Latest / The Platform: a Michigan High School Powerlifting Association Podcast / Darrin Conrad, Flint-Kearsley & MHSPLA Board Member | The Platform Episode 10
Transcript
- Chris Whittaker: Welcome to the platform where the stories weigh a ton. This is where some of the MHS PLA's best tell real stories about what it takes to build themselves and their teams under the bar. I'm your co-host Chris Whitaker. We're glad you're here. Hey, if you're enjoying this show, please make sure you subscribe, follow, and leave a review on all major podcast hosts: Spotify, Apple, YouTube, Amazon Music, and many more. That support helps us to continue to grow the show and bring the conversations that you want to hear. Right here to the platform. If you'd like to give us feedback or suggest a guest or topic for the show, please email info at MHSPLA dot com and we'll get back to you. Today's episode is episode number ten, featuring MHS PLA board member and Flint Kersley coach Darren Conrad. Most high school coaches underestimate the power of sports like powerlifting and transforming young people's lives. This sport isn't just about lifting weights, it's about building confidence, resilience, and community. Darren talks about from humble beginnings. With 15 kids through a t thriving team. you know, Darren shares the real struggles and triumphs that he's been through in integrating powerlifting into the fabric of a building and the fabric of a school and a community and the challenges that are often faced with an ever growing and expanding association. So step up, lock in, the bar's loaded for episode 10. Hit that intro music. Ladies and gentlemen, the bar is loaded. We're back with another episode of The Platform, your Michigan High School Powerlifting Association podcast, where the stories weigh a ton. I'm your co-host, as always, Chris Whitaker, Dexter High School, Iron Dread Strength and Conditioning, Iron Dread Powerlifting, Michigan High School Powerlifting Association board member. I have with me our executive director and co-host of the podcast, Coach Chris Gillum is here as well. Coach Gillum, good to see you again. Chris Gilliam: Hello. Good to be here. Chris Whittaker: And we got a special one this week, Coach Gillum. This is our first time we get to interview one of our fellow board members on the platform. This man is a coach at Kersley High School, been on the board for quite a while and is one of our favorites. He's always good for a laugh, especially when it comes to trolling former board member, Mr. Lenny Dantain. Chris Gilliam: Yes. Chris Whittaker: His name is coach Darren Conrad. Coach Conrad, welcome to the platform. Chris Gilliam: Yes, welcome. Darrin Conrad: Nice to be here. Chris Whittaker: We'll have some fun with Darren today. I'm excited for this one. Chris Gilliam: Oh yeah, for sure. Okay. So we want to get a little bit of background on you. mean, we know some of it, but our listeners, our viewers, what's your occupation there and what do you do for a living? Darrin Conrad: Right now I'm a field service sales rep for a major candy distributor Chris Gilliam: Okay, awesome. Besides power lifting, what are some hobbies and interests you have outside of coaching? Darrin Conrad: Being my wife take a lot of day trips. And then I, my kids keep, you know, keep up with them. They're adults now, but gonna have a grandchild. Then my oldest son, we go out and visit him in Massachusetts where he coaches college football. So we go out there. Chris Gilliam: Awesome. Great. Thank you. How many children overall do you have? Just two, two boys. One got married, right? Darrin Conrad: Just two, two boys. One got married and one's get married in July. Chris Gilliam: And you have a grandchild on the way. That's awesome. That's awesome. Darrin Conrad: Yep. Chris Whittaker: Grandpa Conrad inbound. Darrin Conrad: Yeah. Chris Whittaker: That's awesome. What drew you to the sport of powerlifting? Darrin Conrad: We came through that by the way of football. This is 20th year coaching football, 15th with powerlifting. And that's how we got into powerlifting, was through the football, getting the kids stronger. And then we just took off from there and got girls involved. And just to see the confidence they get from getting stronger in themselves. And it was just amazing to watch and we just kept going. And I think it's great for the sport overall and just watch our sport grow. It's been amazing. Chris Gilliam: For sure. Definitely. So you said you've been involved in powerlifting roughly 15 years, you said? Okay. So what was the size of the team like when you first started and what's it like now? Darrin Conrad: When we first started, had about 15, but it was all football players. Then the next year we grabbed a couple of girls and then. Once we switched