Guerry- If you get the time between now and Spring football, I think many of us would appreciate an in depth interview with Kyle Speer, our Director of Strength and Conditioning. Recognizing your competing responsibilities and interests, that may well be impossible, but I think it would be illuminating for us who are not as close to the program. Some of the former (and more recent
) Tulane athletes on this site could probably suggest better questions than I and I would certainly welcome any additions to the list I have compiled. But, if you get a chance to talk to Coach Speer, here are some of the questions I’d like answered:
1. You’ve been with Coach Fritz since the Sam Houston days. Obviously, as a former strength and conditioning coach himself, he appreciates the importance of your job. How much interaction do you have with him during the season? In the off-season? Or does he pretty much leave you alone?
2. Recent coaching staffs as they take jobs at Tulane have complained about the lack of strength on the team. One head coach claimed that only two players on the roster could bench press 400 pounds. Is that even a good measure of team strength? If so, how does today’s team stack up? If not, what do you consider a good measure? And how do you think we now stack up, strength-wise, against our peers in the AAC?
3. You’ve now been here for three years; which of the upperclassmen (juniors and seniors), from a strength and conditioning standpoint, have made the most improvement during that time in your view? How so?
4. How about Freshmen? Which of them, particularly among those who redshirted this past season, have made the most progress strength-wise?
5. How does your training program vary by position? In other words, what are the key exercises you focus on for linemen versus, say, wide receivers or defensive backs? What are you doing to increase the leg strength of our kickers?
6. Whose strength would surprise Tulane fans? Are there any "little" guys who are really strong for their size? Put another way, who, pound-for-pound, are the strongest players on the team?
7. Tulane is rebuilding and expanding its current strength and conditioning facility. How much input do you have on the design and the selection and purchase of equipment? What are the most important improvements needed to the old facility?
8. Can you compare the upgraded facility to the current one in terms of equipment and number of available training positions? How will it rate versus our peers in the AAC? And, will it be a positive in recruiting?
9. During construction and modification, will training be adversely affected? Will access be limited during the upgrade?
10. Tulane is also planning a unique altitude chamber to increase the endurance of athletes. How do you see that working into your conditioning regime?
Anyway, those are some initial ideas if you get a chance to interview Coach Speer.
Roll Wave!!!
) Tulane athletes on this site could probably suggest better questions than I and I would certainly welcome any additions to the list I have compiled. But, if you get a chance to talk to Coach Speer, here are some of the questions I’d like answered:1. You’ve been with Coach Fritz since the Sam Houston days. Obviously, as a former strength and conditioning coach himself, he appreciates the importance of your job. How much interaction do you have with him during the season? In the off-season? Or does he pretty much leave you alone?
2. Recent coaching staffs as they take jobs at Tulane have complained about the lack of strength on the team. One head coach claimed that only two players on the roster could bench press 400 pounds. Is that even a good measure of team strength? If so, how does today’s team stack up? If not, what do you consider a good measure? And how do you think we now stack up, strength-wise, against our peers in the AAC?
3. You’ve now been here for three years; which of the upperclassmen (juniors and seniors), from a strength and conditioning standpoint, have made the most improvement during that time in your view? How so?
4. How about Freshmen? Which of them, particularly among those who redshirted this past season, have made the most progress strength-wise?
5. How does your training program vary by position? In other words, what are the key exercises you focus on for linemen versus, say, wide receivers or defensive backs? What are you doing to increase the leg strength of our kickers?
6. Whose strength would surprise Tulane fans? Are there any "little" guys who are really strong for their size? Put another way, who, pound-for-pound, are the strongest players on the team?
7. Tulane is rebuilding and expanding its current strength and conditioning facility. How much input do you have on the design and the selection and purchase of equipment? What are the most important improvements needed to the old facility?
8. Can you compare the upgraded facility to the current one in terms of equipment and number of available training positions? How will it rate versus our peers in the AAC? And, will it be a positive in recruiting?
9. During construction and modification, will training be adversely affected? Will access be limited during the upgrade?
10. Tulane is also planning a unique altitude chamber to increase the endurance of athletes. How do you see that working into your conditioning regime?
Anyway, those are some initial ideas if you get a chance to interview Coach Speer.
Roll Wave!!!
