The South Jersey Track and Field Club is the home of high quality personal coaching for athletes from age 14 and up (in some specific cases we will work with younger children). With over 20 years of high school, college and competitive club coaching, Craig Strimel leads a team of high qualified coaches that cover every event in track and field, cross country running, and speed and agility development for athletes of other sports.
Personal Coaching
Please Note: Except for very special circumstances (i.e. an acute injury or physical issue) we only provide personal coaching for athletes ages 14 and older. For younger kids we strongly encourage parents to sign them up for various sports and to keep the focus on FUN!
Craig Strimel, USATF Level 2 Coach, with 20+ years of experience coaching youth through collegiate track and field and cross country, and adult running. Coach Craig has a wide range of experience and specializes in:
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- Speed and power development for track and field sprinters and athletes in other sports.
- All aspects of sprinting, hurdles, and starts for 100 to 400 meters.
- High performance training, pacing and race strategy for middle and long distance runners.
- Technique development and fixes for all athletes.
- Coaching and support for adult recreational runners.
Additional Coaches: I have developed a strong network of coaches throughout Camden, Burlington and Gloucester Counties over the last 20+ years and can connect athletes to a specific coach to improve performance in every track and field event.
How we work
If you are interested in personal coaching, Coach Craig will personally respond to your inquiry to answer any questions and to set up an introductory session. Depending on your specific goals, you can begin with an overall assessment by Craig, and then consider which member of our team will be the best fit, or you can begin right away with the coach of your choice. We provide a wide range of programs, with flexible scheduling. Whether you need a quick technique lesson, a block of sessions to work on speed, or would like weekly sessions with a comprehensive season or annual training plan, we will adapt to you. If you are ready to get started, see the contact links below. Otherwise, read on . . .
Are you ready to take your performance to the next level?!
I have been providing personal coaching to athletes of all ages for over 15 years. I am equally experienced and comfortable coaching running events from short sprints to marathons, as well as power and speed development for field sport athletes. With a strong background in technique and injury prevention, I can help older athletes continue to enjoy the sport they love, and can help younger athletes build a strong foundation that will support years of development.
Speed and Power Development for Short Sprints and Field Sport Athletes
Two simple concepts, and knowing how to exploit them. We all have a genetic potential for speed, (a maximum speed we might be able to develop based on the body with which we were born), and we all have an ability to work toward realizing that potential. As an athlete and coach, we can’t really know your genetic potential until you make speed a priority and then begin to do the work of getting faster. In the beginning of this process, there are several time-tested drills and exercises that work for everyone — everyone can be faster in a few weeks than they are today. Once you have learned the right technique and developed the right foundation of strength, the process becomes more focused on your specific areas for improvement. As a USATF Level 2 coach, I know the science and techniques that support this entire process. I apply a science-based approach, along with the latest technology, and the “coach’s eye” that comes from years of experience, to make sure you get as close to your genetic potential as possible.
For short sprinters in the sport of track & field, I coach all elements of speed development and racing, from early technique and strength development, to stride rhythm, to block starts. For field sport athletes I focus primarily on raw power and the first few steps, to maximize your ability to make space, win 50-50 balls, get out of the batters box, etc. I also provide specific training for 40 and 60 yard time trials.
Speed Development, Race Pacing, and Race Psychology for Middle-Distance and Cross Country
Do distance runners need to include speed development in their overall training? Here are some reasons the answer is a definite Yes. Speed development has an immediate impact on technique and stride mechanics, which in turn increases efficiency, which is obviously an essential part of distance racing. Speed development builds plyometric strength, which aids injury prevention, and the ability to sustain harder workouts. Developing maximum speed increases your ability to start strong and establish position in crowded races, increases your finish intensity and speed, and makes sub-maximum paces feel easier. Just because your distance coach doesn’t see the need to develop these aspects of your performance does not mean they are unimportant.
When you are just one member of a cross country or track & field team, you likely are not getting individualized coaching in terms of the exact paces and race strategies you should be adopting in order to get to each new level or pr. It is hard for a coach to provide this to a dozen athletes at one time. As a personal coach, I take great care to never add counterproductive workloads to your current training, but during a season I can assess your current and past performance to determine very specific training paces to support a new goal. With short, low-volume workouts at race pace, I can help you get physically and mentally ready for your next big result.
Technique and Distance Training for Adults
As a lifelong runner, I know the crushing defeat of an injury that brings a sudden stop to training. And I know the demoralizing experience of the injury-rest-injury cycle. In fact, my years of technique training began as a result of almost quitting for good when my family doctor said, “Not everyone is meant to run.” Fortunately my deeper self-awareness kicked in, and I got my ego under control enough to really look into changing my technique. That led to finding a mentor who I eventually trained under as a coach apprentice, years before my first season as a high school coach. Fast forward a few years, and I eventually completed an iron-distance triathlon and several marathons, completely injury free.
This is the story and experience I bring to my adult athlete training. First and foremost, I understand that not running is not an option. Or at least one you are not yet close to considering. From there, I approach technique as the underlying issue of most running injuries. There are rare exceptions, but the vast majority of injuries can be improved, if not completely fixed, by learning to move in the way your body was designed. The incredible thing about technique is that it can be learned very quickly under the right instruction.
Injuries aside, many people would like to run, but find it much more difficult than it needs to be, again, because of improper technique. I can guide you through a training program that builds a strong foundation of technique, strength, and injury-prevention, while progressing naturally at a pace that balances enjoyment with progress.
For advanced athletes who have moved beyond injury or have luckily never experienced those set-backs, I apply the same science-based approach that I do with my high school athletes to figure out how to get you to your next goal.
Feel free to contact me to chat about your goals and needs.
Initial Consultation: $149 (Includes a comprehensive assessment of technique and sport-specific strength, flexibility and stability, as well as individualized planning for ongoing support)
Individual training sessions: $119
Block of 4 Training Sessions: $399
Block of 8 Training Sessions: $699
If you would like to set up an initial consultation please use the contact information below. If you want to pay for personal coaching now, click here: