Boston College Athletics
Photo by: Billie Weiss
Matusz Leading Creative Charge To Evolve and Adapt
May 26, 2020 | Football, #ForBoston Files
The Eagles are staying ready thanks to some fun and some virtual engagement.
Around the country, it feels like states and governments are attempting to regain some sense of normalcy. The ongoing coronavirus crisis previously shuttered virtually everything in every corner of society, and it left everyone in a stagnant state. It was especially true in Massachusetts, which closed in mid-March with the immediate suspension of all activities.Â
The sports world was no different. The abrupt cessation sent coaches and athletes scattering across the country as they scrambled to get home. It seemed minimal in comparison to the greater value of the medical world, but it left a lingering, unavoidable question about when training could resume.Â
In actuality, it never really stopped; it just required an adjustment. At Boston College, that meant a new, more virtual world replaced the normal cacophony of clanging and shouting normally experienced during training periods.
"It's very tough for us," BC head strength and conditioning coach Phil Matusz said. "We can't have a dialogue with players reporting back numbers to us. They're only saying what's going on in general, which is similar to the NFL and high school. For us, health and wellness checks allow us to call in and talk about diet and training (or) if anyone has access to new equipment. Some players received barbells or weights from their high schools, and others don't have anything (right now). So it's going to be difficult."
Athlete conditioning is arguably the most critical piece robbed by the coronavirus pandemic. Boston College closed its campus after new head coach Jeff Hafley completed five spring practice sessions and almost everyone immediately trekked in whichever direction led them home. It immediately transitioned athletes into their own personal settings instead of enabling them in football-specific settings at the Fish Field House, the complexities of which deepened across state lines.
Each state's gravity dictated different responses from local governments and uniquely created brutally difficult situations for college coaches. They all needed to march towards a potentially unknown date while balancing the individual wellness needs of their athletes. The players couldn't perform tasks outside of their control but likewise needed to continue working to hit the ground running - literally and figuratively - whenever the situation warranted a return to the gridiron.
"First and foremost, safety is the most important thing," Matusz said. "We can get caught up in the rush of getting back to football, but the most important thing is the safety of our student-athletes. We have the right coaching staff to game plan for the adversity that hit, and we can game plan what practices and training looks like to balance out our days.
"Some players might not have stepped outside of their house during the quarantine," he continued, "so how can we ask our players to play 50 or 60 or 70 snaps? So we have to be creative in our return to play and meet our players to see where they're at. They're in great shape, but we have to plan to tier it for guys who are in better condition than others. We have to best prepare to get athletes to safely do their job on the field. I think we have a great staff that we're going to collaborate and put together our best plan for the players."
It forced Matusz, who heads BC's football training program and is an experienced optimizer of football careers nad lives,, to find solutions to adequately structure the routines and habits for the Eagles. He already knew how to push people to their physical and mental limits, but stopping the football activities so early into the program forced him to screech to the same halt and adjust on the same fly.
"We've given our guys a template that prescribes running progressions, plyometrics, and structural work," Matusz said. "Then there's strength work. We've gotten really creative with metabolic work. We've told guys to push a car - safely - as long as someone is operating the vehicle. We've told them to do wheelbarrow carries and fireman carries, and guys can carry gallon jugs."
It's a struggle, but it's led to unique, creative moments worthy of applause. Quarterback Phil Jurkovec and offensive lineman Alec Lindstrom battled each other in a wood chopping competition.Â
Offensive lineman Finn Dirstine recorded himself "getting jacked" on a squat rack at home as he blared Breaking Benjamin throughout his house. Quarterback Matt Valecce did the same but substituted Drake and Rick Ross, while his dad worked as a spotter. Linebacker Joe Sparacio introduced the world to his workout partner - his dog - and others squatted their good boys.Â
Televisions turned into squat racks. Jeeps turned into blocking sleds. Social media converted into a competition room and substituted a Zoom conference room for the normally raucous weight room scenes populating this time of year.
"You can get really creative by taking a video of yourself or FaceTiming (a teammate or coach)," Matusz added. "You can do Instagram or YouTube, so there's tons of ways to get footage to guys to make sure they're exercising correctly."
It all keeps the Eagles in a routine during a time when everyone is decidedly out of their routines. Matusz regularly communicates with Hafley and meets virtually with position groups to ensure players hit benchmarks within their programs. He's remained fluid and uses downtime to work himself out while talking to other strength and conditioning coaches throughout the nation. It's a multifaceted approach enhanced by the aptitude of his athletes and the willingness of a new program to adhere to an ever-evolving state, even as everyone marches into the unknown.
"The only two things you can change in life is when you have to or when you want to," Matusz said. "We had to change for this one. What you're doing in your household is your decision. It's how bad you want to stay mentally sharp and mentally ready, and that's entirely up to you. Outside of our Zoom meetings, I have five or six calls with strength coaches, guys who I trust across the country. Those are guys I really appreciate, and we collaborate so our progressions are sound.
