Most strength coaches get weeks to settle into a new job. Kevin Rodriguez got four days.
Kevin Rodriguez’s path to Siena wasn’t a straight line, but it was fast at the end. After building the strength program from scratch at Delta State and spending four years at UT-Chattanooga working with men’s basketball, women’s golf, and beach volleyball, Rodriguez accepted the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach job at Siena and was on campus within four days. He credits a mix of prayer, self-reflection, and honest conversations with mentors, including former UT-Chattanooga head coach Dan Earl, for helping him make the call.
Once he arrived, Rodriguez treated the first weeks like an audit. He got every player’s phone number from the director of operations and texted personal introductions before he’d even found a place to live. From there, he assessed the weight room, met the training staff, and ran team lifts built less around programming and more around establishing standards, energy, and trust. Rodriguez calls it going back to the same intangibles he built at Chattanooga. The location changes. The standard doesn’t.
Rodriguez also gets specific about how he manages pressure and emotion, both his own and his athletes’. A habit he picked up as a graduate assistant at Mississippi State, rehearsing team talks and workout explanations out loud in the car, is still part of his routine before every big moment, podcasts included. He also leans on a mantra passed down from a football coach at Delta State: take it personal, but don’t be sensitive. It’s the same approach he brings to coaching players through emotional moments on the court, treating them like adults instead of problems to manage.
The conversation closes on expectations. Rodriguez inherited a Siena program that won its conference last season, the same situation he faced walking into UT-Chattanooga the year after a conference championship run. He talks through UT-Chattanooga’s NIT championship season, a run built on patience through a rocky start, and the lesson he’s carrying to Siena: enjoy the big moments, because not every coach gets one.
Key Takeaways
– Getting player phone numbers and sending personal introductions before arriving on campus builds trust before day one.
– Rehearsing high-pressure conversations out loud, a habit from his graduate assistant days at Mississippi State, keeps him composed in team talks and media moments alike.
– Take it personal, but don’t be sensitive: a mantra that turns criticism into fuel instead of self-doubt.
– Treating athletes like adults defuses conflict faster than trying to manage or control it.
– Winning the NIT at UT-Chattanooga taught him to sit in a big moment instead of rushing back to work.
Quote
“Take it personal, but don’t be sensitive.”
— Kevin Rodriguez, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Siena College
Kevin Rodriguez:
I mean, us as train coaches, man, we fail too. Like like we fail. Like everybody fails. Like I think it’s how you deal with that failure and how you move on. Like a football coach I worked for at Delta State, he always told me, he was like, take it personal, but don’t be sensitive. And it’s like I I I kinda like at the time I was like, Yeah, you’re right, like
Connor:
Yeah. yeah. Yeah.
Kevin Rodriguez:
I’m not gonna be sensitive about it. If you tell me something I can’t do, like well, I’m gonna go and do it.
Connor:
What’s going on, Samson Strength Coach, Collective Listeners? On today’s episode, we have Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for Sienna, Kevin Rodriguez. Kevin, thank you so much for coming on, man.
Kevin Rodriguez:
problem that thanks for having me. Excited.
Connor:
The
I’m stoked to have you on. Seriously, because I’ve kind of I’ve been a aware of Kevin Rodriguez, right? Like we’re, you know, in the basketball world, everybody kind of knows each other just a little bit, even if it’s just by general association. And then obviously you’re moving closer to my hometown, Syracuse, by going up to Sienna. so I’m really excited to get to speak with you. and what’s funny, we met at CSCCA, we talked about this briefly. My wife is from Chattanooga, you’re previously at UTC. So we’ve got a lot of like just barely missing each other kind of occasions.
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, good connections too. Yeah, good connections. Yeah, but yeah, we met at the conference and I had always seen the show and I that’s why, you know, I wanna we were talking to you and we kinda like separated and got your number just hit you up ’cause, you know, excited to be on the show and you know, I think what you guys are doing are really it’s really cool and whatever knowledge I can give out to people and and help out in any way, you know, that’s that’s kind of what we do, what we do, you know what I’m saying? So excited.
Connor:
Yeah, for sure.
Yeah.
a hundred percent, right? And I appreciate you saying that seriously. And I I can say that on behalf of Samson too. I don’t really ever talk on behalf of Samson because I’m just the podcast host, right? But I I know Samson certainly appreciates that too, ’cause like you said, that’s what it’s all about. It’s about sharing information, it’s about passing down the things that we’ve learned because everything that we’ve learned came from somebody else, and so it’s our turn to pass it on down to somebody else too. Yeah.
Kevin Rodriguez:
No doubt.
Exactly. Yep, exactly. Exactly.
So I mean that’s and there’s a lot of people I can thank for that, you know what I’m saying? And I think people are starting to understand that if you’re patient in what you’re doing and in your job and your in your craft, like good things are gonna come, you know what I’m saying? And there’s gonna be a lot of sacrifice, a lot of tough times that you’re gonna have to go through and but it all works out at the end, you know what I’m saying? So it’s just something we all have to go through at some time.
Connor:
Yeah.
That’s the best information that’s shared, right? There’s the one that this is sometimes it’s like you think it’s programming or sports science or whatever it might be. But really at the end of the day it’s like, Okay, hey, I’ve been there. You know, just be patient, or just like kind of the comforting words and the things that help keep you going along in your career too when it gets challenging. Yeah.
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah.
Yeah, no doubt, no doubt. I mean,
and it’s it’s one of those things too where you start to, especially when you start getting older in this field, you start to really question yourself and like, yo, is this really what I want to do?
And is this really the the path I want to take? And then you have that one lift group that just goes perfectly. And then you sit back and you’re like, okay, this is why I do it. And then you’re you win championships, you win games, and you sit back, you’re like, all right, this is why I do it. And then you you find the love again for it. You know what I’m saying? So it’s I think anyone that’s been in this business for so long understands that. Like there’s gonna be waves of good, bad, good, bad, but you always kind of go back to like ground zero to find out like why you’re doing
And what you’re doing, you know what I’m saying? So it’s it’s very humbling at times. And there’s been a lot of humbling moments for me, especially, you know, move doing this transition from leaving a great place in Chattanooga that me and my fiance love and the people that we’ve met, the friends that we have, people that are gonna be in our weddings from Chattanooga or and then leaving that, it’s it’s tough, you know what I’m saying? And but that’s the whole sacrifice and and toughness part comes into it too. So it’s
Connor:
Yeah.
Yeah.
Kevin Rodriguez:
It it it it’s it’s easy when you have someone by your side to help you do that stuff, but when you’re by yourself it can it can get kinda kinda hard, you know what I’m saying? So
Connor:
No doubt, a hundred percent. Okay, so this that’ll actually lead perfectly. My first question will be just give us a brief background, right? And then obviously you mentioned the transition from Chattanooga to Sienna. So I’ll follow up with some more questions after that. But can you just give us your background of your career, where you’ve been, and then what you’re currently doing now?
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah, so I graduated from Texas AM Kingsville, which is a small school in South Texas. got my bachelor’s there in exercise science. After that I went to go intern at the Louisiana Lafayette. and that’s where I met good friend of good friend of mine named Don Walker.
Who is at Mississippi State right now. And he got me and helped me get a GA ship at Angelo State University, which is another small D2 in West Texas or Central West Texas, people say. and in between in between my time there, I had two internships. The first summer was at Mississippi State with football. I interned under Coach Savage and Coach Agenberger, and then went back for my submet for my GA ship. Then the next summer,
I interned at Old Miss with Vince Basketball with a mentor of mine, Riley Allen. and then after that went back to Angelo. and then it was a weird time because I graduated in December and didn’t have anything lined up. And then
Delta State, which is another small D2 in Mississippi, what had an opening. and I I I was 22, 23 at the time, and it was for the head strength coach job. So I interviewed and I got very lucky, got the job, and I was one of the first ever stranded condition coaches there. So I built that program and kind of to what it is now. they’ve had I think two or three more people after me.
