NSCA’s Coaching Podcast, Episode 60: Kurt Hester

Kurt Hester, Head of Sports Performance at Louisiana Tech University, talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about his journey from weight lifting at 12 years old to training collegiate football athletes today. Topics under discussion include starting a business, pioneering strength and conditioning, and the interview process.

Find Kurt on Twitter: @thekurthester or on Instagram: @hesterkurt | Find Scott on Instagram: @coachcaulfield

Show Notes

“And you have to come to a point, as a man or a woman, and say, you know what? I want to do what’s right by my athletes. Over this undying loyalty to a sport coach.” 3:52

“My staff understands the emergency protocol of assessing the athlete of high-volume O₂ if we have it down on the field, then immediately submerge in the ice mass, and then calling 9-1-1. So it’s an action plan that, if a young trainer gets, basically, shell-shocked and can’t move and can’t think, that we can go into action and help out.” 8:41

“You have to look at the heat index, how hot it is on turf versus how hot is it on the grass, the humidity level, your wind, your wind direction. There’s a lot of things that you have to utilize and understand, use that information, in taking your protocol, and either taking away reps or adding reps.” 9:59

“I like to bash my head into other humans. I love the physicalness of football. But I love the middle aspect of getting ready for the game. And that’s why I got into the—more, I got into the field. Not from the lifting aspect, because I love to train, but I loved what you had to do mentally to prepare to play a warrior sport.” 16:05

“That whole people side of things, relationship-building, is kind of the ‘X’ factor in this profession, right? You can have written the greatest program, but if you can’t get athletes to believe in what you’re selling and what you’re telling them is going to help them, then it doesn’t really matter anyway.” 28:05

“And if you’re in it for yourself, if you’re in it for your social media hits, and your tweets, and your likes, you’re in it for the wrong reason. This field is not about a coach, it is about the humans you do coach.” 29:03

“And that’s where you start learning more by interacting with other coaches and throwing around a ton of ideas.” 44:26

“It’s connected either at @thekurthester on Twitter, or it’s Hester Kurt on Instagram. Email khester@latech.edu.” 47:02

“We’re always looking for free interns. Being in Ruston, Louisiana, which is in north Louisiana, it’s not very big, it’s kind of hard to get help. So if you’re willing to learn and willing to work, I’ll take you in a heartbeat. If you’re breathing and you’re ambulatory, we’re good to go.” 47:46