TWCA Magazine: Iron Sharpens Iron

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TIMOTHY WALKER HAS THE JUICE.

Bouncing around campus with bountiful energy is The Woodlands Christian Academy's full-time strength coach. Full-time strength coach at a TAPPS 4A school?

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"It's unprecedented and uncommon," Walker said. "Athletic Director Randy Hollas is very forward- thinking. With me being here, it allows for his coaches to solely develop their athletes on the field. It's my job to get them ready."

Walker played soccer at Bay Area Christian and in community college before finishing his exercise science degree at Baylor.


"I was a gym rat in college," he laughs. "Whenever I was stressed and needed to clear my thoughts, I would train hard in the weight room or track. I realized when I was 20-years old that the barbell chose me."

It's one thing to be a hype- man in the gym, but another to set up a program and know the science around the workouts.

"In college, I really got obsessed with the science of training when pursuing my degree. I'm going to quote legendary coach Urban Meyer who said, 'bad teams, hope. Good teams have a plan and great teams have systems of development'," Walker said.

"To make our athletes great, I have built a system that begins in junior high that will slowly- but-surely push our kids stage-by-stage to learn new skills and sharpen basic fundamentals. It's Year One and we've seen tremendous results."

Results are great on paper, but Walker also understands the life- lessons he's teaching.

"The things in life that are most impactful and enjoyable are the things you work hardest for," he said. "The things that may seem to be a barrier or struggle for you, tastes the sweetest on the other side. It's a process to get better at anything. If you are patient and willing to work very hard, you will be happy with the end result."

Coming over from a Class 6A public school in Waco High School, Walker has high-level experience in cross-training athletes in several different sports at the same time.

"Every day I look out that window, I know how blessed I am," he said. "I see the weight room on one end and the football field and track on the other. It's all the people in between that make it special. Without the kids, it's just a field and rubber and iron. The kids make it a magical place for growth, development and friendship. That's powerful if you use it in the right way."