That have led the department. but first first kind of the first one there was by myself for two months. Then I ended up hiring a GA and Tyler Moore. He’s at New Mexico State right now. And then after that, I was able to hire three more GAs. and then they’re still kinda in the field doing their thing. and it was there for three years. had a number of
I want to say six to eight GAs at the time. so but I was still ahead. And again, we were all around the same age. So it was very like trying to separate myself from them and but also too, like there’s some of my great friends now. and then after that, I was there for three years at Delta State and then I ended up going to Chattanooga for four years. and I worked men’s basketball primarily there and then worked with women’s golf, beach volleyball, and cross country as well.
and then yeah, and then now I’m here in Siena. literally just got here three weeks ago, right into it. And now I work primarily with men’s basketball. and it’s been fun, man. It’s been a a a weird transition, but a very good one as well. it’s still truly still trying to like figure everything out and meeting this person, meeting that person, you know, being kind of like a politician walking around saying hi to everybody, shaking hands, you know, and just making sure that
your presence is known and but also to trying to be welcome welcoming to the weight room and encouraging people to get back into the weight room and train. whatever whoever sports here, whatever sports here. I mean men men’s basketball is here obviously, women’s basketball is here, but also too like the lacrosse, the soccer, like the baseball guys who are here, like, hey the weight room’s open, you guys can come train. You know, and and developing that culture and that standard now is what we’re trying to improve here and and and and take it as we
get started with this new journey and stuff. So
Connor:
Yeah, it’s so funny because when we met at CSCCA, you were at UTC. And then I said, Hey, we gotta get you on the podcast. And so we go to set it up. And I text you and then it’s like, Hey, you know, I would love I’d love to come on the show. Like, I just got a new job that I might need a couple weeks. And I was like, Yeah, a hundred percent. You know, like congratulations. I’m stoked for you, but please take the time. and so, like you say, you’ve you’ve been here for about three weeks now. Like it’s funny. It was just funny to me that you know, the transition is
Kevin Rodriguez:
Okay.
Yeah. Yeah.
Connor:
always such an interesting process that you go through. one you know, the the question that I thought of before we went through your introduction that was related to like you said, like part of coaching is sacrifices. Part of coaching is like you said, you develop these amazing relationships, you meet all these amazing people and then you have to leave because you have to take the next most logical step for you, your career, wherever you may be, what might be the best thing for you. You know, how do you handle that? How do you handle knowing like you said, you’ve got people who you met who will be in your wedding one day.
and you’ve got a fiance and there’s a lot of different factors that go into it. Like how do you handle that? How did you what was your mentality as you transitioned from UTC to Siena?
Kevin Rodriguez:
a lot of the two, man, was was a lot of prayer. A lot of prayer and a lot of just humbling myself with with with God and praying and and just mi helping me make the right decisions and guiding me with my decisions. I mean, it’s not our plan, you know what I’m saying? It’s not. It it’s his plan. And he’s gonna put us in situations that he thinks is gonna be best for us. So
That’s one thing, just a lot of prayer and a lot of just self-reflection. but also to yeah, like leaning on the people that have helped me get to this point. So obviously my parents, my mentors, my fiance, my brothers, you know what I’m saying? And and talking to them and seeing like, hey, is this the right move for me? This and that. And also too, working with some really good head coaches in the past, like Coach Dan Earl at Chattanooga, like going and asking him like, you know, what his thoughts were. And he was honest with me and that’s the relationship him and I had.
is like he was gonna give me the truth and he wasn’t gonna hold back and you know and I and that’s what you need to hear sometimes. So but he was very supportive too with with the whole move and but just dealing with obviously the the whole logistical stuff like moving I think that comes and that that’s something you just gotta deal with. But the actual like when you transition into a new area a new weight room you have to you have to assess a lot of stuff.
So like first things first, like when I first got the job, I talked to my director of operations. I was like, hey, I need all the guys’ numbers. Like give me their phone numbers. and I text every single one of them, introduce myself, tell them I’m excited to see them. We’ll talk more when I get there, X, Y, and Z. And then it was, okay, let’s get to the area. Don’t really worry about where you’re staying, just kind of
Get the keys and let’s go. So the first thing I did when I got in here was see what I had available, see the space, and then we start rearranging things and kind of making it your own home and then kind of start unpacking stuff. And then at second the the third thing was meeting the trainers and then meeting the administrators and then getting to know your coaching staff that you’re gonna be working with for the whole year and
And luckily, like, you know, the coaching staff here at Siena, the the men’s basketball staff, they’re they’re awesome. they they welcome me with open arms and they understood the the transition and the time frame that I had to take to get here. And you know, I’m not gonna lie to you, man, I I I got
offer the job and I was here in four days. You know, it’s like I I told I c I told our coach, Coach Nevada Smith, I was like, yo, I’ll be there. I’ll be there soon. And he’s like, no, take your time. I’m like, no, I I’m already missing a whole week of training. Like I gotta, I gotta get there. So the transition from an actual like logistical standpoint, I feel that comes, but the whole like assessing of everything you have is is what’s mo my number one priority. But I think the number one thing too is is getting in touch with the guys and just and and the staff.
Connor:
Damn. Yeah.
Kevin Rodriguez:
so like you start build building those relationships and that and those standards and those cultures with those guys and expectations and then the training comes, you know what I’m saying? Like so when I first got here we we had a whole team lift all day, every day.
and it was mainly just how I want things organized, how I want guys moving, the expectations, the energy, the effort. And then honestly, too, it helped me see how these guys work and what they need to work on, what they need to develop. Hey, this guy needs X, Y, and Z, this needs this. And then then it’s like, okay, we can start breaking into more groups and start working on more individual stuff. and we’ll still have team lifts and stuff as well. So it was mainly just kind of getting to know the guys and and see how they work and
And really like establishing that culture and that standard with them, like, hey, this is how we’re gonna do things. I know at first it can be kind of weird, but continue to keep trusting me and keep let’s keep building this relationship. and we’ll keep going on from there. So, and again too, like I was one week I’m training my Siena group, but the week before I was training my guys of Chattanooga. So it’s like the the the intangibles are are the same. The the standard doesn’t change, the the
The program doesn’t change. It’s just the where you’re at now. You know, that’s the only thing that that changed. So I mean, I was telling a good friend of mine, like, you know, I’m not worried about the program. I’m not worried about that. It’s getting out there was what I’m worried about, but also too, it’s like seeing what I have available and and also like getting a staff as well and trying to meet them and, you know, trying to get them situated and try to figure out what teams they’re gonna work with and and and not just meeting my head coach, meeting all the other head coaches as well.
and putting a name to the face and be like, Hey, my door’s always open, you guys wanna come talk? You know, and everything like that. So it’s it it it’s it it’s a rule one at times, but you know, you just take a seat, a step back and you take a deep breath, you’ll be fine. You know what I’m saying? So ain’t too bad.
Connor:
Yeah.
Yeah. You know, i i I think in the big transition periods, the quote I always go back to is, you know, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time, right? Like it’s just you gotta just figure out one thing that you gotta focus on and then boom, get it done. And then go to the next one. And then all of a sudden, before you know it, like you’ve really caught up, right? and so there’s so many different things that you have to deal with. I really like what you mentioned about getting in contact with the players before you get on campus. I think that’s something that
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah.
Yeah.
Connor:
With basketball, you have kind of a unique advantage, right? Where you know, you kind of work with one or two teams most of the time. you know, you’re pretty specialized. I remember when I went from Texas Tech to App State, our head coach here was like, Hey, here’s all the numbers. He sent them to me automatically. And he was like, I want you to FaceTime the guys. Like, set up a time to FaceTime everybody. And so
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah.
