S02|E237Reflections on a Year of Growth | Samson Strength Coach CollectiveIn this solo episode of the Samson Strength Coach Collective, Connor Agnew takes time to reflect on the past year—reviewing personal and professional goals, lessons learned, and the life experiences that reshaped his priorities.Connor Agnew discusses the importance of balancing work and family, navigating health and personal loss, and how reflection can lead to clarity and growth. He also outlines new goals for the year ahead, centered on education, health, and intentional living.⸻Topics Covered:• Reflecting on past goals and growth• Balancing career and family life• Lessons learned from personal loss• Health and longevity in coaching• Setting meaningful goals for the future• Education and lifelong learning• Gratitude, perspective, and personal growth⸻Keywords: reflection, goals, personal growth, family, lessons learned, strength coaching, health, education, social media, life changes⸻✉️ JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER ✉️https://www.samsonequipment.com/newsletter📝 BLOG 📝https://www.samsonequipment.com/blog/🏋️ FACILITIES 🏋️https://www.samsonequipment.com/facilities💯 GET YOUR SOLUTION 💯https://www.samsonequipment.com/get-your-solution💪 FIND US ON 💪Twitter - https://x.com/SAMSON_EQInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/samson_eqLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/samson-equipment-inc./Website - https://www.samsonequipment.com/🔥 PLAYLISTS 🔥Testimonies • [Installations Playlist]The Collective • [Strength Coach Collective Playlist]

In this conversation, Keane Hamilton discusses his unique career path that blends collegiate strength coaching with teaching in higher education. He explains how he frames research alongside real-world examples, why flexibility matters more than rigid systems, and how effective communication helps bridge the gap between academics and athletics. Keane also shares insight into the future of strength coaching, accreditation, and the return to foundational training principles.

Key Takeaways

• Bridging theory and practice strengthens both coaching and education
  

• Real-world examples help athletes and students understand research
  

• Flexibility is essential for long-term athlete development
  

• Communication builds trust between coaches, athletes, and academics
  

• Foundational strength training remains critical despite evolving trends
  

• Accreditation will continue to professionalize the field
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“I’ll show what the research says, what I actually do in practice, and usually there’s a middle ground where both sides meet.” — Keane Hamilton

In this conversation, Peter Kenn, Director of Olympic Sports at SMU, traces his path from student-athlete to strength coach, emphasizing how early internships shaped his foundation and understanding of the profession. He outlines his coaching principles, the evolution of SMU’s Olympic sports department, and the essential role of communication, shared ownership, and culture in program development. Peter stresses that coaches must embrace being wrong—remaining open to new ideas, honest feedback, and continuous learning—to evolve in the ever-changing landscape of strength and conditioning.

Key Takeaways:

• Early internships provide critical real-world experience.
  

• Understanding the realities of coaching helps prevent burnout and early exits.
  

• Creating a positive environment is essential for both athletes and staff.
  

• Maximal strength and power remain foundational performance pillars.
  

• Shared ownership improves cohesion across athletes and staffs.
  

• Being willing to be wrong accelerates personal and professional growth.
  

• Networking and relationship-building open career opportunities.
  

• Continuous learning strengthens coaching longevity and adaptability.
  

• Coaches should adopt a service-driven mindset centered on athlete success.
  

• Developing a unique coaching philosophy is a key step in personal growth.
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“You have to create shared ownership.” — Peter Kenn

In this episode, Lilly Simon of the University of North Carolina dives into “The Illusion of Choice”—the idea that small, seemingly simple decisions can shape the direction of a coaching career. Drawing on her journey from lacrosse athlete to strength coach, Lilly explains how taking initiative, reflecting on personal values, and making intentional choices have positioned her for early success in the field. Her insights highlight how meaningful career growth often stems from the smallest moments of alignment.

Key Takeaways:

• Small decisions can significantly impact your career trajectory.
  

• Evaluating decisions through the lens of your values is essential.
  

• Aligning goals with values strengthens long-term decision-making.
  

• Reflection provides clarity for shaping future choices.
  

• Career development is built through consistent, small actions.
  

• Knowing your values helps guide your professional path.
  

• Success is often the result of many small, intentional choices.
  

• Intentional decision-making fosters fulfillment and growth.
  

• Values-aligned career paths lead to greater satisfaction.
  

• Continuous reevaluation of goals is key to development.
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“Just how impactful small decisions can be… evaluating how choices align with my values and goals has put me in the position I am today.” — Lilly Simon

Justin McKenna, Director of Basketball Performance at Bucknell University, joins the Samson Strength Coach Collective to discuss his journey through the strength and conditioning world—from small-school beginnings to experiences at powerhouse programs like Duke and Kentucky. He dives into the importance of being adaptable, filling additional roles that support overall team operations, and developing systems that promote athlete ownership. Throughout the conversation, Justin highlights the role of nutrition, communication, and individualized training in maximizing performance. His perspective emphasizes that success in basketball performance isn’t just about sets and reps, but about providing athletes with the tools, environment, and autonomy to grow.

Key Takeaways:

• Justin’s path from Division III athlete to Power 5 performance coach shaped his coaching versatility.
  

• Building genuine relationships is foundational for athlete buy-in.
  

• Nutrition and recovery innovations play a critical role in modern performance.
  

• Strength coaches must adapt to increasing demands and evolving athlete needs.
  

• Autonomy fosters investment—athletes perform better when they have a say.
  

• Individualized training strategies are essential in basketball performance.
  

• Creativity and alternative environments can keep athletes engaged.
  

