Inspiration
The Tulane University football program defeated USC in the Cotton Bowl and finished
12-2, just one year after going 2-10. What changed? A season without a hurricane displacing the team from New Orleans, a new offensive system, and the return of 19 of 22 starters certainly helped. The person receiving the most credit, however, is Director of Football Preparation Kurt Hester. As a long-time strength and conditioning coach, he understands the importance of building relationships with his athletes first, saying "You can't serve who you don't know." He recognizes that athletes don't always like to train, but they're more likely to do it if they have a connection with you. In a field where hype can exceed substance, Hester summed it up best when he
tweeted,
*Zero Schmedium shirts worn
*Zero Jumping Jacks Performed
*Zero Towels Waved
*No Fake Juice
But we did educate our athletes in the art of intrinsic motivation!
Coach Hester calls it like it is, and he never stops learning. His athletes excel because he understands that coaching is about the athlete, not the coach.