Connor:
I was face to I FaceTimed them all. You know, I feel like it just really helped, you know, when you fight kind of first get your foot in the door on campus. Like they’ve already met you. The ice has already been broken just a little bit. you know, I got to ask them some kind of questions about like what are the things that you want to work on. And, you know, obviously I have my programs, I have my standards. Like you like you said, there’s some things that just won’t change based off of, you know, what location I’m in. There’s always gonna be things that I coach, but it helped me too to just understand like, okay.
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah.
Connor:
Seven out of the ten guys who will be here for the summer said they all want to work on some agility training. So boom, we’ll hit that quickly, right? So we can just get a little bit more buy in. Like it just gives you a little bit of a leg up. So I I I love how you approach that. And so correct me if I’m wrong, y are you also like essentially in the director role at Sienna too? Yeah.
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah.
Yeah. So I have
two other assistants that aren’t here right now. They get here in a couple of weeks. so right now, we’re just kind of just figuring everything out. But yeah, so I’ll be able to run this whole department and yeah, so I mean anything that happens with them goes through me and things like that. So like I said, not not my first go around and we kinda talked about this off air, but it’s like, you know, it doesn’t get easier, you just you’re able to assess better and
Connor:
Yeah.
Yeah.
Kevin Rodriguez:
kind of, you know, learn how to deal with different situations. And obviously you’re gonna have some of the same situations wherever you go. and you’re gonna work with the same kind of people, I guess you can say, especially in athletics and college athletics. So I mean, yeah, being able to learning well being able to like
learn how to assess better and learn how to work well with each other and work well with others is probably the number one thing that’s helped me get back to this point. You know what I’m saying? So
Connor:
Yeah. It’s just so it’s always so interesting too when you you only not only transition for basketball, right? ‘Cause basketball’s there’s a lot of layers to that in general. But then you add in the whole layers of okay, I also manage the staff. Like you said, I’ve got to meet all these sport coaches. I gotta make sure that people are taken care of. Like it’s just even more that you have to do. and so I think it’s really good that it’s your second go around, right? You know, starting a brand new job ’cause then it just it helps a little bit more just with kind of okay.
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah.
Yeah.
Connor:
I I can do this. I’ve had a little bit of experience. My feet are a little wet. Like I can handle this, right? so I think it’s always exciting and fun to see. You know, how’s the summer gone for you guys? Like obviously, like you said, you missed one week of training in the beginning. All the basketball strength coaches, you know, who listen to this know that summer training is your pure, unadulterated, time to get after it. Like that’s where you make a lot of your gains and it’s a really important roadmap for the rest of your training for the summer, just like with or sorry, in the season, just like with any other sport.
You know, how how has your summer gone so far?
Kevin Rodriguez:
It’s been good, dude. honestly. you know, it it’s I still think we’re in the honeymoon phase where everyone’s still like excited to have like a new strength coach, blah blah. You know what I’m saying? Like so it everything’s good. I know there’s gonna be some tough times as we move on. and that’s normal that happens with every team.
but good from like like I said, from a training standpoint, it was it’s everything’s been so simple. It’s very simple. Let’s just get after it. Let’s work, let’s, you know, let’s have some fun. Let’s get the music up. Let’s run around a little bit. Let’s like let’s let’s let’s change ourselves. Let’s get better. Let’s let’s help each other out. but again, from a training standpoint, like we’ll we’ll do a squat, we’ll do a bench, we’ll do a deadlift, we’ll do a pull-ups, you know, push-ups. Very simple stuff, and let’s just get strong.
Let’s get strong and then let’s change our bodies for the best. and then based on how I started programming a couple of years ago, it’s like, yeah, start tailoring more towards guards, bigs, your wings, you know, all that stuff. but right now it’s just like it’s just general, very general.
prep stuff and just, you know, they get a lot of their conditioning and a lot of their stuff done at practice, which is great. You know, my head coach was like, hey, you don’t need to condition them. I got it. So sweet. He’s like, but they condition by playing and they play. You know what I’m saying? So it’s great. So, but again, too, I I did mention to him like, hey, like, I I’m not gonna condition him on the court, but like I’m still gonna get him on the bikes in the weight room. Like there’s no like I that doesn’t stop. And he’s all he’s good with it. So I mean that’s
You know, it’s one of those things too where that doesn’t change and we’ll just do a lot of general prep stuff. and also too like being able to sit down one on one with each guy and seeing like we talked about, like what what you want to do, how you want your body to change. Hey, what do you want to be at? Who what do you where do you like to play at when in season? You know, what what do you usually drop down to in body weight, you know, stuff like that. And being able to talk to those guys and and honestly too.
learning their goals and what they want to do with their careers, right? So like a lot of them want to go play in the NBA. Okay. Like let’s get you prepared for that. if you’re not f if you’re fortunate enough to go play in the NBA, great. But if you go play overseas, that’s even that’s great too. You play you get a summer invite, you get a G League contract, whatever it is, like, you know, I’m here to help you get to that point. and I and I’ve been fortunate enough to work with guys that have have gone to summer leagues, have are playing overseas currently.
and just being able to develop relationship with those guys and and that’s the one thing that I think any athlete that’s been under me, like, they know that I’m I’m available with for them any day of the week. especially when I got out of here, I I I called some of my old players. I was like, Hey, I’m like I’m going to Sienna. You guys always have a place to train. Like there’s no like if if you’re good with me, like you’re always gonna be you’re always gonna be welcomed into my home. Like there’s no
you know, there’s no like animosity towards anything. It’s like, hey, you need a place to train, let’s get it going, you know what I’m saying? So, but from an actual training standpoint, like I said, for the summer, it’s been good. we have a couple more weeks of training and then we’ll be off for a while before school starts and then we’ll get right back into it. and honestly too my goal for them right now is just getting them as in shape and as in strong as strong as possible right now. And then as we start getting back into the swinging things in the in the fall and stuff like that, we’ll, you know, start specializing more on some stuff and
you know, very things that you’re probably doing right now and everyone else is doing right now too. So
Connor:
Yeah. Okay, so I’m curious about this, right? Because I was think I I spent some time thinking about this this past week. You know, I think as you get more experience, like you try to be less reactionary as a coach. I think you try to be more understanding, right? Like, especially when you get a brand new team in, you get a lot of new guys in, and then it’s really hard. I think it’s hard to not make initial judgments, right? And just as you progress through the weeks, what does it look like? You know, what is wh who is this guy truly gonna be on the team? What role is he gonna fill?
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah.
Connor:
Is he for real? Is he not? Right? Like, you know, I I think it could be tough to not make those judgments. and I I’ve tried to be more stoic, maybe, or more I don’t even know what the term would appropriately be, right? Like where I just try to just, you know, okay, play it level and then let their actions prove or disprove or you know, speak for themselves essentially. And so you say, and you know, this could be more of a broader question too, right? Like you say, like with any job there’s problems, right?
Things will come up. There’s always a honeymoon phase of like, hey, Kevin’s here. Kevin’s awesome. He’s doing a great job. Do you try to predict those problems ever? Or do you just try to, you know, essentially handle them as they come? And I loop in my earlier talk about that just because, you know, what I’ve noticed is sometimes I’ve created problems by trying to predict them. And sometimes I’ve also solved them way before they become bigger problems. So it can be a little bit of a razor’s edge you have to walk. I just I’m just curious what your thoughts are on that.
Kevin Rodriguez:
Mm-hmm.
Connor:
you know, what your approach to handling future things that could come up really is.
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah, I think I I do a little bit of both. I I I and I fail I fell at this because like I try not to think about problems, but I also think about them so I am more mentally prepared when they happen. and I think that’s more of my intrusive thoughts going through. So it’s like I I I know something’s gonna happen and it’s like, okay, I kind of put myself through scenarios like, okay, if this were to happen, you know, what what would I do? You know.
