Garden Plain High School head football coach, Todd Rice, is also the strength and conditioning coach for GPHS. Coach Rice is in his second year coaching Garden Plain, and looks to turn things around after getting knocked out of the 2022 playoffs in the first round by Ellsworth (Garden Plain 7, Ellsworth 21).
Rice has looked to improve not only the team on the field, but their strength level in the weight room. One thing he has done is add a strip of turf down the middle of the weight room. He says that this has helped athletes with plyometrics and other workouts that can’t be done without turf. Coach Rice gave many thanks to the Booster Club for helping fund the turf and improvements to the football program.
A weight room strategy at Garden Plain is the athlete testing that Coach Rice has implemented. He said that he wants his players to be committed to the program, so one solution to that is to test students and help them set goals to beat their PR’s. Tests are usually every couple weeks, which encourages athletes to strive for greatness. Another strategy of his is a record board. He has created a top five record board for the school year, and another record board for the all-time numbers. “It lets you see the best in our program,” says Coach Rice.
Along with the weight room, Rice has put together a couple of powerlifting meets for his athletes. “Everything we do is to improve our athleticism, and train to improve our power output. By giving our lifters a chance to compete against others in their weight class, it sparks that competitive spirit, and motivates them to work even harder,” said Rice. “We lift everyday of the week, including game days. We try to hit our major core lifts, and mix in some agility and athleticism when we can,” Rice also stated.
One thing Rice hopes to improve is overall safety in the weight room. “With our funding this year, we need to get some new bars and safety catches for most of our racks.” Rice said that the intensity and energy the team has given is unmatched. He gave credit to junior running back Cooper Scheer, for his energy and commitment in the weight room.
Cooper said, “I love how positive everyone is when you’re trying something new. When you’re trying for a new PR, and everyone gathers around, it is just a different experience.” Coach Rice has created an environment that encourages everyone to try their best. His strategies have been very successful, and athlete’s PR numbers have continued to jump.
The Owls have over 60% of their students enrolled in at least one strength and conditioning class in the Fall Semester this school year. Senior two-sport athlete, Wyatt Nickelson says, “Lifting gives me a chance to prove myself in something other than sports. Coach Rice has done a great job in creating an environment where everyone feels needed.” The weight room isn’t just for guys either. Junior two-sport athlete Ava Mies said, “Our weight room has the resources to make us great. It encourages us to want to get stronger. That’s what I believe makes our program so great.”
