STRENGTH STAFF Jon Jost, Director of Strength & Conditioning

STRENGTH STAFF Jon Jost, Director of Strength & Conditioning One of the most important aspects of any successful athletic department is the strength and conditioning of its student-athletes. When Florida State was faced with their first opening in the position of Director of Strength and Conditioning in 18 years last spring, the position was considered of the utmost importance. After a national search Jon Jost was named to the position on February 9, 2001 marking a new era in the training and conditioning of Florida State athletes. Jost, who came to FSU from Southern Methodist University, took over for Dave Van Halanger who had held the position for the previous 18 years before leaving to join mark Richt s staff at the University of Georgia. Jost, 34, came to SMU in 1996 via the College of Holy Cross where he was the head strength and conditioning coach for two years. He started his career as a strength and conditioning coach at the University of Nebraska where he served as an assistant for seven years (2 years Student Assistant, 5 years full time assistant) and earned certification as a strength and conditioning specialist. During that time, Jost worked closely with Boyd Epley, the Nebraska Director of Athletic Performance and founder of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Jost earned a master s degree in education administration with an emphasis in post-secondary education and athletic administration from Nebraska in 1994 and a bachelor s degree I exercise science with an emphasis in strength and conditioning from Nebraska in 1990. Jost is married to Marianella Baez

Jost worked extremely hard his first year to develop staff of experts dedicated to improving athletic performance. He and his staff of five full time assistance strength coaches and four graduate assistance strength coaches are committed to providing the best athletic performance enhancing program in the nation to FSU athletes. Jost and his staff implement a comprehensive strength and conditioning program designed to reduce the risk of injury and to train the complete athlete. Each program is tailored to each individual athlete and addresses agility, endurance, flexibility, power, speed and strength. The goal of the program is to maximize the on-field performance of each athlete, while reducing the risk of injury. Jost has also been busy with the design of the new Strength & Conditioning Complex that will be complete in 2003. Kevin Fitzgerald, Strength & Conditioning Coach Kevin Fitzgerald begins his forth season back at Florida State University as a strength and conditioning coach. Fitzgerald, an FSU graduate, worked with the Seminole football and tennis teams while completing his degree in nutrition and fitness. During his time in Tallahassee, he helped design and implement a computerized weight lifting program for the football and tennis teams while also supervising FSU s staff of student volunteers in the weight room. In 1996, Fitzgerald took a position at the University of Notre Dame. He worked with most of the Irish s 26 varsity sports during his two years at Notre Dame. Fitzgerald left South Bend for a job at Vanderbilt, where he was responsible for the strength and conditioning programs for men s basketball, tennis, soccer, track and field, cross country, golf, and assisted with football.

After two years at Vanderbilt, Fitzgerald was hired at Florida State by head strength and conditioning coach Dave Van Halanger in December of 1999. Fitzgerald, a certified strength and conditioning specialist with the N.S.C.A. and the C.S.C.C., will work with the FSU football team along with his responsibilities as the head strength and conditioning coach for the Seminole baseball program. Fitzgerald married the former Kara Ladas on July 29, 2001. Bryan McCall, Strength & Conditioning Coach Bryan McCall is in his second year as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Florida State. He works with the football program and the golf programs. Bryan holds a B.S. in Exercise Science and is currently working towards a masters degree in Sports Administration. Before coming to Florida State Bryan was the assistance strength and conditioning coach at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX. There he worked with football, basketball, volleyball, track, and swimming and diving. He trained Olympic silver medallist Martina Moracova for the 2000 Olympic games. The National Strength & Conditioning Association and the Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association certify Bryan as a strength and conditioning coach. Bryan has been married to Stephanie McCall for one year.

Charlie Melton, Strength & Conditioning Coach Charlie has been married to Crystal Melton since July 21, 2001. Full time Strength Coach at Florida State since July 2001. Responsible for implementing training programs for Soccer and Track & Field, and with assisting the Football strength program. Also, responsible for developing and supervising the internship curriculum for the Strength Department. Served as a Graduate Assistant for the football program at FSU from July 2000- July 2001. Earned a master s degree in Exercise and Sport Science from the University of Memphis in December 2000. Worked as a graduate assistant with the Strength Department under Todd Stroud, and also with the Exercise and Sport Nutrition Research Laboratory under Dr. Richard Kreider, from July 1998- July 2000. Placed 3 rd and 4 th in the Collegiate Weightlifting National Championships in 1997 and 1998, respectively. Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the NSCA since 1998, and recently certified through the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCA). Certified Level 1 club coach through USA Weightlifting (USAW).

Dave Plettl, Strength & Conditioning Coach Women s basketball strength coach Dave Plettl, who is in his third year on the Florida State strength and conditioning staff, individually customizes programs for each of the athletes year round, in and out of season. Plettl, a native of Bailey, Colo., is a 1991 graduate of the University of Colorado, where he earned a Bachelors degree in political science and history. He came to Florida State from the University of Texas where he served two years as an assistant strength and conditioning coach with the football, men s tennis, women s golf and rowing programs. While at Colorado, Plettl worked as a student assistant athletic trainer his first year and then moved to the strength and conditioning staff in 1987 where he spent the next 10 years. Plettl was a student assistant/graduate assistant from 1987-92, the interim coach from 1992-93 and associate strength and conditioning coach from 1993-97. He worked primarily with the football, men s and women s basketball, volleyball and soccer programs at CU. Plettl received Master specialist in Sports Conditioning from the International Sports Sciences Association in September 2001 as well as by the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association in May. He and his wife, the former Christa Miller, are the proud parents of Lydia Rose who was born on April 7, 2001.