Hey, I this this problem’s gonna occur with this person. Like, how am I gonna handle it? Like, am I gonna r lash out or am I gonna take the professional role and be like, let’s take a step back, you know, let’s figure it out, let’s calm down, you know, whatever like that. So, but also too, I I think you have to be really good at dealing with problems as they come, you know, and even if un seen or unseen, like I think you have to just learn how to figure it out and just move on.
but I think from me myself, like I immensely prepare my myself for that. And it’s just so I when that problem occurs, I know what to do, I’m consistent and I’m prepared, you know. And I think my biggest thing that I’ve learned in my in my career is being trying to be as prepared as possible, when it comes to things and and also too, like your past experiences that you know will help you with your future experiences and and things like that. But no, I I think
being able to like put yourself in those scenarios and kind of like have an idea and have not like a whole plan, but have an idea how you would approach it. I think it was it’s what’s helped me. It’s the same thing with coaching too. Like I when I was a GA I had a really bad problem of like explaining workouts to people. Like If especially in front of the team. Like when I had volleyball back at Angelo State, like I couldn’t read a whole whiteboard. I would get caught in mouth and I would like I would freak out and my anxiety would just keep going off the walls. And when I met
Akenberger and Coach Savage at Mississippi State, like they taught me like, yo, like if you’re in the car and you’re driving from the facility to your apartment, like practice what you would say to a team. Practice like your your talks, practice with the lift, practice how to how to teach a squat. Cause when you get into those situations when you’re in front of whole a team full of 40 guys or, you know, 10 girls, whatever it is, is like that’s just clockwork. You know what I’m saying? It’s like,
it it’s off you it’s in your brain, it’s embedded in your mind to where it’s like it’s just second nature. so that’s I still do that to this day. Like, you know, I practiced for this podcast yesterday. So it’s like what some things I would learn or I would say on here and kind of so you’re like a little more clear headed. but I still do that to this day. Like I’ll drive from here to back to my my Airbnb I’m staying at and I’ll literally just like, hey, how would I coach a room full of a hundred kids? You know what I’m saying? And that’s that’s a good trait that
my like I said, Coach Savin and Ackerberger taught me back in the day and it’s helped me get to this point. And and my fiance says I’m a good talker. So I’m like, okay, well, you know, I guess that’s a good skill to have. But but yeah, from a situational standpoint, man, just being prepared as possible. I mean, you’re not you’re never gonna have the perfect answer. You’re never gonna have the perfect program. It’s just learning how to adapt to things as they come. and and don’t freak out. That’s one thing my my director at
At Chad Nico, Jerry Passetti taught me like every whenever something went wrong or whatever, like we were in a bind about something, he’d be like, We’ll be fine. We’re all right. He’s like, We’ll figure it out. Like we’re and he just very calm about it. so he he he really taught me how to kind of like handle situations, but also be like, yo, like this is the business, this is the way it is, like it’s gonna happen. You know what I’m saying?
Connor:
I really, really like that solution, right? ‘Cause like again, sometimes if you think too much about it, it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy, right? Where, you know, if I if I’m Yes, yeah.
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, you’re you’re you’re you’re thinking about it more in your mind and it’s gonna happen, you know what I’m
saying?
Connor:
It’s like the I brought up this analogy before, right? But like, you know, how many red cars did you see on the way to work today? Like, one or two, you know, and then you say, Okay, now when you drive home, think about how many red cars or somebody brings it up, right? And then you notice way more, right? Like, so if you think a problem can occur, then you’re gonna look for the problems, right? and so I really, really love your approach of, you know, putting yourself in those situations. I think a lot of coaches do that, but having the intentional practice of doing it, right? Like having a set time of
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah.
Yeah.
Connor:
Okay, if this specific situation occurs, how do I react to it? Right. Or like you said, prepping for going through the workouts or prepping to come on the podcast. Like, you know, there’s always a planning element, but I think what I really like about is the intentionality is like a this is a set time or this is a something that I will do regularly instead of kind of just like your shower thoughts, right? Where you’re like, okay, you know, hey, maybe I’ve got a little time. Let’s think about it. But it’s like intentional. I know I’ve got this time to do this. Let’s go through these situations and
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah. Or
Yeah.
Connor:
You know, I I would certainly agree. It it really makes you feel a lot more prepared.
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah, no, and I think it it like I say, it can be good and bad. if you keep thinking about something and and it it can really mess with your head, to the point where like you feel sick and you don’t know what to do. So like let’s just say, for example, like if someone were to come into the weight room right now and start yelling and, you know, just making all this noise and I’m on this podcast, it’s like, okay, what would I do? Would I get out there and start, you know, cussing at them or be yo, can you like
calm down please. Like can you like which approach would you rather take? You know what I’m saying? I think that’s kind of your own judgment. But for it’s like I’d be like, yo, can you just like can you calm down please? Like, you know, like, and I’ve been able to like really control like things I say and be like, you know, saying like ’cause at the end of the day, with our athletes, man, they’re still kids. You know, we were at we were that age at one point. and I’m saying it like I’m old. I’m only 32, but like, you know,
We were we were twenty two, twenty three, twenty one at some at one point in our lives. So it’s like, you know, they’re they’re adults, you know, saying I’m gonna talk to you like an adult. If you want me to treat you like a child, I will, but the majority of people don’t want to be treated like children. So I’m gonna go and talk to you like an adult. And if you can’t figure it out, then it’s like I’m gonna try to help you figure it out. And I’m not trying to be a dictator or trying to be mean, I’m just trying to truly just help you. Because at the end of the day, it’s like what are we doing if we’re just sitting here arguing about something? Like
I have better things to do than argue about what you’re wearing or in like that. It’s like, wear what I ask you to wear, follow the rules and the standards of the weight room and then move on. It’s literally that simple. And I think we I I think that’s something that I think a lot of coaches still deal with nowadays. I mean, it is what it is. Like it’s one of those things too. It’s like it’s it’s either it’s what you have set in standards for the weight room, but also too like still understand that they’re kids. And it’s the same thing with like men’s basketball and the transfer portal. Like
Kids are gonna transfer. It is what it is. Like, I mean, it’s part of the sport now. That’s part of the it’s but it’s the world we live in. It’s we can either sit here and and continue to to cry about it and like get mad about it, or we can just move on. You know what I’m saying? Like we don’t, we don’t I don’t I can’t I don’t have time to be like, I’m sad if a kid leaves that I really like and we like to work with him and he did for good for our team. But at the same time, it’s like, yeah, man, I I I get it. Like you’re you’re you’re a human, you’re an adult, you make your own decisions and
You learn from those decisions. It’s that simple. So I’m not gonna sit here and just continue to be like mopey about, yeah, it sucks, but hey man, the life goes on. We just gotta keep moving, you know what I’m saying?
Connor:
That’s my favorite thing in these conversations with kind of the coaches who can get mopey about it. I’ve been there before myself, right? Like I you there’s ki kids who’ve transferred who I really loved. and it was just hard to see them leave, right? but you know, like coaches who are just like, what happened to loyalty? You know, and I’m like, okay, so let’s be real, bro. Like you’re 19, you averaged, you know, 17 and seven and six in the sunbell.
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah.
Connor:
And you’ve got agents and everybody telling you, Hey, if you transfer, you’re gonna get X amount of dollars. You wouldn’t take that opportunity to And they’re like, No, no, I wouldn’t And I was like, Yeah, all right, bro, like whatever you say, like, what are we talking about?
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah. I mean I I
I get it. I mean and I I see and I think we’re very fortunate enough to see both sides from a head coaching standpoint and from a c an athlete standpoint because we work with both very closely. You know what I’m saying? And like literally yesterday in the gym our head coaches like literally pointing at me and pointing at our trainer and be like, you guys will see them more than you see us.
