Austin Spangler is a senior at Dickinson State University (DSU) majoring in Exercise Science and Physical Education. He is also minoring in coaching and is a member of the Blue Hawks football team.
In the weight room, his typical day consists of assisting the strength and conditioning coaches during team lifts. His responsibilities include running warmups, echoing coaching cues, and helping correct athletes’ technique. He has also started taking on opportunities to run portions of lifts himself.
One of the biggest skills he has developed is learning how to identify mistakes during lifts. Being able to spot improper form has helped him better understand both training mechanics and the coaching process.
For Spangler, the most rewarding part of the internship has been his own development as a lifter and learning how to build a program. “Even if I don’t become a strength coach, I can take the knowledge I’ve gained and apply it to myself,” he said.
The internship has also helped him get out of his comfort zone, especially when speaking in group settings.
His advice to students interested in a similar role is to “be fully committed to it. If you are just doing it for credit, you won’t get anything out of it,” he said.
Overall, Spangler describes the experience as a positive one and credits the coaching staff for their support. “I would recommend interning for them to anyone that wants to be, or potentially be, a strength and conditioning coach.”