Thank you for spending Friday and Saturday, July 21 and 22 with us. I speak for the presenters, VIP’s, special guests, and the STT staff when I say that we are excited to learn, share, and network with you. Please remember that without the support of our incredible sponsors, weekends like this one would not be possible. Arriving early and introducing yourself to the company representatives during the pre-con, before registration, between sessions, at the end of the day Friday, certainly during the early bird workout on Saturday morning, lunch, and during the post-conference festivities is encouraged more than I can put into words. Take advantage of their knowledge and experiences traveling the country and in some cases the world. Ask questions. Listen to responses. And then improve your question to continue the discussion at the conference and in emails or on phone calls to follow. Use this opportunity to expand your network with incredible people who produce the best equipment in the industry.

Quick FAQ:
Address to the STT Performance Center?
15 W. Aylesbury Rd., Suite 600, Timonium, MD 21093

Parking?
On the Bluestone Restaurant side of the building.

Entrance?
Look for the tall orange STT flag outside the door. It will be directly under the Round 3 Fitness banner.

When should I get there on Friday?
If you are attending the pre-con, arrive at 10a for check-in. The bus will leave at 10:30a sharp. If you are still checking in or not paying attention, the bus will leave. Location is undisclosed. Wear practice attire. Running shoes, shorts, and a t-shirt are fine. This is a learn-by-participating experience that you won’t want to miss.

If you are arriving for the afternoon presentations, my suggestion is between 3-330p. I have attended over 110 events in the past two years, and I do believe that early is better than staying late. People remember those who shook their hand first, not those who kept them in a conversation past “curfew.”

Attire?
The pre-con is active. Be prepared to sweat, move, laugh, and make new friend within the field. Shorts, t-shirt, and sneakers are fine. For the conference on Friday afternoon and all day Saturday, casual and professional. Our staff and presenters will be in khaki’s and polos. A cut off shirt and spandex isn’t really the way our staff would represent themselves, but that is your decision to make. (And yes, I do get asked this question OFTEN!) Remember we will be taking pictures and video of this event to be used on our social media, website, etc. We will hand out shirts for the Saturday morning early bird training session. Please wear appropriate attire for working out. This segment will be live on social media. Appropriate language is appreciated too.

Can I take videos during the conference?
We reserve the right to ask for any content that is taken during the event. No presentations are allowed to be recorded in entirety. An exercise is understandable and the presenters will let you know to use your phones when appropriate. We will be posting highlights, videos, and pictures from the event on the STT social media outlets that you are more than welcome to share, like, and RT. I would actually like to encourage you to share the live videos we post throughout the event. Each short video will provide value to your colleagues, and your clients/athletes will appreciate knowing that you took time to enhance your skill set to better serve them.

Do I have to participate in the Pre-Con on Friday or Early-Bird workout on Saturday morning?
No. But I would strongly recommend your attendance as these two segments of the event may be the most worthwhile due to the fact that all conversations and topics are personalized. Take advantage of this time to develop relationships and put a name to a face. No one will care if you can deadlift 500 pounds, or walk around with headphones on. Trust me, I will have the music up and this place will be rocking for you! My question for you is, “Can you match our energy?!” Challenge made.

Lunch?
A light lunch will be provided at STT for the pre-con attendees. And an incredible lunch will be provided on Saturday following the third presentation. If you are a vegetarian, please let me know on Friday so I can make the appropriate food available for you on Saturday.

Are you concerned about your carbon footprint?
Yes. We do not print out notes for any of our STT events. Below you will find links to download, or print what you feel you need, prior to attending the conference. I would also encourage you to bring a water bottle or write your name on a cup like we do with the young student-athletes we train.

