University Strength and Conditioning Departments in Focus
The S&C departments within universities provide excellent examples of evidence-based practice, applying scientific principles of S&C to their unique and challenging performance environments.
Through these articles, we will be taking a detailed look at what our partners at different institutions do, sharing good practice and providing a platform for collaboration and improvement.
If you run a university based S&C department, anywhere in the world, please get in touch to share your story.
Morgan State University
In this article we'll be looking into the Strength & Conditioning Department at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. The Morgan State Bears, are the athletic team that officially represent the University in college sports. As part of the NCAA's Division I, the Bears field 13 varsity teams and are part of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), with football competing in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
Strength & Conditioning Department Mission Statement
Morgan State Strength & Conditioning's mission is to physically develop and mentally prepare the student-athlete for the demands of sport. The process of training is a discipline that requires a practical and systematic approach to enhancing athletic performance. Through sound physiological principles, combined with safe, individualized, sport specific programming, the Strength & Conditioning department pushes each athlete to climb the ladder of his/her athletic potential. Our objective is to develop athleticism and pride within the team, working to build the culture of the program, and raise the standard of athletics as perennial contenders.
About Morgan State
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution offering more than 100 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.
Strength and Conditioning Philosophy
The Strength and Conditioning Department looks to set the standard in developing athletes “THE MORGAN WAY”. We strive to physically and mentally prepare the players for the rigors of collegiate athletics as well as the challenges of life. This mission is undertaken by implementing professionally designed & scientifically sound training programs, developed to specifically to reduce the incidence of injury and help each athlete contribute to the team as a whole in reaching peak potential on the field of play.
The philosophy of our strength and conditioning program is based on the belief that what occurs in the weight room and the field transfers to the playing surface. We train sport specifically with a goal of enhancing athleticism in the arena of play.
We also believe in the importance of work ethic, attitude, accountability, and mental toughness and that these qualities can be developed and enhanced through our strength and conditioning program.
Our movements are centered around five key pillars in athletic development
Train with ground based activities, free weight oriented movements
Use multiple joint, compounds exercises over a full range of motion
Train to develop athleticism that transfers to the field of play
Specificity to the demands of sport, position, and training readiness
Injury prevention through sound, coordinated programming and execution
Strength and Conditioning Facilities
Morgan State offers a premier facility for strength and conditioning training, boasting a nearly 5,000-foot weight room. The state of the art facility features enough room for up to fifty student-athletes to train simultaneously, allowing for an intense training environment while also providing ample space for efficient workouts to be conducted. The weight room has thirteen Olympic platforms, a large dumbbell area, and numerous machine weights to help strengthen student-athletes. Each platform is outfitted with brand new, repOne sensors to allow for bar tracking and movement analysis of all exercises conducted at each station. The air-conditioned facility also has equipment used for rehabilitation purposes and features a high performance sound system.
Want to share how your department is structured?
Contact us at info@IUSCA.org and share how your department runs on a daily basis