Mondo Lays Foundation For Athlete-Coach Connection

Ethan Reeve knows strength and conditioning.

After his career as a wrestler and wrestling coach, Reeve embarked on a 30-plus-year journey as a strength and conditioning coach, including stops at Ohio University, Wake Forest and UT-Chattanooga. He was named a MasterStrength and Conditioning Coach (MSCC) in 2008.

Over the course of his impressive career, Reeve has worked with many state, conference, world, and Olympic champions, as well as numerous All-Americans and professional athletes. During his last five years of active coaching, Reeve served as CSCCa president in addition to his day-to-day coaching duties.

When asked to reflect on the most critical component to being a great strength coach, Reeve didn’t hesitate to answer, “Strength coaching is about the athletes.” Every single part of the job boils down to this. Connect with the athletes, and you will be a successful coach.

Considering this, it should surprise no one Reeve has decided to walk the next leg of his journey with the passionate, professional team at Mondo Sport & Flooring. The long-time CSCCa sponsor touts a philosophy of  “From the athletes, for the athletes.” For Reeve, who joined the company last year as Director of Strength and AthleticPerformance, it was a natural fit.

“Mondo cares about the athlete. We also care about the connection between the strength coach and the athlete,” Reeve explains. “When an athlete walks in a weight room, yes, you want nice racks and bars and flooring and turf, but it is the connection between that strength coach and that athlete that is truly important. You can get rid of all that equipment and what remains is that relationship between the athlete and coach, and how they connect.”

The needs of the athlete remain the heart and soul of everything Mondo does for strength and conditioning coaches. More than empty words, Reeve has spent the last year on the road, visiting with strength coaches all over the country, listening to them and learning how Mondo can better facilitate the connection between them and their athletes.

So, what has Reeve learned from a year of listening to coaches? What is it that Mondo can offer them that might make a significant difference for themselves and their athletes? The answer brings coaches back to the literal ground floor of the weight room.

“A philosophy I’ve always had is that the number one most important part of the weight room is the floor,” Reeve explains. “You’re standing on it all the time, you’re rolling around on it, stretching on it, doing calisthenics on it, lifting on it. It’s the foundation of everything.

“The equipment companies are doing a great job, but sometimes we forget that the most important thing, and that is the foundation that we stand on. We’re on it all the time. That strength coach is on their flooring for 8, ten, twelve hours a day.”

Ask any coach who has been in this field for more than a few years and they will attest to the toll strength and conditioning coaching will take on the human body. The wear and tear of long days on unforgiving surfaces has been keeping chiropractors and surgeons across the country in business for many years.

Beyond this, flooring matters for several other health and safety reasons. Does it provide proper traction, helping prevent slips and falls that could cause serious injuries? Does it shield against bacteria and infectious diseases, or does it soak these bacteria up until they can take up residence on the team’s roster? These questions loom large for any athletic program and are critical factors in selecting weight-room flooring.

“Recycled rubber is a porous floor, so no matter what you do, you’re going to get sweat, blood, water down in the flooring,” Reeve says. “You don’t want the athletes to train on that as their top layer. You need a surface that is non porous, and that is what Mondo has to offer.”

Mondo’s line of flooring products has long been ahead of the game when it comes to putting both coaches and athletes in the best position to stay safe, healthy, and productive year-round. With a history of innovative products like Mondo Sport Impact, Ram flex and MondoArmorStrength, expect the company to continue innovating to better protect athletes and strength coaches worldwide.