coaches, we lost some numbers. And then when we got a new football coach came in, because that's the way it was done at the time. But now we're actually a separate sport. But at the time it was all done through football. So when we got a new football coach came in, the numbers dropped because they didn't push as hard. And then when we got another new coach came in, the numbers came back up and then we were able to build it into a separate sport. Chris Gilliam: So who was the football coach at the time when you guys first started the program? Darrin Conrad: When we first started it was Rod's show. Chris Gilliam: Yeah, Darren and I know Rod real well, so we would probably talk about that a little bit later, but you know, just for our viewers, like I also went to Cursley High School, so that's my connection with Darren. We didn't know each other at the time. We met later in life basically, but we have a lot of common friends that we've realized that over the years. Yeah, it wasn't a sport when we went to school, was it Darren? Even though we had a really nice weight room at a certain point in time, it definitely wasn't a sport. And I just think back to the guys that we had when I was in high school playing that if it was a sport, we probably would have been pretty darn good at it because we had a lot of big guys when I was in high school. So which is a little bit after Darren, but. Darrin Conrad: No. No, it wasn't. Yeah. Chris Gilliam: You know, we're not gonna tell him what his age is right now. Chris Whittaker: You Darrin Conrad: No. Chris Whittaker: Yeah, he was just talking off here about how he's just, you know, getting beat up. Chris Gilliam: Yeah, I'm feeling my age some days, I tell you. Darrin Conrad: yes, definitely. Some days definitely feel it. Chris Whittaker: Listen, I'm younger than both of you guys and I'm feeling it too. So I don't know what that means for me. If it's happening this early. So we kind of talked about your experience with the MHS PLA. You've been coaching for 15 years within the association. You didn't compete in the sport of powerlifting because it wasn't a thing. But your sons did. Darrin Conrad: Ha ha ha! Chris Gilliam: But your son's dead, right? Darrin Conrad: Yes, yeah, both my sons, they went to Curris, they both played football and did track. Chris Gilliam: All right. How was that? mean, how was coaching them and powerlifting and so. Darrin Conrad: It was good with my older son, we were just getting started. So get the feel of things. then by the time my younger son came in, we knew what we were doing and we were getting better. But it's quite experienced because coaching your own kid is kind of difficult at times because sometimes they don't want to listen to you. So I let somebody else tell them, hey, this is what you need to do. Chris Gilliam: Yeah. You just tell somebody else what you want your kid to do and they'll listen to them. Darrin Conrad: Yes. Chris Gilliam: Even though it's the same words, they'll work for them better. Yeah, I know what that's like. Yeah, for sure. Darrin Conrad: Yep. Chris Gilliam: You can take the next one too, Chris, because I kind of jumped in there. Chris Whittaker: All right, Darrin Conrad: at the time when we first got into it, just, talking to other coaches and the board members at the time, you know, Chris was a former director, Furman, Brian Lemons, Mike, Mike holes, Sheila, you know, just talking to them and getting pointers from them about, you know, certain lifts to do workouts to do, how to coach kids certain way, you know, they don't want to. react to you, you know, biggest thing right now, you know, which we have problem with most kids is getting depth and just trying to figure out how to coach them and how to get them to do it every time. Cause a lot of times they don't want to listen to you. I'm going low enough. just talking to other coaches about how to, how they do it and adjust. Chris Gilliam: yeah. mean, think you're lying to them a lot of times. I'm deep enough. You could show them video. still think they're deep enough. It's like, well, you're deep enough for the general guy, but not for the sport, but you got a little deeper. Yeah. I can understand that. Yeah. Darrin Conrad: No way. yeah. Chris Whittaker: I'd squat him to a box, coach. That's how Darrin Conrad: Hahaha Chris Whittaker: I handle that. You guys know that. Like, we squat him to that box and that box is, if you're going down to that box consistently and we know that box is below parallel, we know we're good. Chris Gilliam: Mm-hmm. Darrin Conrad: And then. Chris Gilliam: Yeah, I mean, good. Darrin Conrad: Well, we're trying to get it to the sport level individual so we can get the varsity letters and stuff. Talk to a lot of coaches, including Eric Jennings at the time. Okay, what do