For the last nine years, strength and conditioning coach Robert Lindsey has been designing programs to help Illinois State student-athletes get faster and stronger. After April 11, his last day with the Redbird Athletics Department, he will help design the actual equipment as a member of the Power Systems marketing department in Knoxville, Tenn.
Lindsey resigned Thursday after leading the Redbird strength and conditioning department since 1994. Director of Athletics Perk Weisenburger is appreciative of Lindseys efforts over the last nine years.
This is a very good opportunity for Robert and his family, Weisenburger said. He has been a key component for many of Illinois States championship teams over the last nine years and he will be missed. I wish nothing but the best for Robert and thank him for his dedication to Redbird Athletics.
Lindsey, who is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, previously served as an assistant at Tennessee (1989-94) and Oklahoma State (1985-89). He was also named Missouri Valley Conference Strength Coach of the Year in 1995 and 2000, while being published in national coaches magazines on strength training and nutrition.
With limited resources and staff, Lindsey helped mold 13 Redbird student-athletes into National Strength & Conditioning Association All-Americans during his tenure, but making this decision was even more difficult.
It was a tough decision for me; I did a lot of soul-searching with my family, Lindsey said. I love college athletics, but this is a better opportunity for my family. I was a part of a lot of success at Illinois State and will always remember the student-athletes that I worked with and help make into champions. The day-to-day interactions with student-athletes are the things that I will miss the most.
Not only has Lindsey served as a motivator for student-athletes, his former staff members are all around the country impacting the industry. Among them are the following: Joe Rodgers, head strength and conditioning coach at Hofstra, Kelly Neuhauser, head strength and conditioning coach at Georgia Southern, Jeff Barnard, head strength and conditioning coach at Eastern Kentucky, Ryan Feek, assistant strength and conditioning coach at Wisconsin, Ryan Zeman, assistant strength and conditioning coach at Northern Illinois; Daryl Lawrence, assistant strength and conditioning Coach, Minnesota Vikings and Lisa Reed, former asst. strength coach at Florida, currently a performance coach for Monica Seles.
Lindsey is a native of Comanche, Okla., and received a bachelors degree in health and physical education from Oklahoma State in 1987.