Connor:
Mm-hmm.
Kevin Rodriguez:
And it’s true. We w we spend every day with these guys and girls. So it’s like, you know, we see their side and how they are, but we also see how the head coach is and how the and the his staff is. So like we understand like, we’re like the middleman. Like we are we kind of talk on both sides of the spectrum where it’s like we’re not I’m not gonna tell my guys something they wanna hear, like I’m gonna tell them things that they probably don’t want to hear, but it’s true.
And it’s kind of the same thing with our head coaches. It’s like like they’re gonna want to hear some things that they wanna hear, but it’s like we’re gonna tell them the truth and we’re gonna tell them like, hey, this this is what we need to do, this is what we not need to do. And sometimes it can go really good, sometimes it goes really bad. It just it’s just it’s it at the end of the day, it’s not personal. It’s nothing personal. It’s all it’s just business. and I think that’s another thing that Coach Bassetti at at Chattanooga taught me, like,
You know, him and I, I love him. Like I love him and his family and you know I’m saying, but like we’ve we’ve had some some discussions and stuff and it’s never been personal, it’s just been to help each other out. So it’s all this stuff is not personal. It’s like, you know, we were trying to one, we’re trying to win games, but also two, it’s we’re trying to make ourselves happy as well, you know, and not just, you know, hate ourselves for for doing what we do. We love what we do, you know.
Connor:
Yeah. It’s it you know, just from this conversation, it seems pretty apparent to me that you’re good at removing your emotions from situations, right? And being a little bit more realistic. Like, how do you sometimes yeah, fair enough. Hey, we all slip up. We all slip up. Like, but you know, how do you ultimately how do you coach your players through that, right? ‘Cause we’ve got a you know, especially in basketball, you got a lot of young guys like who will really struggle with that. and and for some of them, like basketball is their only outlet. you know, some come from
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah. Some sometimes, yeah. Yeah, sometimes. Yeah.
Connor:
areas or backgrounds where there’s really not a lot of talk about emotions. It’s just, you know, just handle it. Like how do you coach your guys to be able to adopt that mentality of separating emotions and rationality?
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah, I think yeah, I think I’m still trying to learn that. I think I think no one has the perfect formula for that. I think it’s it’s it’s it goes based off team, the team you work with. I think every individual that comes in this weight room it’s it’s different. You know, everyone has different ticks, everybody has different you know, external these what do you call it, like factors that they have to deal with. So and internal factors they have to deal with. So
I I I think I’ve always been the kind of coach that is I’m gonna like try to help you out to the best of my ability. I’m gonna try to find out what you wanna hear, but also too what you don’t wanna hear. and also to just being truthful. And I was very fortunate enough to like work with some really good dudes and in Mississippi at Delta State, from all walks of life. So being able to be around those guys and and learning how to talk to those people too, it’s like
I think it’s what helped me get to here too, you know what I’m saying? And but also coaching guys like through their emotions and just it’d be like, yo, if you need a second, go take a second. Like, but don’t let it affect what you’re trying to do in the weight room and don’t let it affect what it you’re trying to do on the court. Like, I understand you’re mad, you might have something going on at home, you might have a girlfriend problem, boyfriend problem, whatever it is, like you know what I’m saying, like I get it. We all been through that. Like, but again, you can’t let that dictate your day.
And especially for strength coaches, like, you know, the the whole persona behind a strength coach is like you gotta be loud, you gotta be heavy energetic, and it’s true, but we all have bad days as well. Like we all have problems that are going on and whether it’s family issues or, you know, relationship issues, whatever it is, like we all have stuff going on internally. So it’s like, but we can’t let that affect how we treat our kids and treat our our teams, you know what I’m saying? It’s because we are we are the role models and we are like the the tone setters of the weight room. So it’s like
And again, but we all we all understand, but I think learning how to really manage those emotions, it’s it’s it’s tough, man. It’s not easy. but I think if once you start getting into it and start understanding yourself and understanding the people around you, I think it starts to you start to learn how to develop better strategies and stuff like that. But I I wear my emotions on my sleeve and, you know, people know when I’m upset, but I try not to let it affect the way w the way I work. You know what I’m saying? And
Like if I know I need to get something done, like I’m gonna get it done. I’m like there’s just you have no option. There’s no excuse. kind of like the same thing with our athletes, it’s like eating food is not it shouldn’t is non-negotiable. You know, if you’re a basketball player, sh getting shots up is non negotiable. You know what I’m saying? If you’re in the weight room, like you’re gonna train, like that’s non negotiable. And if you when you go to bed, that’s non negotiable. You gotta go to bed. Like you have to get your recovery and you gotta go see the trainer, like whatever it is. It’s like it’s a lot of non negotiable. So for me, it’s like
Connor:
Mm-hmm.
Kevin Rodriguez:
If I know I have to get up at four AM or five AM, like it’s it is what it is. Like that’s the life that I chose. If I wanted to live a little bit more easier life, then I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing. You know what I’m saying? I’d be working an office job or doing something else that I, you know, wouldn’t want to be doing. But I it’s pretty nice when you can just wear like a cutoff hoodie or like a shirt and she and shorts to work every day and you know I’m saying and and train kids and w live in a weight room, you know what I’m saying? And don’t have to go pay for a gym membership all the time. So that that’s the
Those are the perks to to being a strength coach, I think, at times. But but also too, I see it as a being able to see these kids develop and and win games and win championships. Like that’s like the that’s like the main driver for me at times. And then being able to see them go play professionally or, you know, start a life with their significant others and have kids and all that. And, you know, I still have guys from Delta State that I coached in baseball and football.
that hitting me up that have kids or just had their first kid or just got married. I mean that’s awesome. You know, saying that’s that’s great. I like I I’m I’m glad you’re living your life that you want to live. and I’m glad I could have I I had a part in that, you know. ’cause I mean it and I’m sure you’ve got this, I’m sure a lot of people who are watching this or listen to this, it’s you know, we’ve all gotten those texts from my athletes being like, Hey, thank you for everything you did for me. Like it really, it really truly helped me. And it’s like, dude, like any day of the week, you know what I’m saying?
twice on Sunday, like I’ll do it again. You what I’m saying? Like I think that’s just the that’s just the the the the good thing about working around some good coaches that have taught me to, you know, that’s what the main thing is, you know.
Connor:
Yeah. Yeah. It it the growth part is just so cool, right? Like and I think back to the player we had we had him for three years. and you know, he’s probably probably my favorite athlete I’ve ever coached. I think you know, like I’m if we’re just being realistic and he was an emotions guy. Like, you know, he when he was high, he was so high, like in and he would just be the energy driver for the team and and like you said, almost similar to strength and conditioning where
when you are expected to be the energy guy and you’re low, it’s really noticeable versus if you’re middle of the road or kind of more of a low key guy. And so, and so he would let his emotions control him a lot. And I’ll never forget, you know, the last year that I was coaching him, there we talked a lot about his emotions. We talked a lot about his mentality and and just watching him grow. And we there was some we were at a opponent, obviously away game.
And the fans were talking some smack to us and we won the game. And at the end they said some more stuff to him. And they were talking to him all game and he ignored him all game. And he turned around and he’s like probably, you know, arm length away from me. And he started to say something and I said, Hey, relax. And then literally turned on a dime.
completely turned away and started walking away and I was like, Hell yes. Like ’cause like literally freshman year, it would have been I would have had to hold him back and he would have been saying something over my shoulder the entire time. And so just like like you said, it’s kind of a microcosm of what the bigger picture is, which is just watching these athletes grow, watching them become fathers and mothers and have their own families and do all these things to help them be successful. It’s like just like the coolest piece by far.
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah.
Yeah.
