Confirmed with Link: Leafs hire new Strength and Conditioning coach - Matthew J. Herring
- Thread starter TmlHockeyFan
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Dayjobdave
Registered User
- Apr 29, 2010
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They can't . They don't have any sport specific parade experience....
Considering Shanahan is committed to exploring out of the box solutions and this board is lighting up over whether the strength coach is traditional enough, it's going to be an interesting few years around here ;-)
I'm sure there are many good strength and conditioning people available. It's a growing occupation. This guy is probably one of many great candidates. In the end, it's up to the individual player to dedicate the time and discomfort of working out religiously. Players aren't in poor shape for a pro athlete because their strength and conditioning coach isn't the best in the business. They're in poor shape because of their own work habits. A better strength and conditioning strategy is only going to help the guys who are already prepared to do the work get just a little bit better and gain an edge on the competition. The players with questionable off ice training will continue to languish regardless of their strength and conditioning staff until the light comes on. And that can happen. Gary Roberts wasn't always in terrific shape, his career was threatened and he went from being average to exceptional in terms of off-ice preparation.
This is a huge point, good post.
I would add as well that the right person with the right personality can help motivate players and get them more interested in putting in the work. You'll see it with the coaching staff as well, someone like Babcock who demands respect will likely have an impact on our team's work ethic, not just because he demands it, but because he earns it. Being coached by someone with a contagious passion can do wonders for your own attitude, and, ultimately, your results.
