Kenna Smoak-Minnici - NSCA’s Coaching Podcast, Season 7 Episode 21

Get to know the 2024 NSCA Assistant College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year, Kenna Smoak-Minnici. After accepting her award at the 2024 Coaches Conference, she connects with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the unique coaching rigors at the prestigious military academy, Army West Point. The episode goes beyond the demands of sport-specific training to developing student-athletes and leaders for sustained success in the military. Smoak-Minnici highlights the role of family along her journey as an athlete and strength and conditioning coach, as well as the importance of always pushing yourself to go beyond the norm.

Connect with Kenna on Instagram at: @kenna_minnici or LinkedIn: @kenna-smoak-minnici | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs   

Did you enjoy the episode? Don’t forget to nominate a deserving strength and conditioning coach for an NSCA Coach of the Year Award at NSCA Awards.

“I also help out with the Athlete Monitoring Program. Everyone is probably familiar with—to get in the military, you have to have meet certain height and weight requirements, or physical abilities that might lean more towards distance running, push-ups, sit ups, whatever it may be. But when you have a 300-lb lineman, or a heavyweight wrestler, or a rugby player, or a thrower, that type of training might not—that body size isn’t conducive to their athletic career for them to stay safe and be successful. So, I work close with getting those athletes ready to commission once their sports seasons end.” 4:48

“When I got to middle school, my parents sat me down and they’re like, okay, maybe softball, or track, or some of your other sports might—and I was like, “no, I’m playing football. I like this the best. I like hitting people.” So, then my dad was, to really appease my mom, like, “don’t worry, I’m going to make her quit.” And so, then he made me get up every morning at 5:00 AM and do his whatever he knew about two hours of working out before school in middle school and I fell in love with it to where he didn’t make me quit. So, I played through junior year.” 11:30

“To me, it’s just all flowing and I can’t compartmentalize it. I’ve been at West Point a while, so I really do feel like I have a family here, to where I can bring my son around. There’s definitely been last minute schedule changes. I’ve thrown him in the hiking backpack and just coached a group. My players love him and he loves Army. It means so much to me for him to see me feel like I have a purpose in my career.” 15:15

