Stoudemire strengthens Cedar students
Cedar Shoals High School made a new hire for the weight training program and the defensive coordinator of the varsity football team this year. Weight training coach Brandon Stoudemire has already made a substantial impact around Cedar.
Stoudemire has been interested in weight training for a large part of his life, now channeling that experience with deep passion for the job.
“I’ve been around it my whole life. I competed in powerlifting, competed in bodybuilding and played college football, so it was a passion that I’ve always had, always loved it, and wanted to be able to share with other people,” Stoudemire said.
Stoudemire has multiple achievements in his weight lifting career, including winning a bodybuilding and powerlifting competition in the same year.
“I pulled a 620 pound deadlift and won the powerlifting state championship in South Carolina. The very same year, I came back and competed in a bodybuilding meet and won it, that was pretty huge,” Stoudemire said.
Student athletes in the weight training program have been motivated by Stoudemire to maximize their effort. Varsity cornerback senior Santana Moreau believes that Stoudemire pushes him to put in effort in the class.
“Before I didn’t take the class seriously, so when he got here he was just harder on me. He made sure I did all my reps, everything right,” Moreau said.
Sophomore junior varsity basketball center and varsity football quarterback Keelin McLendon thinks that Stoudemire’s weight training program has helped him with his mentality as a player. He says that Stoudemire has transformed the program.
“The class has changed with him. I feel like as a team or as an athlete, that everybody that has come in his class came out the other semester as a different person and athlete,” McLendon said.
Similarly, Sophomore varsity baseball utility infielder Benjamin Swinsburg has seen improvement in his performance on the baseball field after taking the weight training class, specifically his strength and speed.
“It has helped me hit the ball harder and throw a lot harder than I used to. I definitely feel more confident as well,” Swinsburg said.
“Studies show that if you lift weights, your brain actually improves cognitive function. There’s also studies that show that it gives you a better overall understanding of the human body. You get a better understanding of anatomy, and then you have what’s
called a mind-muscle connection to where you have a better understanding if
you’re an athlete: what injury you actually have and being able to communicate
that better to get it resolved faster,”
Stoudemire has made it a priority to fix the problems that the weight training program formerly struggled with. For example, the lack of attention paid to student athletes that were taking the class and the form athletes were using so they wouldn’t hurt themselves while they were lifting.
“In the past, there wasn’t a whole lot done here, and that hurt it pretty badly. We have a good weight room, we have good equipment to be able to work with to improve it, and we’ve already dramatically improved it, just with the maxes that we just finished,” Stoudemire said. “I think the biggest key is getting those things fixed and creating a culture here where everybody supports each other, and everybody knows the expectation is to work hard every day. One of the main things was fixing the way that people were lifting and creating a different atmosphere and culture in the weight room.”
Moreau has been satisfied with improvements in his personal health and wellness outside of his school and sports life.
”Training really helps me keep my body healthy and helps me stay in shape and helps with my overall personal health,” Moreau said.
For McLendon, weight training has helped him become more disciplined because of Stoudemire’s higher expectations
“It teaches you to keep working, even if it gets tough, even if you can’t push the weight or push whatever you’re going through, to keep pushing. Don’t give up,” McLendon said.
Stoudemire thinks that the weight training program is a great course for anyone to take regardless of whether they are an athlete or not. He believes the program can address mental health and helps with your knowledge of the human body.
“Studies show that if you lift weights, your brain actually improves cognitive function. There’s also studies that show that it gives you a better overall understanding of the human body. You get a better understanding of anatomy, and then you have what’s called a mind-muscle connection to where you have a better understanding if you’re an athlete: what injury you actually have and being able to communicate that better to get it resolved faster,” Stoudemire said.
