On early summer mornings Griffin Weidler ’23 could be found in the Michigan State University weight room surrounded by Division I football players preparing for the season ahead.

Weidler, who graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science, spent his summer interning with the Michigan State football strength and conditioning staff.

“I coached and cued the athletes on exercise techniques and execution,” said Weidler. “Additionally, I was responsible for setups and teardowns of the weight room and the drills and/or running each day. My favorite parts of the internship were getting to experience the energy in the weight room and the relationships I formed with the athletes.”

“It’s a really special opportunity to be at a place like MSU. To get to work with these athletes every day was an incredible experience, and I enjoyed getting to know them as more than just football players. I also owe a lot to the coaches at MSU who have given me this opportunity, and I’m thankful for the autonomy they have given me. This confirmed for me that I want to work in football moving forward,” he added.

The Michigan State internship allowed Weidler to demonstrate the classroom learning and practical skills he developed during his time at LVC.

In the classroom, Weidler established his knowledge base through Anatomy and Physiology, Human Movement, and Human/Exercise Physiology. They covered the structure and function of different body muscles and systems and how the body responds to exercise.

Weidler then applied that classroom learning during two immersive internship opportunities—the first, right here at LVC as a strength and conditioning coach with the track & field teams, and the second at another area college.

“As a student coach, I used the knowledge that I built in class to understand the athletes and the training better. Further, I implemented strategies such as communicating with and cueing athletes, which is not something we get to learn in class,” he said.

This fall, Weidler will begin a master’s program in Strength and Conditioning at Springfield College and looks forward to a career working at one of football’s Power 5 schools.