Developing Better Systems, Coaches and Athletes

Stephanie Mock joins Mike Robertson's The Physical Preparation Podcast on Episode 34. 

Stephanie is currently the Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Performance at the University of Pittsburgh.

Formally, Stephanie Mock was the Head Olympic Sports Strength & Conditioning Coach at Mississippi State University.

While attending West Virginia University for her Bachelor’s in Sports Science, Stephanie played on WVU’s Women’s Volleyball team and it was during this time that she found her niche and passion for strength conditioning – and how her training in the weight room translated onto the court.

Stephanie finished her volleyball career with the Big East All-Academic Honors and Athletic Director’s Honor Roll.

Stephanie joins me today to discuss developing better systems, coaches, and athletes. She illustrates the career path that led her to her current role as the head coach for Olympic Sports Strength and Conditioning at Mississippi State University and the importance of cultivating internships, whether they are paid or unpaid.

She shares the steps she takes to educate her student-athletes as well as mentoring her staff, from assistant coaches to interns, and she explains why coaches shouldn’t rush themselves into specializing and underscores the power of focusing more on the process instead of the outcome.

Episode Topics

• How volleyball led Stephanie into the world of physical preparation
• Stephanie’s journey into her current role as Mississippi State University’s Head Olympic Sports Strength & Conditioning Coach
• Why coaches shouldn’t rush specializing into a sport
• How Stephanie implemented her vision of strength and conditioning
• The importance of developing relationships between coaches and student-athletes
• The impact of openly communicating with coaches and athletes
• How Stephanie uses sports interns to mitigate staff burnout and turnover
• The power of supporting sports internships to develop future coaches
• The steps Stephanie takes to mentor her assistants, coaches, interns, and athletes
• Why continuing education and reading on a daily basis is one of Stephanie’s core values
• Stephanie’s key steps to educating athletes
• Stephanie’s advice to her younger self

🔗 EPISODE 34: Developing Better Systems, Coaches, and Athletes

Contact Stephanie

• Instagram