And and we we I mean, us as train coaches, man, we fail too. Like like we fail. Like everybody fails. Like I think it’s how you deal with that failure and how you move on. Like a football coach I worked for at Delta State, he always told me, he was like, take it personal, but don’t be sensitive. And it’s like I I I kinda like at the time I was like, Yeah, you’re right, like
Connor:
Yeah. yeah. Yeah.
Kevin Rodriguez:
I’m not gonna be sensitive about it. If you tell me something I can’t do, like well, I’m gonna go and do it. You know what I’m saying? And like that was his like mindset towards me. It’s like I I don’t think you can do it. And he knew it pissed me off. So I would go try and do it. You what I’m saying? And and then anybody that that knows me really well is like you challenge me to something, it’s like, well I probably won’t win, but you know, I’m gonna like try my hardest. Like I’m gonna if you tell me I can’t do something, I’m gonna do it. But I’m gonna compete as well. So that that’s just the thing.
too where you know we fail as training coaches. Like we’re not always gonna be the best every day. And we all know that. but it’s like how do we learn from our mistakes and how do we learn from those failures and move on to better ourselves for the next day and the next day and the next day. you know, and I think that those those experiences and those failures will help our teams moving on forward in the season and stuff like that. especially if like if people are fortunate enough to play collegiate sports. Like I wasn’t fortunate enough to play collegiate sports, but
‘Cause just wasn’t af as as athletic and then I wasn’t the best af baseball athlete. But again, like I feel like as I started getting older, I started becoming more athletic, which is like, okay, I missed the boat. But when you know, learning being in a c collegiate wave room early on in my career, like really helped me see how a team and athletes really work and things like that. And then again, once you once you surround yourself with really good mentors and friends, like that’s how you start developing, you know, strategies and developing like
Hey, what can I do for this? What can I do for that? You know what I’m saying? Which is gonna help your teams in the future as well. Yeah.
Connor:
a hundred percent. I completely get what you’re saying, right? And
you know, even we had a conditioning session this morning, right? And I told the guys like I have self doubts, right? And it was just a larger talk about like, you know, everybody’s gonna everybody has those things. And so how do you handle it when it occurs? ‘Cause it’s gonna happen. Just like you said earlier in the podcast, like problems will happen at some point. Nobody has the perfect job. Even you know, even if you’re I don’t know, an ice cream taste tester, do you make a million dollars a year, someday you’re gonna get sick of ice cream.
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah.
Yeah, it’s
Connor:
Right. Like, you know, it just happens. And so how do you handle those things? I really I’m curious about this one because I have obviously a background knowledge of Sienna, Syracuse basketball, growing up in the area. and I had a conversation with a young strength coach the other day where he just started a new job. He said, This is the first job I’ve gone into with expectations. Like every other job I’ve gone into, it’s just been okay. I’ve got
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah, that’s the way it is.
Connor:
Hard work, right? I I know I’ll be a consistent guy. I know I’ll be a good strength coach. And he’s a young coach. This is like his second full time job that he’s got. and then he said, you know, this is the first job I’ve come into where there’s already been, you know, a path kind of been laid and there’s expectations about what it should look like. And, you know, for the context for our listeners, obviously Sienna won the conference last year and Jerry McNamara went to Syracuse. Jerry McNamara’s a big Syrac upstate New York Syracuse kind of name.
you know, and there’s expectations with with what you’re looking to do this next year. Like, how do you, as a more experienced strength coach, handle those expectations? we talked a little in the pre-show about like basketball’s the thing. Like in upstate New York, people love basketball. Like, how do you handle those expectations? how do you kind of not let them override your decision making? What’s your process with that?
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah.
Yeah, so and it it’s funny you say it because it was it was the same thing at Chattanooga when it my first year there the year before I got there, Lamont Paris and then won the conference on a half court shot in Asheville. and then they went to go play I forgot who they played in the first round in Pittsburgh, but so Coach Earl got the job the following year, then I was fortunate enough to go and work for him.
Connor:
That’s right. That’s right. Yep.
Kevin Rodriguez:
And that staff, and it was the same it was the same thing. Like it was like, Hey, you guys won the conference last year and went to March Madden. It’s just like, what how like what are you gonna do? It’s like, well, we’re gonna try to do it again. Like there’s no it’s like that’s the that’s the standard, right? And it and it’s tough. I mean and then yeah, there’s a lot of weight on your shoulder. More more on Coach Earl than my than me, you know what I’m saying? Obviously, because but also too, it’s like, hey man, you just go in there, you just try to do the best you can and win, you know, and
Connor:
That’s it. Yeah.
Kevin Rodriguez:
You’re not gonna please everybody, obviously, you know, like there’s gonna be a lot of self doubt and there’s gonna be a lot of doubters and stuff like that. But it’s just like I mean, in that first year I was there, we made it all the way to the championship in the Commerce tournament in Asheville and we played Furman and Furman won and then they I think they play I forget who they play in in the first round as well, but I think they won a game and like yeah, Virginia and they had some really good guys on that team. So it’s like and we had Jake Stevens as well, who was big old seven footer, you know what I’m saying? And
Connor:
I think it was Virginia, right? Yeah.
Kevin Rodriguez:
He was injured half of the conference season and he was able to come back for the conference tournament and and tore it up. You know what I’m saying? It’s like we got hot at the right time. We just fell short in the in the championship. And then, you know, so and we just continue to keep building more and more every year there. So coming into this situation, yeah, they won the tournament last year and we had some guys that were on that team and it’s nothing different. You know what I’m saying? It it’s the expectations are gonna be there.
People are gonna wanna see results and we’re gonna try to do the best we can to get to get them the results and but also too, it’s like I think the number one thing is like, okay, well, let’s win games and let’s try to prepare ourselves as much as possible and and peak at the right time in January and February and see what happens. You know what I’m saying? And and and the way college basketball is nowadays too. It’s like it and it’s anyone’s year, you know, like you never know what’s gonna happen and you know, you might be down by thirty at halftime and win by ten.
You know what I’m saying? It’s that’s why I love college basketball. It’s one of the best sports in the country where it’s like, you know, any it’s on any given day it can be anyone’s day it can be anyone’s game. You know what I’m saying? And it’s the same thing when we were at Chattanooga, like the year we won the NIT, we were down against Bradley and then we at halftime we came back and beat Bradley and then we ended up going to the final four in Indianapolis. And then I mean to be honest, you man, we weren’t no one thought we were gonna win that tournament and we did.
Connor:
Mm-hmm.
Kevin Rodriguez:
We were truly that team was so special from we we started off the season with a lot of adversity. We had a couple of guys go out, we had a lot of injuries. We lost our first three games, I think. And it was just like, All right, here we go. You know what I’m saying? Like it’s gonna be one of those years. And then we started getting guys back and we got we got hot. I I I forgot what our winning streak was, but we had a long winning streak going into that conference tournament.
And then we had one of our main guys get get hurt the week of the tournament. And we kind of had to figure it out. And we we fell off we fell short in the conference tournament, but then we ended up getting a bid to the NIT. And then it w at that point it was just playing with house money. Like no one thought we were gonna win. And it was fun, man. It was something like honestly, it’s like it that right there was one of the best successes I’ve had as a coach. And I really don’t like using my own success, but like I liked the success of my athletes. Like that’s what I
Connor:
Yeah.
Kevin Rodriguez:
That’s what I love. And like that whole tournament run was just like we got to like we that right there was like we became a true like family to where like those guys and our and I and our f like trainer or S I D or coaches, we all still talk to each other. We s and like it would just develop a bond that no one can ever take away from us. So, you know, that and then like I said, no one thought we were gonna win.
And it was like, all right, let’s just go out and have fun and let’s just and the guy just they just hooped and we just ended up getting very lucky at times and and we ended up winning. And it was honestly one of the best experiences of my life as a coach and and being able and also too, another thing that I really like enjoyed about that tournament was my dad and my brother, my older brother w were there at the game in at at Hinkle Fieldhouse and it was awesome because it’s like they hadn’t been to a Chattanooga game before that.