Janna Walkup, Strength & Conditioning Coach Janna Walkup has been a part of the strength and conditioning staff at Florida State University for two years. In addition she was a graduate assistant for one year while attaining her masters in Sports Administration. As a graduate assistant Walkup worked with the women s golf team for one year, while assisting with many other teams. Walkup graduated in 1999, with her Bachelors of Science degree in Nutrition and Fitness from Florida State University. She was part of the inaugural women s soccer team at Florida State and was a member of the varsity team for four years. Walkup is currently the head strength coach for the Florida State University Volleyball and Softball team and oversees the Men s and Women s Swimming and Diving teams. She is a certified Strength and Conditioning Coach, a certified member of the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association and a certified USA Weightlifting Federation Club Coach.

Mike Bradley, Strength & Conditioning Coach Michael Bradley is in his first season as an assistant director of strength and conditioning at Florida State University. He is in his first season as a member of Leonard Hamilton s Seminole men s basketball staff and his fourth overall with Hamilton. Bradley worked with Hamilton for three seasons at the University of Miami. Bradley brings a wealth of experience to the Seminoles strength and conditioning program. He will coordinate the training efforts for the Seminoles men s basketball team from the new basketball complex that opened during the summer of 2002. Bradley will be responsible for designing and coordinating the weight room in the Seminoles new facility. He was most recently at Stanford University where he worked directly with the men s basketball, men s swimming and field hockey teams. In addition, he assisted with the strength and conditioning efforts for the nationally ranked football, women s basketball, women s swimming and softball teams. During his four-year tenure at Stanford, the Cardinal won the Sears Directors Cup as the nation s top overall program in Division I athletics four times. The men s basketball team at Stanford played in the NCAA Tournament four times during his tenure. In 2002, the Cardinal was 31-3 and led the nation in victories. The Cardinal earned the No. 1 seed in the West Regional in 2001, the No. 1 seed in the South in 2000 and the No. 2 seed in the West in 1999. In addition, the Cardinal men s swimming team earned three second place NCAA championship finishes and the field hockey team played in the NCAA Tournament in 2000. In addition, Stanford s softball team advanced to the 2001 Women s College World Series and played in the NCAA regionals in 2002.

Bradley also worked at the University of Miami from 1995-98 where he worked with eight teams, which included one NCAA tournament, and one NIT men s basketball team coached by Hamilton. Miami s 1997 team won 16 games and played in the NIT for the second time in three years. The Hurricanes 1998 team advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1960. Miami averaged more than 16 wins per season and defeated six ranked teams during his tenure. Bradley has also worked at the U.S. Military Academy (1994-95), South Carolina (1993-94), Southern Methodist (1990-93) and was an assistant football coach at UC Santa Barbara (1989-90). Bradley earned a B.S. in chemistry from San Diego State in 1989 and a M.A. in chemistry from UC Santa Barbara in 1990. Matt Ray, Graduate Assistant Matt Ray joined the Florida State Strength and Conditioning Staff in July of 2002 as a graduate assistant working with Swimming & Diving and Football. Ray comes from North Florida Christian School where he served as an assistant football and strength coach. While at NFC, Matt was a part of two football state championship teams. During his time with the Eagles he worked with football and baseball. Matt attended Mississippi College, where he graduated earning a degree in B.S. in Business Administration. He is currently pursuing a masters degree in Sports Administration.

Jake Moore, Graduate Assistant Jake Moore joined the Florida State Strength and Conditioning Staff in January 2002 as a graduate assistant working with Football and Men s Golf. Moore comes from the University of Iowa where he served as a student assistant for two years. At Iowa Jake also gained an appointment as Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for football before arriving at Florida State. During his time with the Hawkeye s he worked with Football, Baseball, Women s basketball, and Crew. While in Iowa City Moore served one year as the head strength and conditioning coach for Iowa City, City High School. At City High Jake Was in charge of developing and implementing strength programs for all boys and girls sports. Jake attended the University of Iowa, where he graduated with honors, earning a B.S. in Exercise Science in 2000. He is currently pursuing a masters degree in Sport Administration. Jake is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Jake attended Postville High School in Postville Iowa where he played Football, Basketball, Baseball, and Golf.

Josh Hingst, Graduate Assistant Josh joined the Florida State Staff in July 2002 as a Graduate Assistant working with football. Hingst comes from the University of Nebraska where he served as a student assistant for three years, graduate assistant for 1 year and fulfilled duties as the swimming Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach and Director of Performance Nutrition for 6 months. While at NU he worked with football, men s and women s basketball, swimming and diving, and tennis. Josh attended the University of Nebraska where he graduated earning a Bachelor Degrees in both the fields of Exercise Science and Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics. He is currently pursuing a masters degree in sports nutrition and completing the dietetic internship program at FSU. Josh is a certified strength coach through both the National Strength and Conditioning Association and the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association. He is also United States Weightlifting certified club coach.

Jeff Smith, Graduate Assistant Smith joined the staff at Florida State during the Summer of 2002 as an graduate intern. In the Fall of 2002, he was hired as a graduate assistant, working with the track and field teams, as well as assisting with football. Smith earned his M.S. in Applied Exercise Science from Springfield College, in Springfield, Massachusetts in 2002. Smith also earned his B.S. in Sports Biology in 2000 from Springfield College. While an undergraduate, he competed in the shot put and hammer as a member of the track and field team for 4 years, as well as playing football for 1 year. Smith is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, as well as a certified Club Coach through USA Weightlifting.