FAST in a Flash
Morgan Leonard
Peoria, Arizona
Exercise Science
Leadership Track
Internship at Foothills Acceleration Sport Training (FAST)
For my EDGE project I received an internship opportunity at a training facility called FAST that started in May of 2017 and ended in August of 2017. I was able to work along side with experts in the field I am studying as a performance specialists intern. With this I was able to shadow and interact with FAST team members and learn what they did on a daily basis. Working 8 hours a day shadowing, learning and then implementing that knowledge, I soon ran workouts alone. I got to showcase my talent and ability by writing the programs for the athletes based on their sport, and then supervising and helping them perform their respective workouts. The sports I was able to work with include football, volleyball, softball, basketball, soccer, as well as some recreational athletes. Our intern coordinator for the project was extremely helpful in pushing us to discover exercise that maximize each individual’s potential with sport specific movements tailored to their capabilities. The skills and movements we implemented ranged from agility and speed exercises, to strength and power oriented movements. In addition, we learned how to custom design a warm up to help prevent injury during workouts, as well as maximize the effectiveness of each exercise.I was able to get first hand exposure that is invaluable in my intended field, as well as observe some of the characteristics I would like to develop within myself.
My inspiration came from my freshman year strength coach at Northern Illinois University, who, like me, was also a female intern working in this field. She had no fear and always made a point to ensure her voice was heard. I thought to myself “If she can lead a team in the weight room I can too”. Also my passion for lifting and generally wanting to help athletes better themselves both physically and mentally is what I will continue to strive for. I hope by gaining these experiences I will be more confident in my position as the SUU strength and conditioning coach intern and take my passion to new heights and better the lives and capabilities of athletes on and off the field.
One of the greatest challenges I came across while interning at FAST was being a female strength coach and training the male athletes. Being a female and a strength coach is rare today and an obstacle when obtaining respect from males. Another challenge is working with the athletes schedule. At the FAST facility, the athletes pick a time to come in for their hour workout, which requires each coach to be largely flexible and conceding to the timing of the athletes. Along with that, while being an intern, some athletes see it as someone they can walk all over. For example, in warm ups, most would put little effort into it while I would run it or even some lifts that they had to perform. However, with these challenges, I feel that, overall, I became a better coach and I was more prepared for my internship now at Southern Utah University.
After each exercise I wrote, I would demonstrate how I wanted it to be done, then ask the athletes if they had any questions or if it made sense. During the lifts, I got to correct the athletes and help them with their technique. Unfortunately, most had never been taught proper lifting technique. Several athletes loved to have a core circuit after their lift and would come to me for this “finisher”. I was able to work with ladies in their 40’s and up and create a workout that would help with their overall health and tone the areas they wanted. I was also able to help freshman collegiate athletes going into their first year by preparing them for their “welcome back” conditioning test. I did this through a series of agility drills, sprints, and some endurance running throughout their summer with us. Also, having experience in the process of getting ready for the collegiate level I felt more confident in my ability to prepare the athletes for what's to come.
My project benefited me by preparing me for what’s to come in my career path and for future internships, such as the one I have now for Southern Utah University athletics. In the short time since the completion of this internship, I have had numerous opportunities to apply the knowledge I gained and help others improve their athletic abilities. In addition to the factual knowledge I gained, I have noticed a great degree of character development resulting from my experiences. This development continues to shape my attitudes toward fitness and sport performance, effectively growing me into an increasingly better advocate in the field. I hope to spread this awareness and understanding of the practical science of building athletic prowess to those I come into contact with and am in a position to influence.
"This helped me become much more comfortable coaching and stepping outside my comfort zone, doing what I love."