• Strength coaches often fill additional roles beyond the weight room.
  

• Life skills built in sport can prepare athletes for long-term success.
  

Quote:“Because at the end of the day, like if they're more invested, if they feel like they have a stake in what we're doing, they're going to give better outputs.” — Justin McKenna

In this engaging conversation, Dr. John Harry shares his journey from athlete to academic in biomechanics and strength conditioning. He emphasizes bridging research with practical application, helping coaches understand the purpose behind their methods. The discussion covers technology’s role in coaching, momentum versus velocity, and the importance of movement quality and clarity in data interpretation.

Key Takeaways:

• Understanding biomechanics is fundamental to athletic development.
  

• Coaches must bridge the gap between research and practice.
  

• Momentum, not just velocity, is essential for effective training.
  

• Clarity in terminology prevents confusion in performance data.
  

• Overreliance on technology can hinder coaching intuition.
  

• Understanding the “why” behind training methods enhances effectiveness.
  

• Research informs practice—but experience completes the picture.
  

• Simplified methods often lead to better athlete outcomes.
  

Quote: “It's all about how you interact with the environment. The interaction with the environment is overcoming gravity, it's force application, and putting those things together within the laws of motion—and that's how movement goes.” — Dr. John Harry

Dave Downey, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Brown University, joins the Samson Strength Coach Collective to discuss the realities of coaching insecurity and self-doubt. From difficult internship experiences to exploring sports psychology, Downey shares insights from his journey and his book Imposter Coach. He highlights how vulnerability and empathy can strengthen relationships between coaches and athletes, and how initiatives like Brown’s “Bruno Cares” support mental health and peer connection.

Key Takeaways

• Imposter syndrome is common among coaches and athletes.
  

• Mentorship and honest reflection are key to personal growth.
  

• Building genuine athlete relationships drives effective coaching.
  

• Mental health must be prioritized within performance programs.
  

• Leadership is developed through resilience, empathy, and consistency.
  

• Programs like Bruno Cares foster community and support among athletes.
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“It got to a point where they told me, ‘Hey man, I don’t think coaching is for you.’ That’s hard to hear when you’ve invested everything into it.” — Dave Downey

 In this episode, Samson sits down with Liane Blyn, Director of Sports Performance for Olympic Sports at Arizona State University. Liane shares how strength and conditioning has evolved through the years and what it takes to build a culture of accountability. From breaking barriers as a female coach in a male-dominated field to mentoring the next generation of coaches, Liane’s story embodies grit, growth, and purpose in the ever-changing landscape of athletics.

Key Takeaways

• Building professional connections is vital for growth in coaching.
  

• Communication styles and expectations have evolved across generations.
  

• Structure and consistency benefit both coaches and athletes.
  

• Transitioning from athletic training to strength coaching can redefine a career.
  

• Female coaches continue to face unique barriers in male-dominated fields.
  

• The transfer portal has transformed athlete development and retention.
  

• Adversity builds resilience and fosters accountability.
  

• Competing in strength sports can deepen a coach’s credibility and empathy.
  

Quote:

“75% of kids drop out of organized sports by the time they get to high school. You can’t just point the finger and blame the coach—look in the mirror sometimes.” — Liane Blyn

In this conversation, Samson speaks with Ant Blubello, a physical therapist and strength coach, about his evolution from a self-critical athlete to a coach guided by faith and emotional intelligence. Ant dives into his early struggles with body image, the power of positive self-talk, and how spiritual growth has influenced his approach to both rehabilitation and performance. He offers honest reflections on working with high-level athletes, collaborating with military personnel, and balancing the demands of therapy and strength coaching.

Key Takeaways

• Ant’s journey from overweight kid to respected coach is deeply inspiring.
  

• Relationships are the foundation of effective coaching.
  

• Positive self-talk fosters both athletic and personal growth.
  

• Faith and purpose guide Ant’s approach to performance and rehab.
  

• Coaching requires empathy, patience, and understanding of human behavior.
  

• The art of rehabilitation is as much emotional as it is physical.
  

• Balancing physical therapy with coaching provides a holistic athlete view.

  
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“The problem with that was that it worked. Me beating myself up did lead to new PRs and better grades—but that negative self-talk bled into relationships and friendships.” — Ant Blubello

Conner Freeland, Vice President of Municipal Sales at O2X Human Performance, joins the Samson Strength Coach Collective to discuss how relationships have defined every stage of his career—from the weight room to business leadership. A career-altering back injury redirected his focus to coaching, sparking a passion for helping others move, perform, and recover. Conner reflects on developing athlete buy-in, teaching recovery in tactical populations, and how mentorship and servant leadership continue to guide his approach to building people and programs.

Key Takeaways:

• A major injury led Conner to discover his passion for coaching.
  

• Recovery and simplicity often create the greatest progress.
  

• Buy-in starts with authenticity, humility, and consistency.
  

• Servant leadership connects coaching and business development.
  

• Mentorship and curiosity fuel long-term professional growth.
  

• Tactical coaching requires empathy, recovery education, and adaptability.
  

• Great leaders build people through relationships, not authority.
  

• Leaving every role or program better than you found it defines success.

  Quote:

“OK, now what do I do? I need to rehab. I need to like… get back to be able to just squat and move again, like what do I do? And it was kind of going through that rehab process with the ATs, the PTs, the docs, strength coaches—getting that one-on-one attention. It was really cool to see that you can make substantial progress even from an injury, to get back to moving well. That became an avenue for me to stay in sports and provide value to others the same way others had poured into me.”

— Conner Freeland