The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/141892
Football 2013 I By Matt Carter t's Friday, June 14, 5:15 in the morning. The skies are still dark outside, but the lights are on in the Murphy Center's weight room. Huddled up in NC State head strength and conditioning coach Jason Veltkamp's office around a conference table are his three assistants (Brad Stewart, Tim Rabas and Dantonio Burnette) and his graduate assistant (Sterling Lucas.) The five of them are meeting and preparing for a sight rarely seen: college students voluntarily getting up for a workout at the crack of dawn. Last winter, Veltkamp, then working at Arkansas, was told by a friend that NC State "was a potential gold mine." Although Veltkamp was not looking to move on, he was intrigued from his prior experience in Raleigh and sent a résumé via e-mail. "I've never done it that way before," Veltkamp said. "It was something that was meant to be." About 10 days later, new NC State head coach Dave Doeren arranged a phone call with Veltkamp. "This guy called at 6:30 in the morning and starts talking about family," Veltkamp remembered. Having worked in a more of the number of multi-purpose platform weight racks from seven to 14 constitute the two major changes Veltkamp has made to the weight room. "I'm working on trying to find the consistently liked flavors so that I can have a few different ones ready every time," Kirby noted. Chocolate was the flavor of the day on this Friday, although even chocolate was not able to make some picky football players happy. Kirby, who was hired in October, arrives in time for the morning workouts, which are ideal for her because she can return to her office at Weiseger-Brown on campus Working Hard To Be Successful The Players Are Spending The Early Hours Getting Bigger, Faster And Stronger NC State football is in the middle of its summer conditioning program. Unlike the winter workouts, which emphasized power and strength, the summer is a time for focusing on conditioning so that the football players are in peak form for preseason camp and the long season ahead. The master plan for the summer has long ago been worked out, but Veltkamp, whose tall frame and drill sergeant resemblance are fitting for a strength coach, is going over instructions for the day's workout and any modifications that may be needed. The crew meets every morning at 5:15, and the players begin workouts 45 minutes later. As the routine becomes more ingrained, the meeting start times will probably be closer to 5:30. This is the first year for Veltkamp at NCSU. His only prior experience with Raleigh came as the strength coach at Louisville when the Cardinals beat the Pack 29-10 in Raleigh in 2007. "We played at North Carolina a couple of years earlier," Veltkamp recalled. "Coming out here for the NC State game, I was expecting that same type of environment. I was blown away by the fans and the excitement from the first kickoff to the end of the game." Head strength and conditioning coach Jason Veltkamp came to NC State after stints in the same position at Arkansas (2008-12) and Louisville (2004-07). Photo by ken martin business-like environment at Louisville and Arkansas, Veltkamp was sold on a potential culture change. Getting Ready Friday workouts represent one of the significant changes Veltkamp has made to the conditioning program. In the past, NC State players worked out with their units and never saw teammates from other positions in the weight room. "It's hard for me to see how you build a team that way," Veltkamp said. "You have to know who you have standing next to you in the huddle, know that guy is grinding, know that guy put it all out there and know what he is going to do for a game." On Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, the smaller skill position players will work out with the quarterbacks, and larger skill positions like tight ends and linebackers work together. Both sides of the line also work in tandem. On Wednesdays, the team will run together, and on Friday, the offense works collectively, as does the defense. On this Friday, the first offensive players start walking in at about 5:50. Some will have a fruit or protein drink from the newly built Nutrition Center. All of them grab their charts, which detail their workout history all the way back to January. Meanwhile, NCSU director of sports nutrition Kate Kirby and her intern are busy making smoothies at the Nutrition Center. That new area and the doubling to attend to the other student-athletes in the afternoon. She is adjusting to her new Murphy Center space and responsibilities. "With football you have to be there when they are there and catch them in the moment," Kirby said. Kirby is also educating the players about consistently balancing what they eat with when they eat. When athletes are ready, she will work with them on more detailed, specialized diet plans. "I tend to wait until they ask," Kirby said. "If they are ready to absorb information, that's when they get it. To me that's more effective than if I'm just trying to tell them stuff." Veltkamp had a nutrition center at Arkansas. When he arrived there, he initially viewed it as a waste of space. He came to learn, though, that it was a great area for players to unwind after a workout and build team chemistry. By the end of the summer, NCSU's Nutrition Center will feature bar stools and a sitting table along with wall graphics of Wolfpack greats such as Torry Holt and Mario Williams. Offense Works Out At 6:00, Burnette leads the offensive players in their warm-ups, which is one of his primary responsibilities along with flexibility training. Stewart handles what is called the intro and intro-progressive programs for newcomers to get them up to speed with the veterans. Rabas handles July 2013 ■ 43 42-44.Strength & Conditioning.indd 43 7/1/13 2:14 PM