All right. So start off the part two. I got booted by a group of figure skaters. So that's
always awesome. But just to kind of go back into, we kind of finished up with, you know,
your playing career, some helpful tips that you got from, was his name, Quarters, how's
the coach's name?
Yeah, Marty. Yeah, Marty.
Nice. So now you're crushing the fitness game. Again, like, as I mentioned, when I worked
with you, it was probably the best I've ever felt. So I know that you're doing that for
a boat of other people too. So how did you get started in like the fitness journey? How
did you get to where you are now? Talk everybody through that a little bit.
I've always been like, just, I've always liked the gym, to be honest. Like when I was doing
my own training for hockey, like I was, like the best part of the year was going back in
the summer and being able to do like summer training, off season training, like that's
what I really looked forward to. So I've always had like an interest in it. And yeah, just
kind of knew like going into school, like something around that realm was something
I wanted to do. Originally, I was going to go to school for physical therapy, actually,
because I had some, some like injury troubles. So I kind of that's, you know, like wanting
to help other people get, get healthy again. So then I was like halfway through PT school,
like did my first like internship and then realized like PT maybe wasn't for me was a
little, little too slow, slow pace for me. So then I was like, well, I liked off season
training. So maybe we'll try to do, do him being a strength coach. So kind of same like
set of principles with like, like science and, and like human physiology. So is it pretty
easy like switch. So, and ironically, that was like the perfect timing when I was transferring
schools. The school was that did not have a exercise science program. School I transferred
to Robert Morris did. So I was able to kind of get my degree in exercise science and,
and then yeah, got my got my first internship with with GVN and then kind of the rest is
history there. Nice. So you went from GVN and I guess I don't understand the relationship
between like GVN and steel. They go hand in hand. Are they, you know, same thing or
I could just talk me through that a little bit. Yeah, so it's a it is an interesting
dynamic. So I still work for GVN as well as the steel. GVN is kind of when I had when
I took the job with steel last year, like I'm employed by the steel. So like during
the season, I wouldn't do anything GVN then in the off season when when our when our season
is over, I'd go back to GVN and do the summer program and train all the guys in the off
season. So I still kind of like work there. And then this year it turned into again still
being employed by the steel, but then opening up a GVN in Fox Valley, I Serena in the gym.
So then now I'm kind of doing both at once. So I'm doing everything for the steel. And
then on top of that, all the business that comes in for GVN performance during the end
season for like double A clubs and the the figure skating clubs and other teams that
we train is still going on at the same time. And then we'll also have our own summer program
here for training out in Fox Valley as well. Alright, nice. And so you probably have seen
like a lot of like, big variety of like athletes and stuff like that, especially hockey is
working with you know, GVN, GVN and steel. But like, do you see like a direct correlation
between like what they're doing in the gym to what they're doing on the ice?
Yeah, yeah, like it's the gym is is hugely important, especially for for this this group
of like with the steel, like between 16 and like whatever 1820, it's super important for
them for in terms of like developmental standpoint, like getting bigger, stronger, faster. And
then right like working with pro guys, it's super important and vital for keeping them
healthy at the same time. So like, like the gym plays a really big factor, right in sporting
performance. You know, we talked to, I have a really good line of communication with the
coaches here, like there are our coaching staff is all bought into to the idea of the
gym and and they they understand how important it is for them to to have during the season
so that they're building and getting better as the year goes on instead of maintaining.
And you know, we see we see a lot of guys getting better as the year goes on the ice,
right, because they're getting they're getting stronger, right, they're they're staying healthy
because they're strong. And we're like managing their their workloads the correct way. So
yeah, the gym is a huge piece that I think some places kind of and I'm obviously biased
on this but some places don't value as much as I think they should during the season.
Yeah, that makes sense. I guess what's the biggest thing you think in terms of like in
season out of season, I don't know if that's given away like the secret sauce and like
the recipe or whatever. But if you have any like tips on that like what to do in season
versus off season, obviously, that's two different things. But if you want to talk about that
a little bit.
Yeah, so I'm I love just giving out information that we go on my Instagram, like there's a
ton of like really good insight and information like directly kind of like what we're doing.
So I'm no I'm not afraid to kind of share anything about that.
But my in season and off season training here for the steel looks very similar with and how
we're able to do that is because here at the steel we have like a very developmental mindset
towards the athlete. So so like I said, again, like some places their their mindset is to
okay, we just want to win. We just want the guys to feel good so they can perform their
they can feel good going into a weekend every every weekend. Here, it's the complete opposite.
We want we're more developmental mindset. So we want again, we'll push them a little bit harder
in the gym. And we'll we'll push them a little bit harder in the ice and and go into a weekend
knowing that they're not going to be performing at a optimal level, because they are tired from
all the work that we did during the week. But it's all part of right like a like a plan and a
process and a very thought out process as to right like we want these kids to to keep improving,
keep getting better, keep getting stronger as the year goes on. So then we hit playoffs, then we can
kind of dial back into more of like traditional in season where like the volume and the load in the
in the weight room is a little bit lighter, believe in our guys a little bit more fresh.