So it was like them seeing like us win those two games against Loyal Chicago and the UC Irvine and then my fiance being there too. It was just like it was awesome. Being on the court with them, things like that. you know, that those are the moments you’re just like, Man, like like you made it, you know what I’m saying? And but that team was truly special. and and again, there’s always gonna be expectations, I think anywhere you go, but especially being here in CNN and and knowing the history and knowing the tradition of of basketball here, it’s it’s awesome, man. And it’s
It’s one of those things where like I’m very loyal as well. Like I don’t like to let people down. I try to I’m a big people pleaser. Like I want to make sure everyone’s happy. I want to make sure everyone’s good. so that that’s something I always hold again over my head. It’s like, hey, like, am I doing enough for him? I am I doing enough for him, am I doing enough for him? And Coach Smith, our coach here, he does the same thing with our guys. It’s like you’re playing for him, you’re playing for him, you’re playing for him, and then you’re playing for us. We’re and you know what I’m saying, like
We’re all trying to win games, but we’re all here to play for each other. You know what I’m saying? And I think once you create those expectations and create those standards and and have that culture with our with the team, I think that can take you a long way in the season as well. So like I said, it it’s fun, man. And it basketball is a different, different beast out here. You know what I’m saying? It’s it’s great. It can get kind of intimidating at times, but it’s like I I like I love it, man. I love I like I love having that.
kinda like fire under your under yourself, you know what I’m saying? It’s like all right, you gotta you gotta do some noise, you know saying it’s it’s fun. So Yeah.
Connor:
Yeah, I you know,
I think that’s where expectations can be really cool. That’s where, you know, hey, people want you to be good. It’s like, hell hell yeah, like I’m gonna live up to it. You know, like this it’s my chance to do it. and I love what you say too. I think it’s just a a perfect embodiment of what what makes basketball so cool is like anybody can win, anybody can do anything at any point in time. That’s why it’s always March madness, right? You it’s not March logical. You know, it’s just anything can happen at any point in time.
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah, yeah.
Mm-hmm. Yeah, it’s March Madness, man.
Connor:
I think back to even just this past season that we had with with our men’s team here. Like, I remember we got like forty pieced on our home court by Elon. And I I went back to the locker room and I like, Do we suck?
Like, my God, like what is gonna happen? Like it was one of those losses that, like, you’re just like, wow, like this could make or break us, right? Like we could figure it out or not. And we did figure it out, right? And then we had this great team that continued to go on and have success, right? But like, like you said, starting off that season where you have some people out for injury, you know, there’s just kind of like there’s things were set up for the team to kind of go down a path, and then they chose a different one, and then you guys act as a family.
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah.
Yeah.
Connor:
You don’t really worry about the negative expectations and you just go out there and have fun and all of a sudden you win a championship. That’s really cool.
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah, and then honestly, and I want to talk a little bit more about the NI team team. Like honestly, those guys, you know, were awesome, man. From Honor Huff to Trey Bottom, Frank Champion, Jack Costel, Bash Wheeling, Garrison Keysler, Sean Cusano, Khalin Mulholland, like all the guys that are on that team that played a a big role into that year, like they that they can never that can never be taken away from them. Like that is o that’s gonna be, you know.
engraved in Chattanooga history. And they like very fortunate enough that one of a good friend of mine that is a Chattanooga local and he bleeds Chattanooga. Like he loves the mocks. Like when I told him I was leaving, he told me that I had like I put my name in Chattanooga history. And we all did. And and that can never be taken away from us. And again like leaving Chattanooga was tough. Like again, like I we talked about this earlier, like
Me, my fiance loved it and we still love it. like that’s a place I’m gonna go back and visit like always because it’s it’s just an amazing place. but th that right there, that that NIT championship run and that regular season championship run and even the stuff we did the year before and after, like, you know, like we are embedded into that program and
Coach Ro is doing a really good thing there and he’s really but he’s really building a culture. and that man I can call him right now, we can talk for an hour and just like catch up and he’s he’s a great he’s a great guy to be with and great guy to work for. and again too, but I knew coming here I needed to make that jump and to work with the new staff and and challenge myself, you know what I’m saying, and say like, hey, like, am I really what I’m am I about? What am I about? Like can I really do it at another place? Like can
Can I really go and develop more people somewhere else? And I and again, I like to test myself and it’s like, you know, I I get like I said, I get kind of bored when I’m in one place for one time, I guess. You know what I’m saying? Like it’s just I I’m so used to moving too. And being being in Chattanooga for four years, it was like, it was awesome, obviously, but like
Connor:
He
Kevin Rodriguez:
Once I got this job, I like, All right, I’ll be there tomorrow and then my fiancee’s like, Yo, you can’t do that. Like yeah, and it’s like, Well, why? She’s like, Well, ’cause you just it’s not right. Like you you give give yourself time. Like, okay. So it’s like, I’ll give myself four days and then I you know
Connor:
Yeah boy. Which, you know, to
be fair is four hundred percent of what you’re you know, initially gonna do. So yeah. It’s funny. Yeah, I I was just thinking about that the other day. Like I’ve been in Boone for four years and the only time past high school that I’ve been in a place for four years was Temple when I was in Philly. You know, and then everywhere else you just move a bunch is kind of a natural part of the progression. So yeah, it’s it’s funny.
Kevin Rodriguez:
No doubt. Yeah. So
Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it gets and it gets
easier because it’s like I don’t have a lot of stuff personally. Like I have like a couple of shirts and stuff, and I just and I just literally packed my little Honda Civic and I was like, I’m out. And and I have to fly back soon to get all the rest of our stuff. But it’s like, you know, when especially when you’re interning young and hey, you get an opportunity to go to Starkfield, Mississippi. Yeah, let’s go. You know what I’m saying? Like
Connor:
Yeah, yeah yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Kevin Rodriguez:
Hey, like here’s here are the numbers of the other interns you’re gonna be with. Try to find a place to live. Great. Let’s do it. And then like those guys I’m still really good friends with. And my boy Nico, who’s in Lou Louisville right now, he does men he does baseball. You know, like him and I were both interns there and we’re still friends, like really good friends to this day. So we’re like I’ll go visit him and his fiance and we’ll hang down in Louisville and go watch baseball games. Like that’s what and then Akenberger, I’ll speak on him too. Like he that’s what he wanted and that’s what he wants.
Connor:
Yeah.
Kevin Rodriguez:
He wants he had he’s done a really good job developing good professional in strength coaches that were his previous interns and has helped them get to where they’re at now. And I’m a product of that. And whenever he wants me to talk to his interns, he currently has at LSU, wherever he’s at, it’s like I’m gonna I’m gonna take the time to talk to them and tell him like, yo, if you listen to this guy and listen to Coach Savage and listen to what they have to say, they will help you get to where you need to be. And because if they call me and they’re like, hey, this guy’s ready to go.
Cool. I don’t have to talk to him. Let’s get him here. You know what I’m saying? Like that’s just the way it works. so that tree that he’s developed is is awesome. And I can’t speak enough about him. Like I love the guy. Like I’ll call him and we’ll talk and we’ll just like just you know, just mess around and talk for an hour about nothing. And then just he’d be all right, I gotta I’m like, all later. You know what I’m saying? Just like and that but before when I first met him, it wasn’t like that. It was like obviously, you know, he’s a coach, whatever.
Connor:
Yeah.
Yeah.
Kevin Rodriguez:
But then then you start to realize he’s just he’s just he’s a regular dude. He’s one of us. You know what I’m saying? It’s it it’s great. So but yeah, I mean, it’s been a fun situation. Like I say, everything doesn’t get easier, man. You just learn how to how to deal with it.
