Thank you for spending Friday and Saturday, July 20 and 21 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 LifeMed Performance Center banner.

When should I get there on Friday?
If you are attending the pre-con, arrive at 10a for check-in. We will leave at 10:30a sharp. If you are still checking in or not paying attention, we 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 90 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 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 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
Craig Sowers, Iron Grip, craig.s@irongrip.com
Joe Lopez, Thor, joe@thorpp.com
Jim DeCicco, Sunniva Super Coffee, jim@sunnivacaffe.com
Jake Josephs, RPSports, jake@rpsports.com
Kirsten Martin, VersaClimber, KMartin@versaclimber.com
Kyle Deremer, Elite Form, kderemer@eliteform.com
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 20, 2018 (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

“Programming With Racks, Ropes, Boxes, and Bars”
Ed Smith, Director of S&C at Lynchburg College

“Differences Between Change Of Direction and Agility”
Christian Hartford, Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach at the University of Maryland

“So You Want To Be Strong And Stay Healthy”
Donnie Thompson, Inventor/World Record Holder, Thompson Barbell

Proposed itinerary for Saturday, July 21, 2018 (Subject to change):

“Sharpen Your Mental-Game To Enhance Your Physical Game”
Stu Singer, Founder and Owner of Well Performance Coach

“Coaching The Olympic Lift Variations”
Greg Werner, Head S&C Coach for Women’s Basketball at Virginia Tech University, and
Scott Bennett, Assistant Athletics Director for Sport Performance at Radford University

“Program Design To Enhance Your Training Efficiency” and
“Critical Assessment Of Implementation And Application”
Ted Perlak, Assistant AD for Sports Performance at the University of Delaware, and
Angelo Gingerelli, S&C Coach/Adjunct Professor at Seton Hall University

“Own IT”
Paul Goodman, Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Chicago Blackhawks

“Power Development Breakdown And Alternatives”
Bryan Miller, Assistant S&C Coach for the United States Naval Academy

“Transitioning The High School Athlete To The College Level”
Brian Amenta, Director of S&C at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC)

“Implementing A Practical And Productive Program”
Mike Whitman, Director of Training at SMARTER Team Training
Carmine Avena, Performance Coach at SMARTER Team Training
Grant Skinner, 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, 2018. Thank you for helping us prepare for the 13th annual event in 2019. I look forward to seeing you there!