The Unknown Strength Coaches

This episode, we talk with Ellis Hill, Aubrey High School Corners Coach/Head Strength & Conditioning Coach. Ellis has years of experiences at various collegiate institutions and a stint with the Minnesota Vikings. Ellis tells us of the various lessons he has learned throughout his coaching career, and his aspirations of becoming a Coordinator/Head Coach and Head Strength and Conditioning Coach.

We have a different type of guest this week... Jonathan Erskine. 

Jonathan Erskine is a strength and conditioning coach at Cannon Air Force with the 27 SOW via POTFF/ Human Performance Program.  His career began at Troy University (Troy, AL) where he received his Bachelors of Science in Sport and Fitness Management (2014) and his Masters of Science in Sport and Fitness Management with a concentration in Exercise Physiology (2016). Under the guidance and mentorship of Richard Shaughnessy, Director of Strength and Conditioning, Jonathan served as an intern and graduate assistant working with all sports. Furthermore, he competed in powerlifting with  the USAPL setting the Alabama state record in the back squat at 727lbs (2016). After graduation, he received the opportunity to further develop his skills at Colquitt County High School under Coach Rush Propst (2016) before his venture to Southern University (Baton Rouge, LA)  as a paid intern while having the opportunity to train under legendary coach, Gayle Hatch. At the end of his internship, Jonathan relocated to Denver, CO working as the Lead Fitness Manager at 24 Hour Fitness (2017) before having the opportunity to intern at the University of Alabama(2018), under Coach Scott Cochran. While at UA, he worked with Football but even more had he opportunity to work specifically with another mentor of his, Coach Terry Jones, assisting him with Women’s basketball and Football. While at Alabama Jonathan had received the opportunity to train soldiers at Ft. Bliss, TX with REEF systems (2018) as the lead strength coach of a battalion under the 1st Armored Division, Second Brigade.

He is a certified member (SCCC) of the Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa).

Episode 7 is with Medgar Harrison, the Director of Strength and Conditioning at Jackson State University. He talks about lessons learned at the universities and coaches he has learned from.

Medgar Harrison joined the Jackson State staff in January of 2019 and oversees all strength and conditioning operations.

Harrison comes from Alabama State where he served in a similar role. Harrison was in charge of the daily strength & conditioning regimens for the Hornets’ football program. In addition to Football, Harrison worked directly with the Hornets’ Baseball program, under the direction of head coach Jose Vazquez. He also oversaw the other 17 sports at Alabama State University’s which consist of nearly 400 student-athletes.

The Shreveport, Louisiana native has a philosophy of three basic pathways for strength & power development – max effort, dynamic effort and repetition method. Harrison’s philosophy is based on the conjugate system’s method, which involves the coupling of multiple exercises to ultimately enhance an athlete’s strength and power. According to Harrison, it is all about fast twitch muscle fiber recruitment. Sports, winners and all champions are determined by who can apply the most force, move the fastest or cover the most ground in the shortest amounts of time. Train the part to increase the whole.

The max effort is the superior method to strength and power development. The process involves moving a heavy max load as fast as possible. It places great demands on both intramuscular and intermuscular coordination, as well as stimulating the central nervous system.

The dynamic effort involves lifting a sub-max or non-maximal load with the greatest speed possible, ultimately activating fast twitch muscle fibers. This method is not used for the development of maximal strength, but rather for the improved rate of force development and explosive strength.

Finally, the repetition method is the best method for the development of muscle hypertrophy or growth. It is the method in which all supplemental and accessory exercises are trained. Together, these three basic pathways allow the athlete to continuously develop strength and power throughout the year.

While overseeing the strength and conditioning department for all athletic programs at Bethune-Cookman University, Harrison worked directly with the Football, Baseball and the Men’s and Women’s golf programs assisting them to ten conference championships. Prior to his stint in Daytona Beach, Harrison spent two years at University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where he served as the Strength and Conditioning Coordinator for the Men’s Swimming & Diving team. Harrison assisted the Volunteers to a 12th place national finish at the 2010 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships, while training 13 All-Americans in the process. He also worked directly with the Volunteers’ Football team, in which he assisted with the training of two first round draft picks in the 2010 draft. Harrison also accompanied the Vols to two consecutive bowl game appearances (2010 Music City Bowl and 2009 Chick-Fil-A Bowl).

A 2005 graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Harrison served as an Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach at his alma mater before heading to Tennessee. At ULL, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology with a concentration in Exercise Science. He later earned his Master of Science degree in Human Resources with a concentration in Nutrition in 2007 from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

He is a member of the Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa), National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) and USA Weightlifting (USAW). Harrison is a certified through the NSCA and USA Weightlifting as a Sports Performance Coach.

Harrison and his wife, Mariah Elise, have two sons, Maxxim Ethan Wayne and Morgan Evan Wayne.

This is part one of a two part episode with the Director of Strength and Conditioning at Allen University, Earvin McKenzie.

