Donald Day is no stranger to the collegiate weight room having served as an assistant strength coach for the previous six years at Western Kentucky University, American University, Robert Morris University, The University of Akron, and The University of Buffalo. He received his Master’s degree in Sports Science and Coaching from The University of Akron and received his Bachelor's degree from The University of Findlay in Strength and Conditioning. Day has now earned himself a spot at Georgia Southern University as the assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Eagles football team. Head football coach, Chad Lunsford made the announcement on January 7th. Speaking highly of Don, Chad Lunsford proclaims:
Don Day is a guy who brings head football strength and conditioning experience to our program…I am excited that we are able to get him to join Georgia Southern football. With Coach Greenhalgh and Coach Day in the building, our strength and conditioning program for our players will be second to none.
The Georgia Southern Eagles are a Division 1 football program currently a part of the Sun Belt Conference. The program over the years has racked up 11 conference championships, produced 65 All-Americans and has had 13 players drafted into the NFL. New to the Eagles Football Team, Day reflects:
The thing I'm looking forward to most is being around the culture that is Georgia Southern. My first night I had a conversation with two local gentlemen who bled blue and loved themselves some Georgia Southern football. It was an awesome experience to have two strangers come up and talk to me about the rich tradition of Statesboro for over an hour randomly. You can tell everyone around Statesboro is about this university and you have a sense of great pride walking around town knowing that you represent something bigger than yourself. Now specifically as it pertains to the strength staff the reason I left a director role to become an assistant is because I was sold on Coach Greenhalgh. His energy, passion and positivity were apparent to me on our first phone call. You know when you're around a winner and I could tell I found one. I also wanted to learn from him as I really enjoy learning new styles and new ways of doing things. Like I stated before, the history around Georgia Southern football is something you cannot describe. It's almost a tangible thing you can feel in the air. When you take a breath in Statesboro, GA your lungs are filling up with blue.
Day has been an elitefts member since November 2016. The lessons he has learned from being a part of this community are lessons he is looking forward to sharing with his new players:
Honestly, as far as our elitefts family goes I've learned a lot not just from reading the articles or watching the videos but going and meeting Sheena Leedham, Dave Tate, Matt Goodwin, Todd Hamer and people that are a part of what we're doing as a collection — countless things about coaching but more importantly life. Reading books that aren't strength and conditioning is the first thing that's really has helped me majorly. Dave Tate obviously shares stories about lifting and business but the big picture stuff, too, along with the why's and the how's behind building a business around people. Sheena Leedham has been a consummate professional in how she organizes, plans and makes things happen. Her attention to detail is on point. And with Matt Goodwin, we had a five-hour long talk one day about almost every aspect of life you could imagine. I feel like I am ready to be a dad after him talking to me about fatherhood and things to look for in parenting. Like with anything in life, you take bits and pieces of things you learn and make them work for your situation. Everything I've learned from all these people can be put to use in real life situations in terms of molding humans not just athletes. Developing great human beings is always priority number one.
Day is excited, ready and looking forward to making Georgia his new home. He is currently renting a house with plans to buy in the near future. Statesboro has every kind of food imaginable, the weather is amazing and the people are very kind and approachable. Day’s colleagues are selfless, hard-working individuals always looking to get the job done in the most efficient and effective manner. Georgia Southern has top-notch facilities and their alumni and tradition is unlike anything Day has experienced prior. This is an opportunity a young man searches his entire life for and Day just found his at Georgia Southern.
Congratulations Donald, we at elitefts could not be any more proud of you.
Resources
- Carroll, Amber Lynn. “Donald Day Added To Strength & Conditioning Staff For GS Football.” WJCL, WJCL, 7 Jan. 2018, www.wjcl.com/article/donald-day-added-to- strength-and-conditioning-staff-for-gs-football/14773280.
- Snyder, Barrett. “Donald Day Begins New Job At Georgia Southern.” 12 Jan. 2018.