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[00:00:04.12] Welcome to the NSCA Coaching Podcast, season seven, episode 21.
[00:00:10.12] To me, it's just all flowing and I can't compartmentalize it. And so I love-- I mean, I've been at West Point a while. So I really do feel like I have a family here to where I can bring my son around.
[00:00:24.82] There's definitely been last-minute schedule changes. I've thrown him in the hiking backpack and just coached a group. My players love him. He loves the army, so I'm-- it means so much to me, for him to see me feel like I have a purpose in my career.
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[00:00:42.92] This is the NSCA's Coaching Podcast where we talk to strength and conditioning coaches about what you really need to know, but probably didn't learn in school. There's strength and conditioning, and then there's everything else.
[00:00:53.81] This is the NSCA Coaching Podcast. I'm Eric McMahon. And today, we're joined by Kenna Smoak Minnici, the NSCA 2024 Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year. She is a strength and conditioning coach at Army West Point, and just got to meet with Kenna at the coaches conference where she received her award. Kenna, welcome to the show.
[00:01:15.98] Thank you so much. Great being on here.
[00:01:19.00] Yeah, big award for you. It was exciting to meet you and your family at the award ceremony. Just how was that experience?
[00:01:27.55] It was awesome. It had been since pre-COVID since I'd even attended an NSCA event. And so overall, just going to the event, I was extremely impressed. I loved the variety of speakers and how every hour, we had three to four options. And then just to talk on the actual award itself, I am still completely humbled and honored, and I still can't even believe it happened.
[00:01:50.70] I feel like as strength coaches, we get so busy handling our day to day business that you don't even think anyone notices. So it was just really refreshing to be like, oh, someone noticed.
[00:02:01.88] Yeah, no. It is really cool. I think it's something that-- a peer award, when you get nominated by members of the profession, that goes such a long way, and really is a spirit of why we have those awards.
[00:02:16.91] It's been exciting, this is going into my fifth year at the NSCA, just to see the group every year and the excitement. And one thing I really love is when families show up at the awards, and you had your husband there, your son, and your dad. And you told us that he's the one who actually got you into the weight room. That was so cool.
[00:02:41.21] Oh, yeah. It just-- so my son, he's one years old, and the conferences was in Disney, so we definitely took a couple extra days on the front end. And I had my parents meet us there. And then when it came to the actual award ceremony, I was like, I need my dad here, because he's the one that got me in a weight room, that got me into sports, and really began this whole journey. So it was just really special to share that with him in addition to my husband.
[00:03:07.60] Yeah, that's really great. We were happy we could do that for you and just really happy to see where your career goes. Let's talk West Point for a minute.
[00:03:16.66] You are-- you work with baseball. I heard you present on a baseball topic at an event middle of last year. But we haven't really talked about your whole body of work at Army. What are the sports you're working with and just your progression there?
[00:03:35.80] So I also work with volleyball and wrestling, but I'm on my seventh year here. I officially was brought on as-- or initially was an assistant, then bumped to associate, and then as of January 1, now I'm Director of Sport Performance. Baseball's been the only sport that I've had the full seven years, and that wasn't-- I think when I got here, it was like, there's a quick staff change, and it wasn't in the plans, but then I just took it and ran with it, and absolutely fell in love with the sport.
[00:04:07.16] I also-- I've coached pretty much everything on the Olympic side at some point or another. We've had a lot of amazing coaches come through here and take other opportunities. So I've covered down when I've needed to and really just built relationships with all the programs.
[00:04:22.85] And then in addition to my teams, I do a lot with the summer coordinating with the military training side of it. So where the cadets go during the summer, I'm the middle person on the strength staff to make sure their nutrition and their training doesn't get too off away from being sport-specific in the summer. And then I also help out with-- we call it the Athlete Monitoring Program.
[00:04:48.59] Everyone is probably familiar with-- to get in the military, you have to have meet certain height and weight requirements, or physical abilities that might lean more towards distance running, push ups, sit ups, whatever it may be. But when you have a 300-pound lineman, or a heavyweight wrestler, or a rugby player, or a thrower, that type of training might not-- that body size isn't conducive to their athletic career for them to stay safe and be successful. So I work close with getting those athletes ready to commission once their sports seasons end. So I would say those are my outside the normal strength conditioning roles that I participate in here.
[00:05:28.04] We hear a lot of that from military academies. It's obviously a unique college experience for those cadets. For coaches that may want to consider a stop at the military academies in their coaching progression, what do you think the-- or what are the biggest differences?
[00:05:47.97] So everything that you've been taught about getting an academic calendar, and a season schedule, and working backwards, have the ability to do that times 10, because it's the same framework of OK, my needs analysis. This is when they need to peak and I'm going to work backwards.
[00:06:04.38] But then your offseason, you're going to have to worry about survival swim class, and combatives, and them doing ACFTS, and APFTS, and all the extra layers of the physical military grade that they have to have. So just more things are going to be thrown in, so you're going to really be challenged as a coach to program around that for your sport.
