Central Michigan University Athletics
Spring Football Report #3: Strength Coach Rick Perry
3/20/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Watch Spring Football Insider
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Rick Perry may be the most valuable member of the Central Michigan football program.
CMU's director of strength and conditioning is tasked with preparing the Chippewas for both spring practice and fall competition, as well as assisting in the rehabilitation of injuries. NCAA rules limit the amount of time the coaching staff can spend with the players outside of the playing season and spring practice, leaving Perry with the most direct contact with the players during the winter and summer.
"This is a tough game and you have to be mentally and physically tough to excel at it," said CMU head coach Dan Enos . "It all starts it the weight room. Rick does a great job with our guys. He holds them accountable, makes them do the right things and do them with discipline. And that will carry over onto the field."
A large part of Perry's responsibility is identifying areas in which individual athletes need to improve, then developing specific strength and conditioning plans to eliminate the weaknesses in each athlete. Bigger, faster, stronger may be a goal for most athletes, but it may not apply to everyone in the program.
"We just concluded our second developmental stage, getting our guys not only bigger, faster and stronger but also healthier and back to full speed," Perry said. "We want to develop them as sport-specific athletes. Just being in the weight room is not enough. We want to make sure we're in here with high enthusiasm and intensity."
Watch the CMU Sports Zone interview with Perry above to learn more about his role in the CMU program.
