In order to be successful in any sport, an athlete needs to hone their skills outside of just practice and games. Weight training, conditioning and plyometric work ensure that athletes become stronger, faster and more explosive. These strategies also play a large role in injury prevention and recovery. At Wellesley, the sports performance staff provides this training for all varsity athletes. Usually leading sessions in the varsity weight room at the basement of the KSC, Director of Sports Performance Tim Snyder and Assistant Sports Performance Coach Nico Santiago ensure that Blue athletes are prepared for their seasons and continually improving their athleticism. However, anyone who entered the weight room during a session could see that Tim and Nico provide more than just training; sessions with sports performance bring a team together, boost athletes’ confidence, and both Tim and Nico have the gift of making athletes feel seen, heard, and capable of anything. The Wellesley News wanted to feature Tim and Nico to highlight their efforts in sports performance at Wellesley.
- How long have you been working at Wellesley?
Tim Snyder (T.S.): This is my ninth year at Wellesley!
Nico Santiago (N.S.): I have been working here since 2018, so six years.
- What was your educational journey like?
T.S.: I went to Endicott College for undergrad and majored in athletic training. I continued my education at Ithaca College in which I received a master’s in exercise physiology.
N.S.: I majored in physical education with a minor in coaching in college. I always knew I wanted to stay involved in athletics.
- What drew you to a career in training athletes?
T.S.: Fundamentally, I love working with people and helping them achieve their goals. I also love sports, anatomy and physiology, as well as biomechanics. Strength and conditioning is a great blend of all of those. There is nothing like training with teams and seeing their progress and reaching their goals.
N.S.: I originally wanted to be an athletic trainer. However as a student athlete, I fell in love with what strength and conditioning brings. As strength coaches, we want our athletes to be stronger, faster, quicker with the ability to bounce back from injury.
- How do you plan out a session for a team?
T.S.: In terms of planning, it starts by creating a plan for the full year. We typically make a plan each semester including winter and summer break. Within the semester a team may have three or four phases. Each phase has an objective or theme; this can be based on the needs of the team, demands of the sport, injury risks and where they are in their season. Training in-season should be different than training outside the season.
Once you have an objective for the phase then you build out each week. There are a plethora of ways you can program but I try to focus on the objective of the team and how it flows within the Varsity Weight Room.
N.S.: I like to be explosive first. If you are a running sport, you will most likely do some type of sprints. If you are not a running sport, you will go straight into explosive weight lifting movement first. From there, depending on the team in the year, we do an alternating lower and upper body focus that attacks all angles of the movement patterns.
- What is your favorite part of your job?
T.S.: I truly love every aspect of my position. If I had to say one, then my favorite aspect is working with our student-athletes and general student body. Strength and conditioning is all about progress and getting 1% better each day. If I can help them achieve that it is very rewarding and you see how it can positively affect the student or student-athlete as well.
N.S.: To see the athletes grow confidence, to challenge themselves to do something they never did or would have thought they can do. I love being able to take the athletes outside of their comfort zone and watch them grow not only as an athlete but as a person.