Are we required to attend the post-conference celebration?
Nope. Nada. And no way. You will have your CEU paperwork before we even begin this part of the experience. To be very honest, I have ALWAYS wanted to have a crab cook out way back when I used to host this conference at Loyola University Maryland before STT took over the event exclusively. This is my way of thanking each of you for your support of all things STT, thanking everyone for spending two days with us to connect and learn from one another, and simply showing my appreciation for you inspiring greatness in someone new each day around you. No beer will be provided at this celebration, but we have a ton of fun things planned. So feel free to jump in on the grill, teach someone how to pick a crab, and our in-house rule is that “winners stay on” when it comes to can-jam, corn hole, and washers.

Who should I send an email to after the conference to follow up and thank?
This is an often overlooked aspect of attending events such at this one. If you want to identify yourself as a “one-percenter” I would highly recommend that you always follow up within a day or two of an introduction. If you don’t know what to write in the email, consider versions of these two topics/questions… “What has worked for you?” or “What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started in this field?” Be sure to follow up with these awesome people please. I would personally greatly appreciate hearing that emails were sent to those who support us at this event. Feel free to even send an ice breaker email before Friday to introduce yourself and open lines of communication.

Gabe Harrington, Rogers Athletic, gharrington@rogersathletic.com
Janie and Rick Hoole, Pit Shark, janie@loadthebar.com
Chris DiSanto, Iron Grip, chris.D@irongrip.com
Joe Lopez, Thor, joe@thorpp.com
Jim DeCicco, Sunniva Super Coffee, jim@sunnivacaffe.com
Keith Garnett, RPSports, kgarnett@recoverypump.com
Kirsten Martin, VersaClimber, KMartin@versaclimber.com
Skip Cronin, Elite Form, scronin@eliteform.com
David Weber, Eleiko, dw@eleikosport.se
Tony Maddalone, Hand Armor, tonym@handarmorchalk.com

Where do I find the notes for the presentations:
As the presenters send me their notes, I will add them to the names and presentation titles below. Please feel free to use your iPad, tablets, or even laptops during the conference.

Proposed itinerary for Friday, July 21, 2017 (Subject to change):

10-10:15 am Pre-Con Experience Check-In
10:30 am Pre-Con Experience Departure from STT

3-3:30 pm Conference Registration / Check-In

“Strategies That Maximize Performance”
Bryan Miller, Assistant S&C Coach for the United States Naval Academy

“Understanding Your Why”
Kip Fulks, Co-Founder of Under Armour

“Assessment Of The Ankle, Knee, and Hip: A Coach’s Perspective”
Dr. Trent Nessler, National Director of Sports Medicine Innovation at Select Medical

“Strength Training To Gain A Competitive Advantage”
Rick Court, Assistant AD/Head Football Sports Performance At The University Of Maryland

Proposed itinerary for Saturday, July 22, 2017 (Subject to change):
6:00-7:30 am Early Bird Training Session

“How To Develop Dynamic Speed And Acceleration”
Jim Kielbaso, Director of the Total Performance Training Center, and
President/CEO of the International Youth Conditioning Association

“Building A National Championship Program”
John Shackleton, Strength Coach for Villanova University’s Men’s and Women’s Basketball

“Add Intensity To Your Training Daily”
Mike Gittleson, Former University of Michigan Football Head S&C Coach

“Injury Reduction, Game Day Readiness, and Practice Periodization Methods Utilizing Acute and Chronic Training Loads”
Chris Ronald, Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach for Football at the University Of Virginia

“Working With Real Athletes Who Are People First”
Matthew Nein, Coordinator of Sports Performance at Salisbury University
Ed Smith, Director of S&C at Lynchburg College

“Common Squat Mistakes And How You Can Fix Them”
Luke Rose, Assistant S&C Coach for Football At Rutgers University

“Working With The Multi-Sport Youth Athlete”
Mike Whitman, Director of Training at SMARTER Team Training
Alex Walsh, Performance Coach at SMARTER Team Training

CLICK HERE to fill out the presenter/conference evaluation forms. Please email as a PDF to CoachTaylor@SMARTERTeamTraining.com by July 29, 2017. Thank you for helping us prepare for the 12th annual event in 2018. I look forward to seeing you there!