William C. Phillips III

An SIUC athlete was selected among the 1995 national strength and conditioning association All-American athletes in December.

Kim Golebiewski, a senior in health care management from Amherst New York, and member of the SIUC volleyball team said she put a lot of hard work into the program, but did not expect to be nominated.

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Golebiewski has played all of her four years of eligibility and will graduate in May.

It is a great honor, and I am proud of the nomination because I really worked hard for it, she said.

The program is in its 12th year, and this year 146 athletes from 90 institutions were honored nationally.

Doug Salmon, strength coach at SIUC, said the athletes are chosen on the basis of work habits, good mechanics, degree of progress and positive attitude.

Golebiewski worked out four times a week an hour per day during the summer. The workout was based on light weights with a lot of repetitions Golebiewski said.

Because of the light weight training, she said she noticed results from the strength and conditioning program in only a month.

I noticed I was getting more toned and quicker, Golebiewski said.

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Not only did she gain strength, but the program improved her footwork and allowed her to get to different places on the volleyball court much faster than before.

The program also prepared her mentally for the season she said.

It provided me with more confidence, and to be more focused for the season, Golebiewski said.

Salmon said Golebiewski was selected because of her work ethic and desire to improve.

She went after it aggressively, consistently, and made good progress, Salmon said. It doesn’t come down to how strong she is but she does have good strength for her size.

He said the program is intense, and the greater the athlete works, the more the program will benefit the person.

It’s challenging, and as a person trains he or she will get stronger, he said. The workout teaches you to become stronger.

Salmon said the program is an opportunity for an athlete to improve themselves.

It can make a significant difference in an athlete, he said. We would like to think it can improve play, reduce injury, and increase longevity.

Sonya Locke, women’s volleyball coach, said the strength training helped Golebiewski handle herself around the net.

Her biggest gain was upper body strength, Locke said. Being stronger in the upper body she was able to push the ball farther.

Strength and conditioning training should be necessary for every athlete Locke said.

Sometimes an athlete does not have the talent or experience of their opponents, she said. Sometimes the younger players cannot keep up with the veterans who have been training for years.

Salmon said more athletes are participating in the workout. Sports that did not usually require strength training, such as golf, are now using the program.

Golebiewski said she recommends the training program to every athlete.

If an athlete is dedicated to their sport, this program will allow them to take a step up in their sport and be more prepared, she said.