Athletic Mentors Job Shadow Reflection

Abstract

During the summer, I shadowed as a volunteer intern for Athletic Mentors, a strength and conditioning company based in Richland, MI, 30 minutes outside of Kalamazoo, MI. Specializing in training athletes of all ages and the general population. Their employees use lifting weights, running, or creating a meal plan to maximize an athlete's performance during his or her training period. Athletic Mentors employees also serve as Kalamazoo College athletes' primary strength and conditioning coaches. Over the summer, for 120 hours, I shadowed Joey Chester, who works as one of the head trainers at Athletic Mentors. During my time there, I watched Mr. Chester create different workouts for specific clients and sports groups. Also, because of my background in strength and conditioning, I helped the athletes with their workouts and performed the trainer's role with each of them. After learning about the company's organizational methods, I can connect my experience to multiple aspects of my learning from Kalamazoo College. With knowledge in business, psychology, and music, there are features that Athletic Mentors use to enhance and grow the company. Along with my learning from K, I also connected their coaching styles and teachings to different experts, like other coaches or strength and conditioning professionals, via readings and videos.