Friday, February 13, 2009

AU Didn’t Have to Stretch to Find the Right Guy for the Job

Gabriel Naspinski, American University’s new assistant strength and conditioning coach, puts his emphasis on preventing injuries, something he learned at his last job when his athletes suffered many shoulder and knee wounds.

            Before AU, Naspinski interned at the University of Pittsburgh where there was no injury prevention training for athletes.  After working with football players who had histories of shoulder problems such as severe internal rotation, labum tears, and “ACL or MCL issues that were never addressed through preventative measures,” Naspinski said he knew that injury prevention would need to be a main focus for him at his next job.

            Naspinski brought his experience to work at AU, and Cameron Petty is one of the beneficiaries. 

Petty, a junior CLEG major and a member of the Men’s soccer team said, “I pulled my groin last season after not lifting for a full two months… because I stopped lifting, it may have caused my muscles to weaken.  Gabe has mentioned that he is going to create a small work out that I can do this spring to specifically work on building and restrengthening groin muscles and adjacent muscles.”

Naspinski went to West Virginia University for his undergraduate and graduate degrees.  He studied physical education, teacher education as an undergraduate and studied community health promotion and athletic coaching education as a graduate student.  He graduated in 2007.  Naspinski grew up in Pittsburgh, PA and lived there most of his life. 

            His first internship was at Robert Morris University for strength and conditioning.  He interned next at the University of Pittsburgh and his first job was at Parisi Speed School in New Jersey until about October of 2008. 

Then he started looking for a new job.  His position at AU is “a lot better than the last job which was more about business… that’s not my thing,” said Naspinski. 

Naspinski found the job at AU because it was advertised online on the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaching Association (CSCCA) website.  With some clutch connections to the head strength and conditioning coach at AU, Naspinski was hired.

            Jason Riddell, the head strength and conditioning coach knew two people Naspinski used to work with.  The two men who worked with Naspinski were elites in the field of strength and conditioning.  They told Riddell, “That’s the guy I would hire.”  Riddell’s response was, “[When it is] someone I respect saying that, that’s a big thing,” said Riddell.   

            Naspinski and Riddell have their differences.  Naspinski begins his training with several injury prevention exercises while Riddell ends his training with just a few injury prevention exercises.  As a result of his prior experience, Naspinski thinks there is not enough injury prevention done and he knows certain sports are more prone to injury.  However, “you can’t stop everything,” said Naspinski.           

            As well as their differences as far as specific lifting techniques, Naspinski is less outspoken than Riddell.  “He’s more lenient, but still looking out for you,” said Brit Ferguson, a sophomore in the KOGOD School of Business and a member of the Women’s lacrosse team at AU.

            Naspinski trains the Men’s and Women’s soccer teams, Women’s lacrosse, and swimming and diving.  Riddell covers Women’s field hockey, Men’s and Women’s basketball, and Women’s volleyball. 

            Most of the teams lift three times during their off season and twice in season.  The trainers do not help train the teams during their regular sport practices.  Teams lift with the strength and conditioning coaches and teams often do extra conditioning with Riddell and Naspinski.   

            Athletes spend about a third of their practice time in the weight room depending on whether the team is in or out of season, more time if they are in season.  Therefore, it is nice to have a coach who cares about the team.  “He’s done a really good job learning names and I think he will break in and be more comfortable once he’s here longer,” said Ferguson.   

             Besides their differences, the head and assistant trainer share similar goals and wishes for the athletic department and their athletes.  Both of the trainers use Olympic based lifts so that their athletes learn how to become explosive.  “By performing [the lifts] fast, it allows the body to lean how to move fast… you need this stuff to excel at every sport,” said Riddell. 

            The two coaches would like to see athletics at AU have their own facilities.  “I’de like to see athletics have a weight room we didn’t have to share,” said Naspinski, better facilities, more room, not have to lock things up, Naspinski said. 

            Petty’s team shares their practice field with intramural sports as well as all teams share the varsity weight room with students.  “Allowing non DI (Division I) sports to practice on our field allows the program to lose a sense of professionalism.  Otherwise I like the interaction between students and athletes.  However, I do like having our closed lifting area when it’s serious training time in the morning,” said Petty.  

            Naspinski’s favorite part of the day is “when I get to see people do more than they’ve done,” the other day men’s soccer was lifting more weight for squats than they had done before, “I like seeing athletes do well,” said Naspinski. 

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