Air Force Academy Football Practice

Last Wednesday I had the pleasure of attending the Air Force
Academy football practice and subsequent strength training session at the
invitation of Matt McGettigan, head Football Strength & Conditioning coach.
It was an amazing show. If you want to talk about getting a lot done in short period
of time, in short efficiency that is what I saw. Not a minute wasted. This
scheduled is dictated by the academy schedule, so it forces everyone to have a
laser like focus on the absolute need to do. Some of the players lifted before
practice, I was not able to observe that session, another group lifted after. After
a brief specific warm-up the focus was on three lifts with active remedial
exercises between lifts. There was not a minute wasted. At the conclusion of
that session the players did a static stretch and used the foam rollers. The
players who did the lift before practice came through and did the same cooldown.
Matt has no full time help. Jack Braley, the retired Strength & Conditioning
coach comes and helps Matt. It was great to see Jack again, still active and
helping Matt coach at age 74. He is a real pioneer in this field. He started
coaching at the AFA in 1965 as an assistant football coach and became the
strength and conditioning coach in 1980. It was fun trading stories and reminiscing
about the good old days. Anytime you get spend time around professionals like
jack and Matt it reaffirms my faith that we are on the right track. I certainly
picked up some pointers and ideas I will use in my programs.