After serving as the University of South Alabama’s head strength and conditioning coach since the football program’s inception, Justin Schwind begind his first as the Jaguars’ director of operations.
In his new role, Schwind will assist with many of the program’s day-to-day activities including coordinating the budget, all aspects of travel and serving as USA’s professional scout liaison. He also has duties aiding with the scheduling of preseason camp and practices, clinics and community relations projects.
Previously, Schwind was responsible for designing and implementing football’s strength and conditioning program, supervising the day-to-day operation of the football weight room and overseeing a staff that included four full-time assistants as well as graduate and student assistants. He also assisted in the design of the weight room facility that is part of the program’s $10 million field house.
His efforts with the Jaguar football program led to his being named the 2011 NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year by Samson Equipment. Schwind was one of nine individuals recognized by the company, which honors recipients each year including strength and conditioning coaches from the National Football League, all college divisions and a pair of high school coaches.
Schwind also worked directly with the school’s men’s golf team, and he had a hand in supervising the strength and conditioning programs for each of USA’s 17 sports. His efforts helped the Jaguar golf squad claim the 2010 Sun Belt Conference championship as well as earn at-large bids to an NCAA Regional in 2013 and ’14, while in the fall of 2013 he worked with the Jag soccer program as it claimed its first-ever league tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth.
He was at BSC for two years as the school’s head strength and conditioning coach prior to arriving in Mobile, where he was responsible for working with all 21 programs. In addition to maintaining a schedule for both teams as well as his student assistant staff, Schwind supervised the day-to-day operations of three weight rooms — he was responsible for helping to design one of those as well.
Schwind earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Texas State in 2004, getting his start in the profession as a student assistant for the school as he worked primarily with the Bobcats’ baseball and football teams. After serving as a strength and conditioning intern at Rice, where he also assisted with neuroscience research at Baylor’s College of Medicine on a study involving athletic performance and visualization, he would go on to work as a graduate assistant for two years at Mississippi State. While in Starkville, he designed and maintained strength and conditioning programs for MSU’s track and field, women’s soccer, and men’s and women’s golf teams.
He would earn his master’s degree from Mississippi State in physical education in 2007.
Schwind is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCA), United States Weightlifting Association (USAW) and the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA); he also has an advanced sports performance certification from the USAW. He has received his crossfit football and Poliquin’s BioSignature certifications as well.
Schwind is married to the former Erin Boles.
The Schwind File
Born: March 25, 1981, in Houston, Texas
Education:
Texas State ’04, bachelor’s degree in exercise science
Mississippi State ’07, master’s degree in physical education (sports administration)
Coaching/Administrative Experience:
Texas State — student assistant strength and conditioning coach, 2002-04
Rice — strength and conditioning intern, 2005
Mississippi State — graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach, 2005-07
Birmingham-Southern — head strength and conditioning coach, 2007-08
South Alabama — head strength and conditioning coach, 2009-16
South Alabama — director of operations, 2017-
Family: Wife, Erin
