SI: How TCU’s Coach Kazadi Builds Champions from the Inside Out

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How TCU’s Coach Kazadi Builds Champions from the Inside Out​

Coach Kazadi’s philosophy goes far beyond sets and reps. This is how TCU is building elite athletes from the ground up – with confidence, culture, and complete alignment.

John Welbourn​

In the ever-evolving landscape of college athletics, the role of a strength and conditioning coach has grown far beyond barbells and gassers. My friend and former coach, Kaz Kazadi from TCU, embodies this evolution – transforming training sessions into platforms for mental strength, emotional intelligence, and long-term athletic growth.

In this episode of Power Athlete Radio, I went on location to Fort Forth to interview Kaz on how he prepares his athletes for greatness.

When I asked about the essence of his job, Kazadi doesn’t miss a beat: “Alignment, assignment, technique.” But for him, those terms go far beyond physical execution. His goal isn’t just to produce stronger athletes – it’s to create fully aligned individuals who can translate weight room discipline to game day excellence.

Read the rest at https://www.si.com/everyday-athlete...y-jay-campbell-s-blueprint-for-radical-health

 

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How TCU’s Coach Kazadi Builds Champions from the Inside Out​

Coach Kazadi’s philosophy goes far beyond sets and reps. This is how TCU is building elite athletes from the ground up – with confidence, culture, and complete alignment.

John Welbourn​

In the ever-evolving landscape of college athletics, the role of a strength and conditioning coach has grown far beyond barbells and gassers. My friend and former coach, Kaz Kazadi from TCU, embodies this evolution – transforming training sessions into platforms for mental strength, emotional intelligence, and long-term athletic growth.

In this episode of Power Athlete Radio, I went on location to Fort Forth to interview Kaz on how he prepares his athletes for greatness.

When I asked about the essence of his job, Kazadi doesn’t miss a beat: “Alignment, assignment, technique.” But for him, those terms go far beyond physical execution. His goal isn’t just to produce stronger athletes – it’s to create fully aligned individuals who can translate weight room discipline to game day excellence.

Read the rest at https://www.si.com/everyday-athlete...y-jay-campbell-s-blueprint-for-radical-health

I like that he mentions Sugar Ray Leonard. Leonard, Hagler, Dempsey, Tyson were some of the best hand fighters in world history. Dempsey "the Manassa Mauler" at 6' 190 Lbs usually was smaller than most of his opponents. He whipped most of his challengers with electric uppercuts and haymakers. Both Leonard and & Hagler had bizarre "overcuts" where they striked the foreheads of their opponents.

While Kazadi is mostly talking about the psychological with Sugar Ray he and the staff should incorporate more and more martial arts technique in training our Ol DL.

After the Cowboys thanksgiving 1984 game I met Randy White the undersized DT for the Cowboys. I shook his hand that was like a catchers mit. We proceeded to have a conversation regarding his transition from a college fullback and he told me it worked because of his travels to Thailand. He learned forearm perpendicular, elbow movement along with shoulder dip at some place he called SireSue.

My concern for the TCU program is that the DL OL rookies are not being trained to hand fight and exert force on the opponent with core strength.