Corey Roy was hired earlier this year as Ozark’s first full-time strength and conditioning coach. Sports editor Pat Dailey engaged in a Q’s and A’s session with Roy about his job:
Q: Can you give Ozark fans an intro relating to your professional background?
Roy: I just competed my 25th year in education. I was a coach for that entire time, except for seven years that I was an AD at Neosho. I was a head football coach for six years, a head baseball coach for three years and was also and assistant coach in football and basketball.
It’s been a lifelong passion and a goal of mine to get in a position like this.
Q: How did strength and conditioning spark a fire in you?
Roy: It goes all the way back to when I was in high school. I was a skinny, scrawny kid. I remember my brother, my Dad and I putting together some concrete weights in the garage and doing some things there and I really bought into (weightlifting) in high school. I was a pretty average athlete and I worked really hard in the weight room because I loved it. That pushed me and I was able to go on to the college level to play football. I had a strength coach in college that sparked my love for training people.
Q: What are some things about training athletes that appeal to you?
Roy: There is continual learning, seeing how bodies work and how to improve performance is something that has always drawn my interest.
I have a son and daughter who were athletes and I would read about or see a certain drill or technique and try it on them. I would see how it works and then would incorporate that into the kids I worked with in a school setting. Seeing what each kid needs and adapting to those things is intriguing to me.
Q: What are some things you hope to accomplish at Ozark?
Roy: My number one goal is to create a culture that every athlete wants to be a part of, males and females in every sport. It’s just like in a classroom, how do kids learn and how do you spark their interest. I want to create an environment they want to be a part of and not to be afraid because they have never lifted weights or are out of shape. I want them to feel like they belong and they are getting something out of it.
I want to prepare them to compete, whether it’s on a field, in the gym or on a court.
Q: What are some principles the Tigers and Lady Tigers can expect from you?
Roy: We have the motto that we’re going to ‘Move Well First,’ get in positions and learn how to control our bodies. Then, we’re going to move fast and move strong. Overall, our theme for the summer has been to be tough. Sometimes, you have to be tough and fight through things. You have to compete not only with each other, but yourself.
Q: What has been their response thus far?
Roy: It’s been very positive. I was anxious coming in, not knowing what to expect and they didn’t know me. From day one, the kids have responded very well. They have been receptive to what we are trying to do and trying new things. That’s part of it, they have to know what we are trying to do is going to benefit them down the road. It may seem a little different or challenging at the time. But what we are looking for is gradual improvement.
Our goal is to improve their performance, to see them in a competition and see them do things that maybe they weren’t able to do before or do them better. I’ve told the volleyball girls, ‘You may not enjoy getting up early and coming to weights, but I know you enjoy what it does for you out on the court.’
Q: From having already worked at Neosho, Rogersville and Webb City, did you already have some familiarity with any Ozark coaches?
Roy: There are some coaches I already knew personally from being around the area and there are some I knew from afar.
Q: What have been your impressions of Ozark over the years?
Roy: Ozark has always been in position to have the athletes to compete at a very high level. I wanted to be part of that and add my touch to it and take it another level.
Q: Do you see more schools going in the direction of creating a strength and conditioning coach as a full-time position?
Roy: In Missouri, (the trend) is a little slower than in some other states. In Texas, South Carolina, Georgia and Oklahoma, a lot of schools have this and it’s big-time. In Missouri, I think more schools are going this way because it’s very important and there is also a lot of liability in the weight room. When you are trying to get kids to push themselves physically, you have to know what you are doing and have control of that environment.
Throwing a coach in there who has no interest or doesn’t know what they are doing can be dangerous. If they don’t know how to train, that’s pretty limiting as far as what kids can do. Getting certified strength coaches in these positions is a growing trend and very important.
Q: What is it like spending your work days in the weight room?
Roy: I tell people all the time I don’t feel like I work. There isn’t a day in which I get up and say, ‘Oh, I have to go to this job.’ It’s a joy to come to work, whether it’s in the early morning or late at night. I get to be in the weight room all day and try to motivate and push kids to help them improve.
Sometimes in a school setting, kids don’t see their improvement. But they can see their improvement in here. It’s so pleasing to me to see kids reach their physical potential and mentally break through some of the barriers they had.
