Culture is a buzzword that is often used in many different sports settings, weight rooms or businesses. We talk about the culture we have created and the culture that’s followed. But what is it? Lots of us talk about it, but like me, had never really defined it. I talked about our culture at East Kentwood, but until a Big Ten head coach came to our facility to recruit one of our players that I was finally put to the test!
As often happens when college coaches come to the weight room, I greet them with a hand shake, welcome them to EK and tell them how much I look forward to talking when we complete our primer clusters.
I believe it is really important for them to see where our students come from, the structure of our program and the skill and technique they have developed in our training. For me, it is a critical component of recruiting that can separate us from many others. It’s a time to showcase who we are and what we are all about!
The great thing about that day, was that it was just like any other day in our weight room. Nothing changed! We train the same way no matter who is there. We have the same expectations, the same standards and the same workout skeleton:
A. Complete 3 different primer clusters of 3 exercises each prior to our core movements: 9 exercises x 2 sets each = 18 total sets.
B. 2 core lifts along with explosive movements and complimentary exercises
C. 21 racks, 76 students an hour, 6 hours a day and a mirrored class after school.
D. 40 to 45 minutes of work time.
E. We need to be efficient and effective. High volume in a short window of time!
No dilly-dallying today just because another college head coach was here, or anyone else for that matter. Business as usual!
This class was spot on. They were right on point. The coach was able to see what an hour in the life of an EK Advanced PE student looked like! At the end of the 3rd primer cluster, I gave the class directions on the core lifts for the day and as well as the other exercises along with adjustments needed for game day athletes. When I finished, I was finally able to talk with him.
As I walked over, before I could say anything, he looked at me and asked, “What the heck just happened? I have been all over the country recruiting from north to south and east to west, and have never seen anything like that. Most of the weight rooms that I visit, the students are on their phones, sitting on the benches with not very much actual work going on. Your class is incredibly diverse with males and female and ethnicities and wow! How do you do what you do here?”
It was at this point that I used the buzzword: Culture. I said, “Well, you know coach, we don’t know any other way. It’s just what we do! We really have created a culture here at East Kentwood High School.” Before I knew it, I was talking about each of the layers. I was able to define what made our Culture without any hesitation or thought. Five things came right to mind:
First, I talked about our curriculum that had been developed over the last twenty years while at EK. The living and breathing document that was ever changing to give our students the best opportunity to become bigger, better, faster and stronger!
I then went on to describe the scope and sequence in the curriculum and how it makes us unique in our teaching. I explained how our students are separated into:
A. 3 different Groups: Devo 1’s, Devo 2’s and Veterans.
B. 2 different Sub Groups: Athletes and Non-Athletes
C. 5 different Variables: Like Height, Like Strength, Like Motivation, Pitsharkers and Injured Personnel
All of this information helps us to align every rack in the room, which then allows us to differentiate our instruction!
We aren’t enablers. We talk about truths in the weight room. We have rules and procedures and we hold them accountable. Students really want those things, even though they might not always admit it. They want structure. They don’t want chaos!
We coach in here. We teach in here! We give them constructive criticism. We analyze their technique and we work on fixing it. Technique, technique, technique: we don’t sacrifice technique to add weight!
Lastly, and maybe most importantly, we coach with enthusiasm. We praise all the different accomplishments that are being made in our weight room. We look for the positives and celebrate with them!
I told him that I believe these 5 things have helped us to create the culture here in Advanced PE. That’s why you were able to see what you saw today. That’s why you’d see it any day you come here. We are changing lives in this room! It’s the greatest job in the world and I feel fortunate to do what I do. I’m thankful every day to teach here!
Culture: Fact or Fiction? That’s a FACT at East Kentwood High School Advanced PE!
Marty Martens
Director of Strength and Conditioning
East Kentwood High School (Grand Rapids, Mi)