Letter from AFM - Samson Strong

“It all starts in the weight room.”

Just about every coach – at every level – believes that statement says it all. Samson Equipment also believes it. The company was founded in 1976 by Dave and Linda Schroeder. Both were teaches and coaches and began to incorporate weight training with their athletic team training. They saw a need for having heavy duty, durable and affordable weight training equipment. The name Samson was chosen specifically to refer to the strength and durability of the equipment.

Since that time, Samson Equipment has been sold to public and private schools in every state nationwide as well as in Canada, Mexico, Japan and a number of other countries. Additionally, Samson Equipment has honored strength and conditioning coaches across the country with their annual Strength and Conditioning Coaches of the Year awards. For 12 years, they have honored coaches annually at the NFL, college and high school levels. The winner’s are presented each year in AFM.

Since 2004, coaches have discussed their overall philosophy, favorite movements and tips for other strength and conditioning coaches. This issue includes seven Samson Equipment Strength and Conditioning Coaches of the Year. For over a decade we have presented various philosophies on strength and conditioning programs. Among them:

•  Mike Nitka, the strength and conditioning coach at Muskego High School (WI), was a 2004 winner. Coach Nitka believes in plyometrics, a style of training that focuses on muscles being stretched and then contracted. “It stresses speed, agility, and quickness,” said Nitka. “Many people think that training has to be done with an apparatus and that’s not correct. When we have our athletes trained to run and jump, it can be both fun and productive.”

•  Henry Briscoe, the strength and conditioning coach at Central Arkansas, was a 2008 winner. He has been influenced by a number of books over the years but the one that has shaped his philosophy is the Book of War by Sun-Tsu. “One of the concepts in the book is to analyze your weaknesses and make them your strengths,” said Briscoe. “We try to do that in the weight room and on the field. This can be working on overall athleticism, building up strength, or working directly on motivation.”

•  Luke Richesson, the strength and conditioning coach for the Denver Broncos, was a 2013 winner. He believes the foundation of their program is the Functional Movement Screen. “We base everything on it at this level and it gives us a quick snapshot as to how the body moves and functions,” said Richesson. “Our guys lift heavy loads and we challenge them to be stronger at the end of the season than they are at the beginning.”

This year’s winners begin on page 18. We thank all of the strength and conditioning Coaches of the Year over the last 12 years for all of their contributions. After all, it does start in the weight room.

Rex Lardner
Managing Editor