several ways to become a better coach, but reading is one of the best ways to enhance your skills as a coach. There are countless books, articles, blogs, and journals about strength coaching out there. All you have to do is look. When reading it does not have to be specifically about training, or coaching styles. It can be as simple as a business book on how to deal with people, or a self help book to improve yourself. The point is to read something that will make you better each and every day. Remember “Leaders are readers.”
There are many great resources out there for reading
o Elitefts.com
o T-nation.com
o Essentials of Strength Training & Conditioning (Textbook)
o Strength & Conditioning journal
Are just a few to start with. Start with these and follow leads to find even more text.
Next blog will wrap up my three part series on preparing for your strength and conditioning internship.
Reference:
Bruno, B. (2012, August 6). Tips For Your Strength and Conditioning Internship. Retrieved May 29, 2016, from http://benbruno.com/2012/08/strength-and-conditioning-internships/
Martin, T. (2015, May 16). What to Expect as a Strength and Conditioning Intern. Retrieved May 29, 2016, from http://www.elitefts.com/education/coaching-education/what-to-expect-as-a-strength-and-conditioning-intern/
Schumacher, E. (2011). Internships From An Intern’s Perspective. Retrieved May 29, 2016, from https://coachbrough.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/internships-from-an-interns-perspective/
Dillon great blog! Really enjoyed how you included the importance of reading everyday. I believe that in our field we must read everyday not only to stay ahead of the competitors, but also to keep ourselves up to date on the latest research. Can't wait to hear more S&C information from you!
ReplyDeleteI think this is great information for anyone who is considering completing any kind of internship! Internships can be amazing opportunities, but they do require work in order to get results. I enjoyed reading this!
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