April/May 2019 - 12

POWERLINE strength and conditioning
reflections and lessons
FROM OVER FOUR
DECADES OF COACHING
By Ken Mannie, columnist
What an honor and privilege it is to be bestowed with
the title of " coach. " I feel blessed beyond words to have
held that prefix for the better part of 45 years. So much
learning, teaching, relationship-building, good times, trying
times, victories, defeats and other experiences have been
interwoven into that period of time. It seems to have passed
in the blink of an eye.
In this installment of Powerline, I want to touch on some
of those experiences, share the lessons learned, and thank
some of the mentors who influenced me along the way.
Steel Town roots
I grew up in Steubenville, Ohio, a unique town in
the Upper Ohio Valley. A once-booming steel mill area,
Steubenville is a true breeding ground for tough-minded
people who approach life with calloused hands, bloody
knuckles, a passion for hard work, and football. There were
no shortcuts, comfort zones or excuses in Steubenville. You
were challenged every day to prove who you were, what you
stood for, and where you wanted to go. Steubenville may be
one of the few towns left in America that has more playing
fields and gyms than parking lots and shopping centers.
Those kids are going to remember you for
something, so make it a positive, meaningful
and nurturing experience.
My father was out of the family picture by the time I
was 3 years old, so my brother Steve and I looked to our
grandfather, Gabe, as our father figure. Stern, stubborn
and downright mean at times, he was a card-carrying
advocate of tough love. He lived by the credo " home,
church, work. " He taught us about an honest day's work for
an honest day's wage. It was a lesson that sticks with me to
this day.
My love for strength training had its genesis in
Steubenville at a tender age. As a sixth-grader, I read a
magazine article on Minnesota Vikings fullback Bill Brown.
He attributed his power and durability to his weight training
12 APRIL/MAY 2019
regimen. That was all I needed to know. I purchased a
Ted Williams weight set from Sears and Roebuck, started
lifting and never stopped. Doing so played to my favor from
my elementary school days at St. Peter's, and through high
school at Catholic Central.
On any given Friday or Saturday night during football
season, the high school stadiums in Steubenville and
the entire Ohio Valley are jam-packed. With the smoke
stacks billowing in the background, you can watch some
of the hardest-hitting football in the country. Playing
and coaching in this environment was instrumental to
my career. I learned about the positive influence that
experience can instill.
College or a paycheck?
After graduating from high school in 1970, I did a twomonth
stint as a cinder snapper at the blast furnace of
Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel. Two months of digging out the
remnants of molten steel cinder from the blast furnace
runners are enough to awaken you to a higher calling.
But there were no scholarship offers on the table. To my
dismay, 185-pound guards and linebackers were not in
high demand.
I walked on at The University of Akron, trying to earn
a scholarship and a degree so I could teach and coach.
Grandpa's preaching and tough love on work ethic
paid off for me, as I earned a starting position and that
coveted scholarship in the spring of my freshman year.
Without the financial aid, I would have been forced to
pack my bags, head home and go back to the steel mill.
Fortunately, I made it and earned a degree in physical
and health education.
Appreciation for high school coaches
After graduating from college in 1974, I spent 10 years
as a high school teacher and coach. I wouldn't trade that
experience for anything in the world. Having coached
football, wrestling, track and field, and running a strength
training program with some great colleagues during that
time, I know the irreplaceable value these men and women
bring to their schools and communities.
April/May 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April/May 2019
