Indiana University Athletics
Strength and Conditioning
11/19/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
November 19, 2002
Bloomington, IN - An athlete's strength and conditioning is vital to their performance both in and out of season. Indiana Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coordinator Geoff Eliason works day in and day out to tailor to specific individual needs, pinpointing a player's physical, mental and emotional needs.An Indiana graduate, Eliason is in his fourth year with the Hoosiers. As the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coordinator, Eliason works with the men's basketball team, as well as the wrestling, women's soccer, women's rowing and track and field teams. Eliason is part of a six-person staff headed by Mark Wateska.
It is quite apparent when looking at any team that athletes come in all shapes, sizes and attitudes. As a Strength and Conditioning Coordinator it is important to be able to recognize the specific needs of each player.
"As a strength coach I have to really understand every single player physically, mentally and emotionally," Eliason explained. "I also need to be a student of the game. Mentally, I watch and listen, gaining an understanding for what motivates every player. That is really the art of coaching. Physically, I identify each person's strengths and weaknesses in terms of speed, explosiveness, strength, agility, flexibility, mobility, stability, injury prevention or rehab."
In order to understand each and every one of his athletes from a variety of teams, he follows a basic approach.
"I have a training philosophy I adhere to," Eliason said. "I take that philosophy and map out a four or five year training plan. Then, I create a one-year plan. From there, it is broken down week-by-week, day-by-day, workout-by-workout, set-by-set, etc. That is the science of coaching. We will undoubtedly work harder and with greater intensity, but we also must work smarter. Nothing is left to chance."
Eliason also needs to account for the fresh faces that appear each year as new freshman and transfer student-athletes arrive on the IU campus. The adjustment that these individuals encounter when becoming a collegiate athlete are tremendous, and strength and conditioning coaches need to take this into account when introducing such a competitive training program to them.
"Most freshmen come in not having had to run or lift hard, let alone compete against the best athletes in the country in terms of running and lifting," said Eliason. "It is my job to help them understand that this training will help them maximize their opportunity for success during and after their college careers. It is also important for freshman to understand the magnitude of preparing for a national championship."
As important as strength and conditioning is to a team's performance, it can also improve team chemistry. Through a very competitive format, Eliason puts together a demanding workout that pushes each athlete outside their comfort zone, forcing them to bond with the others going through this same regimen.
"The athletes are constantly faced with stretching themselves beyond what they mentally conceived as impossible," said Eliason. "The bond that is built through this rigorous detail is one that is not easily broken. Further, team chemistry is fostered when you have a group of guys that have made a total commitment to a common objective. Lifting and running are just another way for these guys to express that commitment."
Other factors to consider when putting together a summer conditioning program include who a team is playing against and where a team will be competing in the upcoming season. The Hoosiers open their season in Hawaii, where the Lahaina Civic Center is notorious for being extremely warm. Eliason has prepared the men's basketball team for such conditions.
"The Maui Invite was quite a motivation throughout summer and preseason conditioning. We had discussed the need to push beyond our limits this summer and preseason in our running to prepare for the adversity that we will face in Hawaii. It was to our advantage that this summer was uncommonly hot for days on end."
After hard work and dedication put forth by the men's basketball team in off-season conditioning, Eliason felt that a group goal at the start of the season would be to physically and mentally prepare to win a national championship.
"In general, we want to be the toughest team in the country to play," Eliason said. "Being the strongest and best conditioned team in the nation will surely play into breaking our opponents down and winning games."
The men's basketball team opens up its season at the Maui Invitational verse Massachusetts on Monday, November 25. Game time is set for 5:00 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN2.
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