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March 19, 2007

Offseason program

Today marks the start of the Patriots' offseason program.

"It’s a chance for us all to bond and to start putting the wheels in motion for the following season," left tackle Matt Light said in a recent interview. "The foundation is put in place at this time of year, what you do in March, April, May and June -- what you do in that minicamp and that passing camp -- it has a direct effect on the beginning of your season. And you have to come out of the gate swinging pretty hard. That’s what we’ve been able to do around here."

Part of the offseason program is geared toward strength and conditioning. With that in mind, here are five quick hits on Mike Woicik, the Patriots' strength and conditioning coach:

  • In his 17 NFL seasons, he has been a part of six Super Bowl championship teams (3 with Patriots; 3 with Cowboys).

  • Two-time winner of the Professional Football Strength and Conditioning Society's Coach of the Year Award (1992, 2004).

  • Began his career as assistant track coach/weight room coordinator at Springfield College (1978-80), before serving as strength and conditioning coach at Syracuse from 1980-89. In the NFL, he has served as strength and conditioning coach for the Cowboys (1990-96), Saints (1997-1999) and Patriots (2000-present).

  • Graduated from Westwood (Mass.) High School and attended Boston College. Was a member of the track team at BC and earned his master's degree from Springfield (Mass.) College.

  • He's assisted by Harold Nash, a defensive back in the Canadian Football League from 1994-2004.

    DRAFT ARTICLE FOR 3-4 TEAMS: This piece on NFL.com, authored by Pat Kirwan, focuses on teams that run the 3-4 defense and how their draft boards differ from 4-3 teams. The article also explains how two teams can run a 3-4 defense, but with a completely different approach. Kirwan calls one style the Charger 3-4 and the other style the Patriot 3-4. This type of article is an interesting read and helps explain some of the intricacies of the game, specifically when it comes to the Patriots' approach.

    Posted By: mreiss | Time: 07:45:30 AM | E-mail | Link

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