The Online Reflector

Each season, University of Indianapolis fans watch their favorite sports teams compete on the field, court or track. Yet before each of those games comes preparation. Athletes spend many hours a week in the gym and in the weight room to get stronger, faster and better.

UIndy Strength and Conditioning Coach Steve Barrick is at the head of this preparation in his first year at the position.

Barrick attended Franklin College, where he played football and received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in sociology in 2002.

After graduating, he was a social worker for five years while coaching strength and conditioning on the side. During this time, he decided he wanted to become a full-time strength and conditioning coach.

Barrick then came to UIndy in 2006 for graduate school.

“I like the small campus atmosphere. That’s what I was used to,” Barrick said.

Barrick received his Bachelor of Science Degree in exercise science and Master of Arts in Teaching Degree in physical health/education from UIndy in 2010.

After graduating, he was hired as UIndy’s strength and conditioning coach.

“I always told myself if an opportunity opened up at a place like UIndy that I would take it,” Barrick said.

According to Barrick, he really wanted a job at UIndy because he liked the atmosphere of the athletic department and the work ethic of its athletes.

Barrick explained how he has implemented a sports performance-based program for UIndy athletics. The program features Olympic weight lifting, which consists of full-body explosive movements. Barrick said that each session is always full-body in nature and the focus is training movements, not muscles.

“We’re not training to be body builders,” Barrick said. “We’re training to increase performance on the field.”

Barrick and his assistants work with every athletic team at UIndy except for the golf teams. In addition to working with teams that are in season, Barrick works extensively with teams in their off-season.

Junior men’s soccer player Joseph McGuire, who is currently in his off-season, likes the changes Barrick has brought to UIndy.

“I can feel the results already,” McGuire said. “Everything he does makes so much sense. I don’t feel like I’m wasting my time when I’m in the weight room.”

In addition to spending time in the weight room, the teams are also working in the gym to develop agility and speed. Barrick and his assistants create and instruct these workouts.

Each sport demands different strengths and movements that the athletes will need on the field or court.

“I’m a soccer player, I don’t want to have big bulky muscles,” said McGuire. “All that would do is slow me down. The lifting we do with Coach Barrick doesn’t make me feel that way at all.”

Barrick explained that with the full-body lifting they are using, it benefits every sport.

They all use many of the same movements but simply emphasize different parts.

“We’re getting stronger, faster and more flexible,” Barrick said.

Another dimension of strength and conditioning training is injury prevention.

According to Barrick, this is one of the most important things the program can do for the athlete.

“Our main focus is to keep athletes healthy year round and in shape year round,” Barrick said.