A couple weeks ago the University at Buffalo informed me they will not renew my contract. I have been there almost 10 years if you count my volunteer time during my graduate work there, that's like 70 in coaching years. My objective is to blog about it in hopes that it can help someone going through this same process.
I'm not going to get into the specifics of why I was not renewed. I think they are simply going in a different direction. You can google me it you want, I don't care. If you ever get let go, just keep quiet. If you cared about your job, you're going to be pissed no matter how you were let go. I was lucky enough to leave on good terms with many coaches and administrators. Future employers will look at your social media before they even think about contacting you, I've already picked up a follower or two from other universities. Keep your feelings to yourself and stay positive!
Below is what I posted on my facebook to thank and notify everyone. Once our student athletes started finding out my cell phone was going non-stop and it basically took me the whole day to keep up with everyone. I figured I would just post something to address it and let everyone know how I felt. I didn't post the responses I got here because I don't want my blogs to turn into a sappy Mcmush fest. My post was bad enough. lol If you're interested it's up on my facebook.
"THESE HORNS ARE STILL, AND WILL ALWAYS BE UP!! They've been up since I was 14 and heard my first real metal song. This was about the point in my life I knew I wanted to be a strength coach, about two years before this I started training and studying training. As horrible as my math is that's 26 years and counting underthebar !
I'm sure many of you have heard but for those who haven't unfortunately I won't be returning to UB next year. They've decided to go in another direction. Does it hurt? ABSOLUTELY. According to Coach Rocco Salomone that's a good thing because that means it meant something. If someone tells you their job isn't part of who they are then they are in the wrong profession. I have the best support system anyone could ask for, my wife has been absolutely amazing through this. That being said', we have to take the positives and move forward.
Without my time at UB I would not have met and worked with so many amazing people. From the start I got to learn from world class strength coaches Paul Childress, Ryan Groneman, Julia Ladewski and Buddy Morris. Not to mention the other many great minds I've learned from since then. This has given me a knowledge base moving forward that many in our field won't acquire in an entire career. I wouldn't have gotten to work with so many great athletes that came to SFW on a daily basis. For those of you that really came to battle, you know who you are, you have no idea how much your time and effort means to me! YOU put your school on the map! Always be proud of what you did because it wasn't just lifting weights. I wouldn't have had to chance to work with great coaches who trusted me with their athletes, which when it boils down to it is their livelihood. These are the things that make our profession great and even outweigh the negative and make me very grateful for my time here.
I also have to thank Doc Reed and Danny White for giving me a shot at my first head job and the go ahead to build a naaaaaasty SFW(eightroom)! Yet another opportunity that never would have presented itself without our athletes hard work.
Moving forward Dave Tate assured me this has no effect on my spot with team Elitefts! The more I am involved with Elite the easier it is to understand how they started out as a guy selling lifting chalk out of a spare room in his house to the monster they are today.
Moving forward #ConjugateU goes with me it's not a place or a building. There are some big things coming out of the U! You are all apart of this and I can't thank you enough. Thank you for all the texts and messages from current and former athletes! As tough as they are to read it's been a great help. My heart swells, RACK IT....I'M DUUUUN! \m/"
THE HOUSE ELITEFTS BUILT:
What I've learned...
Always put your athletes first. The cool thing to talk about in our industry now is building relationships, communication, character building, change the culture and leadership etc. all that shit will take care of itself if you are genuine and just work your ass off for your athletes. To me constantly talking about that stuff is like constantly talking about how your going to put your Chucks on before you squat; stop overstating the obvious. That being said, if that's what you have to talk about in your next interview, then do it! You don't have to fucking bro hug every person that walks in the door. Or have a fancy handshake for everybody. Just work hard for your athletes, get them to work hard for you THATS how you help them succeed and everything else will fall into place. This is how you show them how to succeed instead of talking about it. Typically those that talk the most about this shit do the least with it. You don't have to give fancy motivational speeches after every lift. All you have to do is truly care about your athletes, train them properly and eventually they will start "winning fkn games" and the rest will take care of itself. That's how you be about it and not talk about it.
I'm not sure what is next for me but I know I will be fine and I'm sure I will be coaching in some capacity. I think there is something big on the horizon and I've had this feeling for awhile. Not to get to hippy on everyone but the universe works in weird ways. The longer I'm around the more examples I see of this, which I may post about when I have more time. There will always be a sore spot from all of this simply because we had a great thing going and I'm obviously going to miss the kids I got to work with. I do know that I can walk out with my head high because I did what was right for our student athletes because that's what is most important. HORNS UP!