Earvin McKenzie is entering his first season serving as the Director of Strength and Conditioning with the Yellow Jackets. He will oversee the Strength and Conditioning program for all 9 Varsity sports at Allen University.  Earvin McKenzie joins the Yellow Jackets Athletic Staff after serving as the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) from 2016-2019 where he worked primarily with football. He was apart of the Strength and Conditioning Staff that revived a canceled football program to an 8-4 season and to the Second Bowl Berth (Bahamas Bowl) in School History. In 2018, he played a key role on the Strength and Conditioning Staff which led UAB to their First Conference (USA) Championship and First Bowl Win (Baco Raton) in School History with a 10-3 record.  He also serves as an Instructor for the Kinesiology Department.  Prior to joining the UAB staff, McKenzie served as an intern for Southern Methodist University (SMU) in 2016. In 2015, McKenzie begun his Collegiate experience interning with Samford University.  McKenzie earned his Bachelor’s from Jacksonville State University (JSU), where he was a walk-on Running Back and received two Conference Champions (OVC). McKenzie also received his Master’s in Sports Management from JSU.  McKenzie is from Fairfield, Alabama, he is certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). He is also certified through USA Weightlifting level 1.  Mckenzie is a father of one, Emoni McKenzie.

This is part two of this episode with the Director of Strength and Conditioning at Allen University, Earvin McKenzie. 

Earvin McKenzie is entering his first season serving as the Director of Strength and Conditioning with the Yellow Jackets. He will oversee the Strength and Conditioning program for all 9 Varsity sports at Allen University.  Earvin McKenzie joins the Yellow Jackets Athletic Staff after serving as the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) from 2016-2019 where he worked primarily with football. He was apart of the Strength and Conditioning Staff that revived a canceled football program to an 8-4 season and to the Second Bowl Berth (Bahamas Bowl) in School History. In 2018, he played a key role on the Strength and Conditioning Staff which led UAB to their First Conference (USA) Championship and First Bowl Win (Baco Raton) in School History with a 10-3 record.  He also serves as an Instructor for the Kinesiology Department.  Prior to joining the UAB staff, McKenzie served as an intern for Southern Methodist University (SMU) in 2016. In 2015, McKenzie begun his Collegiate experience interning with Samford University.  McKenzie earned his Bachelor’s from Jacksonville State University (JSU), where he was a walk-on Running Back and received two Conference Champions (OVC). McKenzie also received his Master’s in Sports Management from JSU.  McKenzie is from Fairfield, Alabama, he is certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). He is also certified through USA Weightlifting level 1.  Mckenzie is a father of one, Emoni McKenzie.

Dantren Anderson is the  Head Strength and Conditioning coach at Langston University. Played collegiate football and received Bachelors in kinesiology. Started strength and conditioning journey in the physical therapy setting  as physical therapy tech. After completing CSCS cert went on to begin strength coach career in private setting working as assistant strength coach at Xcel sports performance under strength coach and physical therapist Charles Loftis. After two 3 years of working in private setting he accepted his current position at Langston University where he as been for 3 years now.

Episode 3 is from one the strength coaches I respect the most in the game... Keith Swift. Swift is in his first season as assistant director of football strength & conditioning. He was hired Aug. 1, 2019.

Swift came to the Boilermakers from South Carolina State University, where he served as director of strength & conditioning since 2016. He oversaw all 14 varsity programs, with an emphasis on football, men’s basketball, softball and track & field. Among the athletes he coached was Darius Leonard, who went on to become the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2018 with the Indianapolis Colts.

Swift previously worked as an assistant strength & conditioning coach at the University of South Alabama (2014-16), working primarily with men’s basketball and track & field and assisting with football. From 2011 to 2014, Swift was the head strength & conditioning coach at Stillman College, where he created the first strength & conditioning program in school history, implemented year-round programs for 12 sports and taught an undergraduate course in weight training. He coached Jeff Henderson, who went to win a gold medal in the long jump at the 2016 Olympic Games.

His other experience includes three seasons (2008-2010) as a sports performance specialist with the Seattle Mariners organization. He spent two seasons with the Double-A West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx and one with the Single-A Clinton Lumberkings. Also during that time, Swift worked at the Parisi Speed School as a sports performance coach.

A four-year letterwinner as a defensive end on the Tennessee Tech University football team, Swift earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science. He earned a master’s degree in sports administration through American Public University in 2019.

The Jackson, Tennessee, native is certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a Registered Strength Coach (RSCC) and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). He also is a Certified College Strength Coach through the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (SCCC) as well as a Sports Performance Coach through USA Weightlifting (USAW).

Why was this podcast created? It was created for smaller school coaches as well as minority coaches that do not get the opportunity to be on podcast or share their thoughts and methodology on strength and conditioning coaching and programming. It is to move past the same coaches that get interviewed and get into the new wave of coaches and smaller school coaches that should get an opportunity.