Steph Mock, Assistant AD for Sports Performance at the University of Pittsburgh is on this week's episode of the Pacey Performance Podcast. Steph traced her journey from high school sports to a collegiate volleyball career at West Virginia University. She later transitioned into strength conditioning, working at Clemson University and Mississippi State University, before returning to her alma mater. Her mentors, especially Rick Franzblau, played a crucial role in her professional development.
The discussion turns to the experience of being a woman in the predominantly male field of strength and conditioning. Steph highlights the importance of viewing the role as one of leadership, emphasizing skills such as relationship building and managing complex situations, which are gender-neutral. She acknowledges the influence of female leaders within the University of Pittsburgh, including the Chancellor and the Athletic Director, in her career development. This segment underscores the evolution in the field, where gender is becoming less of a defining factor in defining one's leadership and professional capabilities.
A significant portion of the podcast is devoted to the topic of microdosing in training, particularly its application in collegiate sports. Steph delves into her first exposure to the concept at a conference in 2018 and how it influenced her approach to training the volleyball team at the University of Pittsburgh. She explains how microdosing, or splitting training sessions into shorter, more frequent sessions, is particularly effective for in-season training. This approach helps to navigate the constraints of athletes’ schedules, including practices, competitions, and academic commitments. She emphasizes that this methodology allows for more focused, specific stimulus in training sessions, aiding in better preparation and recovery for athletes. The adoption of microdosing was already in place at the University of Pittsburgh, thanks to the head volleyball coach, making it easier for Steph to implement and enhance the practice.
If you're looking to introduce micro dosing into your programming, check out this episode with Steph.
Main talking points:
Speed training for youth athletes: Lessons from the national high school S&C coach of the year with John Garrish
#Bitesize - A new way to rehabilitate hamstring injuries with Jack Hickey
From S&C coach in Germany to Director of High Performance in the MLS in 5 years - Lessons from moving up the ladder with Max Lankheit
#Bitesize - CBD oil and its potential benefits and risks with Graeme Close
Daily monitoring and the industry’s cautious approach to performance enhancement with Phil Glasgow
#Bitesize - Developing and living by a coaching philosophy with Des Ryan
Speed training: What we know, what we think we know and what is a good guess with Peter Weyand
#Bitesize - Keeping the main thing the main thing and winning the Rugby World Cup with Aled Walters
Jump testing: Looking at metrics that matter and learning from some of the best jumpers in the world with Eric Leidersdorf
#Bitesize - How to get the most out of your RPE data with Aaron Coutts
Improve your athlete testing by breaking down the mechanics of your sport with Adam Petway
#Bitesize - What impact can performance coaches have on esports athletes and their performance with Taylor Johnson
Getting, keeping and excelling in a strength and conditioning role in pro sport with Des Ryan, Dave Slemen and Chris Bishop
#Bitesize - Speed and its place in the return to play process with Alan Murdoch
Working across multiple sports vs one sport for career longevity with Jeremy Bettle
#Bitesize - Where to start with programming and monitoring resisted sprints with Ken Clark
Coaching sub-10 sprinters: What works and what doesn’t with Steve Fudge
#Bitesize - The problems and solutions to over-cueing and over-regressing speed and agility drills with Jon Goodwin
Using jump profiling to answer performance questions with Joseph Coyne
#Bitesize - Working with some of the best footballers in the world with Ben Rosenblatt and Martin Evans
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