[00:06:28.92] Do you ever have cadets coming to you for hey, I'm really-- I'm training for my sport, but really, I'm trying to do better in the ACFT, or one of the other progressions that they're getting put through? Do you ever have that outside the box training, or getting away from sport?
[00:06:49.30] I wouldn't say that we're-- they care about their sport less, but they have to meet those requirements in order to stay up in their class rank, to get the opportunities that they're going to need after their playing career. So you will definitely have to factor that in to where-- how can I-- maybe a lot of pull ups are involved. So maybe I'm thinking my volleyball team.
[00:07:16.78] I could just do any generic upper back work, but maybe I'm going to lean more towards the body weight progressions, because that's a skill set I know they're going to need, and it's still going to come back on me if they-- or I take it personal if they fail any part of their physical grade, even if it's not directly for their sport.
[00:07:35.05] Something that jumps out to me is as strength and conditioning coaches, we have maybe a thought process towards what we say-- what athleticism is in athleticism within a sport. But at a military academy, we're almost looking at a more well-rounded athleticism, that balance between maybe endurance exercise and strength/power exercise, which is so predominant within strength and conditioning.
[00:08:03.32] That is really interesting for us, and we joke sometimes that within S&C, C is the most feared letter in the alphabet for a lot of our athletes and for many coaches. But just from what I'm hearing and now hearing from you, it is a unique environment.
[00:08:24.63] It is different. In terms of workload and working at a military academy, is the job different? These cadets have different hourly demands, times they can train. Do you have other responsibilities on campus that you have to maintain as your full-time job?
[00:08:48.95] We are-- Athletics is a separate company-- private company on West Point. So that being said, I literally am just in the athletic department. I don't have to do anything really outside of there, but I need to know what's going on. Because if I don't know what's going on, I'm potentially hurting my cadets-- athlete's future, or success, and whatever they want to do because I didn't prepare them to all the different things that they're going to be going through in their four years here.
[00:09:19.60] As far as scheduling, back to when I tell people when they come start working at West Point, what you think about working backwards with writing a program, it's the same when it comes to scheduling. There's going to be a lot of overlap.
[00:09:36.12] So if you can figure it out here, you're going to be OK at most other schools is what I like to joke. Because the cadets, when they're in class, they're in class. There's no talking to the academic advisor and say, hey, I need this team to get out a little early so they can come to their practice. There is none of that, because I don't think people realize how rigorous this is of an education as well. It's almost comparable to the Ivy Leagues.
[00:10:05.63] So our kids are very type A. They're very smart and very driven in the classroom as well. So we don't get them the hours, really, between 8:00 to 2:00.
[00:10:17.38] So that means everything's either before that or after that. And we have-- just to put in perspective, we have 1,100 student athletes and 2.5 weight rooms. So when it comes to scheduling, you got to be very creative.
[00:10:36.33] Yeah, and. You and you guys have some really unique sports there.
[00:10:39.84] Yeah.
[00:10:40.14] I know you have a rifle team and just things you don't hear about within college athletics. I think that's so interesting, the work you do, it is a unique institution. Obviously, just such an honorable institution, and the impact you can have as a strength and conditioning coach for our military.
[00:10:58.83] Want to backtrack a little bit. We talked about your dad showing up, getting you into weight training on the early days. What inspired you to pursue strength and conditioning as a profession? What was your progression there?
[00:11:13.47] Well, I grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, and I played football in high school. And it was the boys team. So I started playing like when I was eight years old when guys and girls are about the same size, or maybe girls a little bit bigger.
[00:11:30.22] And then when I got to middle school, my parents sat me down and they're like, OK, maybe softball, or track, or some of your other sports might-- and I was like, no. I'm playing football. I like, this the best. I like hitting people.
[00:11:46.92] And so then my dad was, to really appease my mom, like, don't worry, I'm going to make her quit. And so then he made me get up every morning at 5:00 AM and do his whatever he knew about two hours of working out before school in middle school and I fell in love with it to where he didn't make me quit. So I played through junior year, and then my senior year, I ended up having a back surgery, probably because I was just training too much and didn't have a strength coach to guide me the right way.
[00:12:17.65] And then from there, I went to the University of Alabama, kinesiology major. And I knew what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to get in that weight room, be in the strength and conditioning world, and work with athletes. And it's been pretty one track minded since then.
[00:12:33.55] That's really cool. You did some power lifting as well in there, right?
[00:12:37.22] Yeah. Let's see. So my back injury happened senior year of high school. And I actually-- because I couldn't lift heavy, I got into bodybuilding.
[00:12:47.94] So I just dieted, basically, or figured out about nutrition. And then I did that seven years and then pivoted to try a powerlifting meet, and then fell in love with that. And did that up until my one-year-old was born. And then I had him and just ran two marathons. So I've been kind of all over the place. I just-- I love to train.
