Campus Spotlight: Kyle Linhart

Meet the man behind the scenes: Frostburg State’s Head Strength and Conditioning Coordinator, Kyle Linhart. Linhart, who started at FSU as a graduate assistant in 2009, is responsible for overseeing the training programs for all 21 varsity athletic teams, working directly with football, baseball, swimming, and men’s lacrosse. He also supervises a staff of five, two graduate assistants and three full time interns, as well as numerous work-study students who assist the staff, and serves as an intern coordinator for Frostburg State’s exercise science major.

Linhart graduated from Kent State in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in athletic training, and was certified as a strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) in 2010.

“I just love working with athletes,” said Linhart.

Before working with Division III athletes, Linhart was an athletic training intern for the NFL’s Cleveland Browns and worked with the team from the beginning of training camp until the conclusion of the season. Linhart also served as the summer strength and conditioning intern at the United States Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California in 2009-10.

“At the D-III level here, we have athletes of all different skill types. Some have never stepped foot in a weight room before and some have had some good training experience. The thing I enjoy the most is starting with the younger kids and seeing them through a program and watching it click, and seeing the personal growth, both physically and psychologically. [Men’s] lacrosse for instance, just finished the fourth year of its program. I was here at the beginning of the program so I got to see the freshmen class all the way to the senior class and it was really – really satisfying to see those small freshmen walk across the stage as big strong seniors. And it has been really great to see the success that’s followed that.”

Featured picture credited to FSU Athletics.