Photo by: NDSU Athletics
Strength & Conditioning Program Excited for Sanford Health Athletic Complex
6/24/2016 12:00:00 PM | General, Facilities
FARGO, N.D. – The NDSU athletic department starts moving into the Sanford Health Athletic Complex in July, and one of the first spaces occupied will be the strength and conditioning offices and training space on the west side of the facility.
When Dacotah Field's turf was replaced in 2009, the field was shifted west about 20 yards in preparation for the new weight room, which is now on ground level covering the entire west expansion of the SHAC and stretching over the former swimming pool.
Gone are the days of a second floor weight room that provided constant thunder from weights being dropped over the first floor administrative and coaching offices, and no longer will a basketball concession stand be in the way of speed and agility training in the balcony.
"We were able to have a great training environment and were able to make-do," said NDSU director of athletic performance Jason Miller. "We were able to be resourceful and find ways to get things done. But this is a project we've been working on for nine years. We've made it exactly how we want it."
While the strength coaches themselves will benefit from moving out of one shared workroom into seven individual offices for staff and interns, this was a student-focused project that will maximize the time and enhance the overall training capacity for athletes in all 14 sport programs.
Since a 2014-15 NCAA legislation change de-regulating meals and snacks, NDSU has been providing nutritious snacks for athletes to fuel their bodies before and after workouts. Offerings such as fruits, cereal bars, yogurt and more will be part of the new Gate City Bank fueling station near the front of the weight room.
"We want to provide a high level of service to our athletes, and from the minute you walk in the door, they get their cards, they get to the nutrition area for some pre-workout fueling, warmup, conditioning, speed and agility work, and go into the weight room," Miller said. "It's all in a great space. Their locker rooms are right outside. So we're really efficient with our athletes' time in how we designed the facility and how everything is laid out within the building."
The large check-in area at the entrance will have a variety of cardio equipment such as treadmills and elliptical machines, and there is 60 yards of turf in a dedicated space separate from the weight room that will help coaches provide quality instruction while training multiple teams at the same time.
Six additional lifting stations were added in the weight room, which has a rubber floor with built-in drop zones that will allow for easier cleaning and less equipment to move. The entire weight room will be outfitted with new equipment at the end of July before teams report for fall camp.
For Miller and the rest of the NDSU strength and conditioning staff, now the facility suits a training program that has consistently help turn out national champions and All-Americans.
"We've always prided ourselves on running, as a staff, a first-class strength and conditioning program. To be able to have a facility like this, we have a first-class facility now," Miller said. "We really thought out every single detail, and that was to provide the best experience for our athletes. We think our athletes are going to be excited to be in here and we're excited to be in here as a staff."
When Dacotah Field's turf was replaced in 2009, the field was shifted west about 20 yards in preparation for the new weight room, which is now on ground level covering the entire west expansion of the SHAC and stretching over the former swimming pool.
Gone are the days of a second floor weight room that provided constant thunder from weights being dropped over the first floor administrative and coaching offices, and no longer will a basketball concession stand be in the way of speed and agility training in the balcony.
"We were able to have a great training environment and were able to make-do," said NDSU director of athletic performance Jason Miller. "We were able to be resourceful and find ways to get things done. But this is a project we've been working on for nine years. We've made it exactly how we want it."
While the strength coaches themselves will benefit from moving out of one shared workroom into seven individual offices for staff and interns, this was a student-focused project that will maximize the time and enhance the overall training capacity for athletes in all 14 sport programs.
Since a 2014-15 NCAA legislation change de-regulating meals and snacks, NDSU has been providing nutritious snacks for athletes to fuel their bodies before and after workouts. Offerings such as fruits, cereal bars, yogurt and more will be part of the new Gate City Bank fueling station near the front of the weight room.
"We want to provide a high level of service to our athletes, and from the minute you walk in the door, they get their cards, they get to the nutrition area for some pre-workout fueling, warmup, conditioning, speed and agility work, and go into the weight room," Miller said. "It's all in a great space. Their locker rooms are right outside. So we're really efficient with our athletes' time in how we designed the facility and how everything is laid out within the building."
The large check-in area at the entrance will have a variety of cardio equipment such as treadmills and elliptical machines, and there is 60 yards of turf in a dedicated space separate from the weight room that will help coaches provide quality instruction while training multiple teams at the same time.
Six additional lifting stations were added in the weight room, which has a rubber floor with built-in drop zones that will allow for easier cleaning and less equipment to move. The entire weight room will be outfitted with new equipment at the end of July before teams report for fall camp.
For Miller and the rest of the NDSU strength and conditioning staff, now the facility suits a training program that has consistently help turn out national champions and All-Americans.
"We've always prided ourselves on running, as a staff, a first-class strength and conditioning program. To be able to have a facility like this, we have a first-class facility now," Miller said. "We really thought out every single detail, and that was to provide the best experience for our athletes. We think our athletes are going to be excited to be in here and we're excited to be in here as a staff."
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