Connor:
Yeah, I think that’s a great that’s a great point. It doesn’t get easier, you just learn how to approach it, right? And the the problems don’t change, it’s it’s your response that changes and then you get better at responding to it every single time. Yeah. Well, Kevin man, I appreciate you, dude. It’s it was really enjoyable. I knew this was gonna be a good episode, but always that that was a self fulfilling prophecy I think I had for today. So I appreciate you, man. Yeah, well it’s
Kevin Rodriguez:
Mm-hmm.
Exactly. Exactly.
Yeah, I appreciate it, man. Yeah, yeah.
And it and again too, like, I like to talk, you know what I’m saying? I don’t know why. But once I start getting going, I get going. But like one thing too that I like told myself last night that the w one thing I wanted to say today, like, ’cause I don’t know who’s gonna watch this. I don’t know if like if interns are watching this or other full time members are watching this, whoever it is, like like I love w what I do and we love what we do.
Connor:
He’s
Kevin Rodriguez:
the best advice I can I could have gave myself way back in the day is just be patient. Cause I and there was times I wasn’t patient. There was times where like, man, I should have had that job. I should have had that job. I should have had that job. Like why did that person get that job and I didn’t get that job? You know, really like like hating myself for that. But then also to like I had some really good friends, man, that just like just told me like, yo, calm, like, calm down, be patient. Your time will come. And and then they were right. My time did come. But then also to
Connor:
Yeah.
Kevin Rodriguez:
I was telling myself this last night. It’s like when your time comes, you better be, you better be ready. Like, because if you’re asking for it and you’re wishing for it, and that time comes and you’re not ready, then you’re gonna like really kick yourself in the ass and be like, I shouldn’t have had, you know what I’m saying? So yeah, how bad did you re and it’s like Coach Earl would always say, it’s like the man in the man in the arena, right? When the lights go on, like you start to see the real person. And it’s true. and that’s something he told me too. He’s like, Yeah, you’re you’re asking for all this.
Connor:
Or how bad did you really want it? Yeah.
Kevin Rodriguez:
But it’s like be prepared for when you get there. You know, like know what to do, know how to act, know the right steps to take. And then, you know, don’t put yourself in a bind. And he he was right, you know what I’m saying? And so it’s one of those things too, where it’s like once this job came up, I was like, I had to take it. You know, it’s like and again too, like I won’t know if it’s the right move until later on. You know, I mean if it is great. If it’s not, then we move and we learn from it. We move on, you know what I’m saying? And I but again, I I would be
upset at myself in the future if I didn’t take this opportunity. And because I wouldn’t know if it was right or right or wrong one. You what I’m saying? So but like I said, man, it it’s been a it’s been a fun time. I’m excited for this year. I’m excited for this group of guys we got. I’m excited to work with this new coaching staff. I’m excited to have a new staff to to help with and to help them develop whatever they want to do in their lives. I’m excited to work new administrators, new athletic trainers like
That’s always a fun part, right? And again, what what can I do to make Siena a better place? Right. And then whenever my time comes and I I have to leave or whatever like that, it’s like how am I gonna leave it? you know what I’m saying? Like I wanna leave it in a good spot and I think I left Chattanooga in a great spot as well. And and again, like those coaches I worked with at Chattanooga were still really good friends and we s there’s you know, they understood why I left, but I can call them any time of the day and they will talk, you know what I’m saying? So it’s really developed me those relationships with them and
And you know what I’m saying? Like and we had a really good time in Chattanooga and I’m I’m ready to create more good times here in Siena as well and hopefully win some more games and and an another goal of mine is I I I’ve never been in March Madness. You what I’m saying? That’s my goal. And I told my guys the first day I met them, it’s like our goal is like we’re going to March Madness. Like that’s the goal. Like there’s no exceptions. Like it’s like we’re gonna go. And it’s like, but it’s not, it’s hard to win. So it’s like, how are we gonna find a way to win every game?
And how are we gonna how are we gonna be able to deal with adversity as time comes and how are we gonna get to that point? You know what I’m saying? So one thing too that Matt Aldred, when he was at Furman, I had met him at the championship. Well, we had talked prior to that, but we played Furman in the championship my first year. I remember pre game, we’re warming up, whatever like that, and him and I are talking half court and he shook my hand and we were just talking, catching up, and he’s like, Hey man, like enjoy this moment. ‘Cause I’m not not a lot of people are able to especially in Asheville, North Carolina, like it’s
great place to be. at the Cherokee Center, like it’s awesome. Some of the best environment I’ve ever in. He’s like, enjoy this moment because not a lot of people are able to get to this point. And he was right. And I I had we hadn’t been back to the championship ever since in Chattanooga. So it’s like I enjoyed that moment. And I tell that to every young guy that’s in basketball or anybody. He’s just like, hey, enjoy the moment, man. Cause like you’re you may or may not ever be back. And it’s it’s one of those things where you sit there and you’re just like man like
Like that like you have if you’re especially a strength coach that sits on the bench, you have the best seat in the house. Like you honestly do. You watch some really good basketball games and a lot of heartbreaks, a lot of a lot of good times as well, a lot of half course shots that shouldn’t go in, they’ll go in, but it’s like, All right, great.
Connor:
Yeah. Yeah, I I think that’s such a great message too, right? Like just, you know, soak it in, right? Because I remember like when we won a championship, one regular season championship. We had similar to what you said with UTC, like we had the best season ever in App State men’s basketball history. And it was just like, enjoy it. Because it like some coaches go through their whole careers and they could be some of the best train coaches in the world and they don’t get to experience this. So just take a moment, enjoy it. Love it.
Kevin Rodriguez:
Yeah, so get in.
Yeah. So yeah, man. It was it was exciting when we won the NIT too. Like my fiance kept telling me, like, enjoy it. And I couldn’t because it was like, we gotta get back to work. And she’s like, for a for a for a second, just enjoy it. And and I did. And we and we did. And we me and the staff and like our flight trainer, S I D, like we we all well, we enjoyed it. You know what I’m saying? We we enjoyed it and we took care of it and and and honestly too, not only was it big for UTC, it was big for the city of Chattanooga.
Connor (1:00:22)
Yeah, yeah.
We enjoyed it.
Kevin Rodriguez (1:00:41)
Like the whole city of Chattanooga, like the whole scenic city. Like it was it wasn’t just for us, it was for them. You know what I’m saying? Like and the love and support we got from that that tournament was amazing. and like they they treated the guys like rock stars, you know what I’m saying? And they deserved it because they they worked their asses off all year for it. and being able to be a part of that and be a part of that staff and be a part of that program is was awesome. And I’m I I know and I hope we can do the same thing here and not only win it
Connor (1:00:41)
Yeah.
Kevin Rodriguez (1:01:11)
for, you know, Siena, but win it for the whole capital region as well. You know what I’m saying? And really put Siena back on the map as one of the best teams in the Metro. You what I’m saying? That that’s that’s the goal. You know what I’m saying? And I I believe in the staff we have here. I believe in the guys too. And we’re ready to go, man. I’m excited. And it’s gonna be, it’s gonna be a lot of ups and downs coming up here soon, but we’ll we’ll like I said we’ll figure it out. We’ll we’ll find a way to get through it.
Connor (1:01:33)
Yeah.
That’s what it’s all about. And that’s what makes it worth it in the end. Yeah. I love it, bro. Well, seriously, thank you so much for coming on, man. It’s been really great to to get to know you further. And I’ll tell you, you’ve made a Siena basketball fan out of me. I’ve always been, you know, a an Origeman fan, but I’ll certainly be keeping up with you guys this year for sure.
Kevin Rodriguez (1:01:37)
No doubt.
No doubt.
Well, I appreciate it, man. Thank you for your time and thank you to Samson, honestly. Really, really.
Connor (1:01:55)
Of course.
Of course, brother. Absolutely.
