"The Performance Team" Bridging the Gap Between the Weight Room and the Training Room
The performance team is a concept being employed by a number of universities in the last couple of years. Essentially this system is a department that is based around all the important entities of the heath and performance of the student athlete (strength and conditioning, athletic training, sports psychology, and nutrition). While all of these parts in the past have been important independent segments of the development and success of the student athlete it has become increasingly apparent that the willingness and ability of all of these departments to work closely and cohesively is increasingly significant. The strengths and weaknesses of the culture of today’s millennial athlete pose particular challenges for coach’s and support staff and therefore we believe requires a new more cohesive approach to the health and performance of the student athlete. This presentation will highlight the observations, goals, relationship, and philosophies of the strength and conditioning and athletic training departments of the Mississippi state women’s basketball team. The ability of the two areas to understand and respect the necessities of both areas for a student athlete’s success and how this is accomplished within our program.
Marci Hoppa joined the Bulldogs as the program's strength and conditioning coach for women’s basketball in September, 2017. Before coming to MSU, she served the previous three seasons as Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Western Kentucky. In that three-year span, her development of the Lady Topper players helped the program to an 84-19 record, two Conference USA regular season and tournament titles, and two NCAA Tournament appearances.
Prior to joining Western Kentucky, Hoppa was the Director of Strength and Conditioning for Olympic Sports at Jacksonville University. She joined the JU staff in March of 2013 as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach, coordinating strength and conditioning for women's soccer, softball, volleyball, track & field and men's rowing. She was named Director of Strength and Conditioning for Olympic Sports in July, 2013, overseeing the JU strength and conditioning internship programs.
Hoppa earned her bachelor's degree in Exercise and Sports Science in 2009 from the University of Georgia and her Masters in Exercise Physiology in 2012 from Northern Illinois University where see completed two years as a graduate assistant coach for the Huskies Football program; along with women’s basketball, soccer, and gymnastics.
She is certified with the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coach's Association (SCCC), the National Strength and Conditioning Association (CSCS), and USA weight lifting (USAW level 1 sports performance coach).
