NSCA’s Coaching Podcast, Episode 80: Mary Kate and Adam Feit

Mary Kate Feit, Assistant Professor and Associate Director of Strength and Conditioning at Springfield College, and Adam Feit, Coordinator of Physical and Mental Performance at Springfield College and Assistant Director of Performance Nutrition at Precision Nutrition, talk to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about being a married couple in the world of strength and conditioning. Topics under discussion include the unique positions they hold at Springfield College, how becoming parents has changed their perspective on coaching, and why diversity is so important for the future of the field.

Connect with Mary Kate via email: mfeit@springfield.edu | Find Adam on Twitter: @Adam_Feit or Instagram @aefeit | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

Show Notes

“I was the youngest head strength and conditioning coach in Division I at the time. I took over a team that was the worst in the nation. So you talked about growth mindset and an opportunity to learn and get better.” 11:11

“Just being someone who's able to step up. If we send out a message, hey, we need someone to do this, we're looking for that person who's going to respond right away. I'm on it. Can I help?” 13:45

“However, what are they doing with that knowledge and how are they translating that into real life situations? So can you be adaptable? Can you be reliable? Can I count on you to treat everything as it should?” 14:29

“And even when I see professional athletes, I still think. I mean, they're younger than us now, most of them. And I still think of them as someone's child. And I think that changes everything. It's not about winning. It's about this individual. And I think I always kind of saw it that way.” 20:15

“Be the coach that people want to hire. Now we have technology. We need a sports science expert. We need a nutrition coach. We need a FMS corrective coach. We need a VBT coach. And I would say a coach, but a skill set. And now I look at it as be the coach that can do a lot of many things.” 38:48