[00:13:12.77] Wow. That's intense. I love that progression, and it sort of takes us through the full spectrum of our progression, and just from bodybuilding, the old school days, to powerlifting, and marathon running, and then more on the sports side, strength and conditioning.
[00:13:32.24] Right. Strength and conditioning is my career, and I guess my number one passion. But I feel like I'm such a better strength coach because I know all the extremes of all those different worlds, and then I can connect it back. Like, OK, well, maybe my baseball guys don't need that. But how can I talk to them and give a little bit of input?
[00:13:51.95] Wow. That's a huge point about knowing and understanding the extremes of physical demands.
[00:13:58.58] Yes.
[00:13:58.94] And we're all-- I mean, most strength coaches come from some athletic background, but maybe that's within one sport, or one or two sports. You do see coaches out there pushing themselves in new areas. You see a few out there that maybe take up Olympic weightlifting and compete while they're in coaching careers.
[00:14:19.35] But I do think it's-- that is such a great point about pushing yourself beyond maybe the sport you started with, or intended to play, just to see what those extremes are like, especially when you might be faced with working with a team in a different sport or activity. I mean, that's a huge skill set for coaches, to be able to go outside of-- go outside of their norm and learn a sport that isn't them and something they don't know entirely about.
[00:14:51.61] Yes, exactly.
[00:14:51.84] You mentioned-- yeah. You mentioned your family, your son. What does it mean to you, having a family within the strength and conditioning field? What are some of the challenges and what do you love about it?
[00:15:07.20] I guess-- so I don't really like to think of it as, oh, I want this balanced life where I go to work, and I don't think about my son, and then I go home and I don't think about work. To me, it's just all flowing and I can't compartmentalize it.
[00:15:23.83] And so I love-- I mean, I've been at West Point a while, so I really do feel like I have a family here, to where I can bring my son around. There's definitely been last minute schedule changes. I've thrown him in the hiking backpack and just coached a group.
[00:15:39.58] My players love him. He loves army, so I'm-- it means so much to me for him to see me feel like I have a purpose in my career. And he's just going to grow up around that. And then, I mean, West Point is the premier leadership academy in the country, so they're really good kids, and I feel good knowing that he gets their influence.
[00:16:02.58] And then I love that my athletes can see how I'm just kind of figuring it out and integrating my life-- my personal life. I mean, they know my husband, too. So it's just kind of all flowing that I'm a real person.
[00:16:18.72] And I think it's really good for-- especially being here at West Point, most of the female athletes, their career's going to have a physical component to it and they can see, oh, I can come back from that and still train. And then it's really good for my male athletes to see how much my husband steps up and how much he does for the baby for me to be there to coach them. So I think it's just really a good dynamic for the athletes, for my family, and for my son.
[00:16:47.52] This is something we probably 15, 20 years ago wouldn't have been talking about on the podcast, but it's something that today is so relevant as there's a lot of coaches with families out there. I appreciate you opening up and sharing that because it's so beneficial for coaches getting into the profession to maybe start thinking about what that might be like, or how to pursue a position that allows you to have a well-rounded life beyond the weight room with your family, and sometimes integrating your family.
[00:17:29.64] I have some really fun stories of having my kids with me in the clubhouse in professional baseball. And I love that you said you have a purpose in your career. That really speaks to where you're at Army, in just the values they instill in student athletes, and just the impact you can have of sharing that message.
[00:17:51.97] Kenna, for listeners tuning in, you won the Assistant Coach of the Year Award, you told us your story of how you got into the profession. I know some of our listeners are going to want to reach out and connect with you. What's the best way to do that?
[00:18:08.33] I'm on Instagram, and it's just Kenna, underscore, Minnici, so my married last name. I'm also on LinkedIn. And those are really the main two social media platforms I use. So you can find me there. And then also online, my West Point email, if anyone is ever in the area and wants to see what we're all about, I'm always open. So those are the main places.
[00:18:31.93] Awesome. Everyone, that is Kenna Smoak Minnici, Army West Point, the 2024 NSCA Assistant College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year. Kenna, thanks again for being with us. And to all our listeners, we appreciate you. We also appreciate Sorinex exercise equipment for their support on this podcast.
[00:18:52.15] Hi, this is Ivan Lewis, head strength and conditioning coach of the Seattle Seahawks. Thanks for listening to the NSCA Coaching Podcast. Don't forget to subscribe on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts to have the latest episodes delivered right to you.
[00:19:05.50] Also, take your career forward by joining the NSCA's Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach program. Learn more about becoming an RSCC at nsca.com/rscc.
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[00:19:18.10] This was the NSCA's Coaching Podcast. The National Strength and Conditioning Association was founded in 1978 by strength and conditioning coaches to share information, resources, and help advance the profession. Serving coaches for over 40 years, the NSCA is the trusted source for strength and conditioning professionals. Be sure to join us next time.
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