@DEVILSTRENGTH

Tempe, AZ – Time to give some credit where credit is due.

Sun Devil Strength & Conditioning Pro, Coach “Griz”

In the off-season, what is accomplished in the weight room is just as important as progress made on the practice field. Shawn Griswold is a master of prep & planning. He develops strength & conditioning strategies for each player depending on their physical attributes and areas that will give them a competitive advantage based on their position on the field. 

The Dirty Dozen are the elite performers in the gym. The group includes some of the best players on the team who proved it by “grinding” the hardest.

Coach Graham relies on Griswold to do the dirty work, and the strength & conditioning expert is happy to oblige. It’s on Coach Griz to get each player in their peak physical condition so that when they step onto the practice field and ultimately Frank Kush Field, they are the faster, more physical team come kick-off.

Graham commonly refers to Griswold as “The best strength and conditioning coach in America.” Strong praise for such an important position.

Griswold spent time with Graham at Tulsa and Pittsburgh, so it was a natural fit to bring him to Tempe. He has been an integral part of the cultural shift at ASU and the results have been nothing short of impressive as most players have increased both their weight and speed.

No doubt about it; a large part of the team’s focus and mental toughness is born in the weight room. Under this staff, players are routinely challenged to break through preconceived ceilings.

It is also important to point out that Griswold doesn’t do it alone. He has a committed staff that helps implement the work to be done every day.

As fans, we have it pretty good. We get to throw on our gear and go nuts on Gameday. But when you get out to Sun Devil Stadium next time, take a moment to remember the sacrifices each player has made when no one was watching but Coach Griz and his staff. And a large part of the sweat and grind happened before most of us hit the snooze button this summer.

The 2013 Sun Devils will prove that they are one of the most conditioned units in the country. We have Griz and Company to thank for instilling a higher standard of what it takes to be a Sun Devil. It’s called Devilstrength. 

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