Kenna Smoak-Minnici - NSCA’s Coaching Podcast, Season 7 Episode 21

Get to know the 2024 NSCA Assistant College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year, Kenna Smoak-Minnici. After accepting her award at the 2024 Coaches Conference, she connects with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the unique coaching rigors at the prestigious military academy, Army West Point. The episode goes beyond the demands of sport-specific training to developing student-athletes and leaders for sustained success in the military. Smoak-Minnici highlights the role of family along her journey as an athlete and strength and conditioning coach, as well as the importance of always pushing yourself to go beyond the norm.

Connect with Kenna on Instagram at: @kenna_minnici or LinkedIn: @kenna-smoak-minnici | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs   

Did you enjoy the episode? Don’t forget to nominate a deserving strength and conditioning coach for an NSCA Coach of the Year Award at NSCA Awards.

Show Notes

“I also help out with the Athlete Monitoring Program. Everyone is probably familiar with—to get in the military, you have to have meet certain height and weight requirements, or physical abilities that might lean more towards distance running, push-ups, sit ups, whatever it may be. But when you have a 300-lb lineman, or a heavyweight wrestler, or a rugby player, or a thrower, that type of training might not—that body size isn’t conducive to their athletic career for them to stay safe and be successful. So, I work close with getting those athletes ready to commission once their sports seasons end.” 4:48

“When I got to middle school, my parents sat me down and they’re like, okay, maybe softball, or track, or some of your other sports might—and I was like, “no, I’m playing football. I like this the best. I like hitting people.” So, then my dad was, to really appease my mom, like, “don’t worry, I’m going to make her quit.” And so, then he made me get up every morning at 5:00 AM and do his whatever he knew about two hours of working out before school in middle school and I fell in love with it to where he didn’t make me quit. So, I played through junior year.” 11:30

“To me, it’s just all flowing and I can’t compartmentalize it. I’ve been at West Point a while, so I really do feel like I have a family here, to where I can bring my son around. There’s definitely been last minute schedule changes. I’ve thrown him in the hiking backpack and just coached a group. My players love him and he loves Army. It means so much to me for him to see me feel like I have a purpose in my career.” 15:15