And then at that time of year, then, you know, we're like, we're a scary team to play against
because all year we've gone into games, not at 100% at like 60 70% at some points. And, you know,
we're still super competitive winning games. And then when we go into playoffs, feeling
like 100% fresh, ready to go, like, like, that's like, that's our team at that point. That's that
comes from all the work that we did pushing in the season. So it's like to answer your question,
like my in season here looks very similar to kind of what I'm doing in the off season, maybe just
like changing some some movement patterns and some volume, but like we're still, we're still
left and heavy, we're still doing ply metrics, we're still doing speed work, we're doing power work,
we're kind of doing, we're doing everything, which again, trying to get these kids bigger,
faster, stronger, put on weight during the year, you know, improve jump play, improve power outputs,
just keep getting better every week. Yeah, that's awesome. And you tell like, like you said, the
process that you guys like developed and that you're working through, it's proven to like work
because the team's been pretty successful, like, relatively recently, right? Like, did they,
didn't they win? I don't know if it was last year or two years ago. So you could see like that the
proof is in the pudding. Yeah, so 2021, they won. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. And that's, and that's
all, that's all the coaches, right? Like their, their dedication and, and willingness to,
to devote themselves to a system that's focused on development, and caring more about the player's
future than, you know, the short term window of right, like junior hockey, like that's, that's,
what's unique about this place and what's, what's awesome about being in this environment is,
is it's always for the player, everything we do is for the
setting up the athlete to be successful when they leave here. And having success at the next levels,
whether that be the vision one hockey or the NHL and, and like, and like I said, I think like,
he said the proofs in the pudding with, with some of our alumni, how they're performing,
and things like that, and that they're taking a lot of stuff that they learned here,
and still implementing that into their game. And that's what's helping them, you know, have
the success that they're having at, at those higher levels. Yeah. Getting closer to the end here,
but I guess all the guys that you work with or girls that I'm not sure, but everybody that you
work with to you, they kind of show up dialed in ready to go or like, is there sometimes where you
have to like, kind of give them a swift kick in the ass and get them going a little bit?
It's like, especially like in season, there's right, there's, there's peaks and valleys. So
it's a long season, 60, 62 games here. And, you know, with, with all we, we put these guys through
like the two sessions of ice a day, like the hard work out every day, like there's, there's some
undulating effects with, you know, like their, their energy levels and, you know, maybe how
they're feeling that day. But, but no, they, they're all the guys here are bought into, to the fact
that like this is what they need to do. And, and I think the culture that we have here as a, as an
organization coaching staff really pushes to, you know, kind of embrace that monotony of being a pro,
right? You're not going to feel good every day. But all that we care about is right, like that
you're giving your 100% that day for whatever level that may be, right? Like, like we understand,
like we do a lot. And, you know, there, there needs to be some motivation, like externally from,
from myself and the coaches sometimes, but, but every, every kid here is, is here for the right
reason, right? And you, you as a coach can't make a kid want to do something, right? Like if, if, if,
if a player wants to be great, and they want to want to be something special, like that has to
come like intrinsically from inside them. And like you can only do so much as a coach to bring that
out of them. But, but at the end of the day, like they have to be motivated to do it. And I, I do
believe that, that our, that our guys here and, and who we work with are here for the right reason.
And, and really they, they dedicate themselves to, to being a better person every single day and,
and being the best that they can be day in and day out. Yeah, that's a, that's awesome. That's
good to hear. You, you touch on like a thing that's kind of relatable to it right now. Obviously,
I was telling you that I just got off the ice and I was doing like a private session with a kid who
goes to Culver Academy, a sophomore. And you could tell like, if he has a bad rep with something,
like, I don't have to say anything. He's kind of like beating himself up. And he's like, he's pushing
himself to get better. And so the other point that you just made too, right, like, he's a really good
kid. He's, he's relatively quiet, but like, you know, he shows up on time, he does like the right
things and he's like working hard. So it makes any coach's job, I feel like way easier. When somebody
has that like internal motivation to like, just get going and they're already like dialed in and
you don't have to like try to sell them on it. Just last couple of things to wrap up. What,
what are you like, what's your biggest goals moving forward? What do you look into? Like in the future,
that type of stuff? Sorry, you're cutting out there. Oh, sorry about that. I was saying to like
kind of wrap it up. What are you looking forward to? Like moving forward, some of your goals, stuff
like that. Sorry, one more time. All right. I was saying, what are you looking forward to? Like
moving forward and like some of your biggest goals, like ahead of you?
So biggest goals ahead of me, I think are just like anyone I want to be, like just like when I
was playing, right? Wanted to make it to the NHL, wanted to kind of take it as far as I could. I
think that's kind of the same mindset. I'm kind of carrying into my professional career is,
right? Want to try to be the best I can be as a coach and a professional and, you know, make it to
the NHL one day or whatever the highest, my highest potential could possibly be. So yeah.
Nice. Well, yeah, again, dude, thank you for doing this. This is awesome. It's great to have you.
Good luck with everything moving forward. And, you know, if that's what you want to do is keep
moving forward and keep moving up. Dude, I totally believe in you and just, you know, keep doing
your thing. And, you know, obviously, everything's been working. So thanks again for coming on.
Is there anything else that you want to like touch on before you go?
No, I just thanks for having me and, you know, I appreciate what you're kind of doing with this.
I think it's a really good thing to kind of get stuff like this out there to people,
you know, kind of different way of motivating people and kind of seeing a different side of
things that, you know, isn't always talked about. Like you see a lot of stuff on social media that,
you know, it gives you like a glimpse at maybe things that aren't realistic and aren't really the
truth. Kind of getting talking to people that are actually there and giving more of like the
maybe not so pretty, pretty details about how things work and come to fruition or is really
helpful to people. Cool. Well, I appreciate that. Thanks, big guy. I'll let you go. Last note is
obviously happy Thanksgiving to you and your family and congratulations on getting married. That's
awesome. Thanks, man. Happy Thanksgiving. Thanks for having me. All right, bye.