"We've been pretty creative with our program design," he continued. "We'll throw components (to) prescribe something like a 225-pound (bench press) test. We make sure everyone has a spotter and can execute as they normally would on campus. Some guys (have to) use loaded book bags, so their situation is going to look different in how we write it up for them. It's going to be tough, but I can't be mad at anyone."
The sports world was no different. The abrupt cessation sent coaches and athletes scattering across the country as they scrambled to get home. It seemed minimal in comparison to the greater value of the medical world, but it left a lingering, unavoidable question about when training could resume.Â
In actuality, it never really stopped; it just required an adjustment. At Boston College, that meant a new, more virtual world replaced the normal cacophony of clanging and shouting normally experienced during training periods.
"It's very tough for us," BC head strength and conditioning coach Phil Matusz said. "We can't have a dialogue with players reporting back numbers to us. They're only saying what's going on in general, which is similar to the NFL and high school. For us, health and wellness checks allow us to call in and talk about diet and training (or) if anyone has access to new equipment. Some players received barbells or weights from their high schools, and others don't have anything (right now). So it's going to be difficult."
Athlete conditioning is arguably the most critical piece robbed by the coronavirus pandemic. Boston College closed its campus after new head coach Jeff Hafley completed five spring practice sessions and almost everyone immediately trekked in whichever direction led them home. It immediately transitioned athletes into their own personal settings instead of enabling them in football-specific settings at the Fish Field House, the complexities of which deepened across state lines.
Each state's gravity dictated different responses from local governments and uniquely created brutally difficult situations for college coaches. They all needed to march towards a potentially unknown date while balancing the individual wellness needs of their athletes. The players couldn't perform tasks outside of their control but likewise needed to continue working to hit the ground running - literally and figuratively - whenever the situation warranted a return to the gridiron.
"First and foremost, safety is the most important thing," Matusz said. "We can get caught up in the rush of getting back to football, but the most important thing is the safety of our student-athletes. We have the right coaching staff to game plan for the adversity that hit, and we can game plan what practices and training looks like to balance out our days.
"Some players might not have stepped outside of their house during the quarantine," he continued, "so how can we ask our players to play 50 or 60 or 70 snaps? So we have to be creative in our return to play and meet our players to see where they're at. They're in great shape, but we have to plan to tier it for guys who are in better condition than others. We have to best prepare to get athletes to safely do their job on the field. I think we have a great staff that we're going to collaborate and put together our best plan for the players."
It forced Matusz, who heads BC's football training program and is an experienced optimizer of football careers nad lives,, to find solutions to adequately structure the routines and habits for the Eagles. He already knew how to push people to their physical and mental limits, but stopping the football activities so early into the program forced him to screech to the same halt and adjust on the same fly.
"We've given our guys a template that prescribes running progressions, plyometrics, and structural work," Matusz said. "Then there's strength work. We've gotten really creative with metabolic work. We've told guys to push a car - safely - as long as someone is operating the vehicle. We've told them to do wheelbarrow carries and fireman carries, and guys can carry gallon jugs."
It's a struggle, but it's led to unique, creative moments worthy of applause. Quarterback Phil Jurkovec and offensive lineman Alec Lindstrom battled each other in a wood chopping competition.Â
Offensive lineman Finn Dirstine recorded himself "getting jacked" on a squat rack at home as he blared Breaking Benjamin throughout his house. Quarterback Matt Valecce did the same but substituted Drake and Rick Ross, while his dad worked as a spotter. Linebacker Joe Sparacio introduced the world to his workout partner - his dog - and others squatted their good boys.Â
Televisions turned into squat racks. Jeeps turned into blocking sleds. Social media converted into a competition room and substituted a Zoom conference room for the normally raucous weight room scenes populating this time of year.
"You can get really creative by taking a video of yourself or FaceTiming (a teammate or coach)," Matusz added. "You can do Instagram or YouTube, so there's tons of ways to get footage to guys to make sure they're exercising correctly."
It all keeps the Eagles in a routine during a time when everyone is decidedly out of their routines. Matusz regularly communicates with Hafley and meets virtually with position groups to ensure players hit benchmarks within their programs. He's remained fluid and uses downtime to work himself out while talking to other strength and conditioning coaches throughout the nation. It's a multifaceted approach enhanced by the aptitude of his athletes and the willingness of a new program to adhere to an ever-evolving state, even as everyone marches into the unknown.
"The only two things you can change in life is when you have to or when you want to," Matusz said. "We had to change for this one. What you're doing in your household is your decision. It's how bad you want to stay mentally sharp and mentally ready, and that's entirely up to you. Outside of our Zoom meetings, I have five or six calls with strength coaches, guys who I trust across the country. Those are guys I really appreciate, and we collaborate so our progressions are sound.
"We've been pretty creative with our program design," he continued. "We'll throw components (to) prescribe something like a 225-pound (bench press) test. We make sure everyone has a spotter and can execute as they normally would on campus. Some guys (have to) use loaded book bags, so their situation is going to look different in how we write it up for them. It's going to be tough, but I can't be mad at anyone."
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