Jordan at Pepperdine - Week 2

Jordan Webster at Pepperdine University

My second week in Malibu has given me more tools in my toolbox including detailed presentations/practical for the Functional Movement Screen, Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) movement screen and Beach Volleyball Rating (BVR) system. Setting up for team sessions is a big part of an interns responsibility in USA so it’s important to do it right. Once the coaches see you’re competent in these minor tasks, you’re allowed more responsibilities coaching wise. It is very much a “you have to earn your stripes” situation. Had the opportunity to help out with data collection at the World Series of Beach Volleyball in Long Beach which was great to be a part of. This was a Asics sponsored event with free trainers, t-shirts, shorts and merchandise - it was the real deal.

Movement Screening at Asics World Series of Beach Volleyball

Intern Education

It was another informative week for me at Pepperdine. With Pep being a very movement orientated facility, assessing movement is obviously a very useful part of their process. The Interns and I were shown the Functional Movement Screening. I had performed modified versions before, but was nice to go through a presentation on it, followed by the practical application and how Pep use it. We also went through the Titliest Performance Institute’s (TPI) movement screening for golf. This is a very extensive mobility and postural control testing protocol which can be used to identify problems with a golfer’s swing before you’ve even seen them swing.

Part of the resources given to interns at Pepperdine.

Coach Interaction

My second week into the internship and I think I’m really figuring out the different types of coaches around me. They are all “Strength and Conditioning Wizards” in a way that their knowledge base seems to be never ending. I had numerous conversations where I felt humbled by how much I really didn’t know. I always took notes on interesting points and especially made sure to go and research concepts that were brought up often so I could follow future conversations. After speaking with Matt about how bad I was at pull ups, I’ve somehow been talked into doing an extra workout every morning of a minimum of 50 pull ups a day and increasing the reps every week. On Thursday we trained at 4:30am as we had a busy day of coaching and travelling to Long Beach ahead.

The BVR Clinic set up (http://www.idrills.net/beach-volleyball-rating-bvr/#get-your-bvr)

Team Sessions

Before their S&C session, I went down to watch Men’s Basketball practice in their state of the art basketball hall. Coaches at Pepperdine attend 90% of their team’s practice and games when scheduling allows it. I find this inspiring, as the coaches aren’t just “Strength coaches”, they fully integrated into the sport and the culture This comes from spending a lot of time around the team, even when they aren’t lifting. Really starting to get stuck into some coaching now, after learning the specific way the coaches like to cue movements and like sessions set up. I’ve been given a few Freshman to take through sessions which has been cool. We have been struggling with slight language barriers, as people don’t seem understand me through my thick Northern accent. This is making me much more aware on being clear, loud and speaking slowly during coaching. The energy in the team sessions is always cool, its exactly like those videos of American weight rooms with athletes shouting and getting each other hyped for every set. Sessions always finish with a quick word from the coach and a bringing together of hands and chant for a positive finish.

https://youtu.be/MxfXK4ZTB6o

California Life

I spent the weekend at Long Beach this weekend helping out at the Asics World Series of Beach Volleyball. Matt has created a Beach Volleyball Rating system which he used to analyze different physical properties of athletes and compares them to normative data. This includes testing strength, jumping ability, anthropometrics and mobility. It was a great atmosphere with lots of hype between Beach Volleyball Enthusiasts with a music concert taking place 200m down the beach. It was good to see “in the field testing” and see behind the scenes of such a big sporting event over here. Ticked off another American food brand with an In N Out Burger, and probably drank my weight in Gatorade.

World Series of Beach Volleyball.