you guys do to give it that score? So I can go to the administrator and say, all right, this is what our schools do. So we're gonna do it that way. So let's get these kids a letter. So we try to build it that way. Chris Gilliam: Good. So is it, it's currently not a letter sport at Kersley? It is. Okay. Darrin Conrad: No, it is, but yeah, it took a while to get it to that point. Chris Gilliam: Sure, yeah. I remember talking to you about that a little bit too when I was at Bertrand, you were talking to me a little bit. Darrin Conrad: Yes. Yeah, yeah, because Bert's run and there was Legar and then a few other schools I can't remember off hand who I all talked to that all gave out letters at the time. Chris Gilliam: Mm-hmm. It was, it seems like there's a lot more now than there used to be. Yeah. For sure. Yeah. Cause going back 15 years, mean, what's, what's this you've been about six or seven Whitaker doing it, you know, and I I'm like year 31. So I've been doing forever. Darrin Conrad: Yes, there is. Chris Whittaker: Yeah, 2019. Darrin Conrad: Yeah. Chris Gilliam: You know, I, I've, I've seen that before you guys would even remember at all. mean, it's changed a lot. So, and all for the butter, you know, but there were some good things that happened in the past too. so, how long have you been on the Darren, for those that might not know. Darrin Conrad: yeah. What the six maybe something like that Chris Gilliam: So right around 2020 roughly. Darrin Conrad: Yeah, right around the COVID, I think it was right after that period. Chris Gilliam: Yeah, okay. I knew it was somewhere in there. I just couldn't remember. I was like, is it 1920 somewhere in there? Darrin Conrad: Yeah, somewhere like that. Chris Gilliam: Yeah, I think you and Lenny came in the same year, didn't you? Yeah, I think so too. And Whitaker, you came in roughly right after that, didn't you? Chris Whittaker: I think I don't even remember it all blends together for me guys. Darrin Conrad: Red, yeah. Yeah, it does. Chris Gilliam: Yeah. Whitaker might've been like the year after or some, was your first year, was Sheila still involved? Chris Whittaker: For me, no. No. Darrin Conrad: Yes, she was... Yes, Chris Gilliam: For Darrin Conrad: she was doing well. Chris Gilliam: Chris, no, but for Darren, yes, right. Okay. So yeah. Chris Whittaker: Yeah. Yep. Cause I think I had applied to be on the board the year before and I didn't get it. didn't get it. Someone else did. Maybe it was Darren. And then the following year, then another seat opened up and that's, that's when I got it. Chris Gilliam: Mm-hmm. Yeah, that would have been basically Sheila's would have opened up then somebody Mike holes. Like they both of them stepped away the same year, which I think was like 2018, but I think Sheila still helped us in a administrative role for the following year, but like she wasn't coaching anymore or any of that. So we'll definitely have to get her on here because. Darrin Conrad: Yeah. Chris Gilliam: She did a lot for our organization in her time. So kind of going off of, since you've been involved the last 15 years, what's changed with the Michigan High School Powerlifting Association since you started coaching and then even since you've been on the board, what are some changes that have occurred that you thought have been good and maybe some that haven't been so hot? Darrin Conrad: Yes, yes, she did. Well, biggest changes is, course, the numbers, the sports case growing. when I got involved, the girls were still one unit, know, dot JV of RC. So then that group are, and then I think the junior high numbers have come up quite a bit. and then readjusting the numbers, the qualifying totals. mean, that's changed a lot. The the kids qualify to states changed quite a bit. Some for the good, some for the bad, depending on the year, because every year changes. the biggest thing is just the growth of the sport as in high school. And now you see it also in the college life ranks. A lot of colleges are starting to farce sports, giving out scholarships, or at least with clubs. Chris Gilliam: Yeah, definitely. Yeah, I agree. That's just grown and changed a lot. Darrin Conrad: and And then, first in certain weight classes, the numbers have jumped as as kids lifting. Not the number of kids, but the amount of weight they're lifting. Some of these kids are getting just strong. Chris Gilliam: you yeah. I'd agree with that. mean, what used to be a really good record for like some of the female divisions. They've been well surpassed over the last handful of years. Honestly, since COVID, I think the numbers have skyrocketed with the females and the amount of weights they're lifting, I think. Darrin Conrad: And probably some of the bad is, which really nothing we can really do about it, is the regionals itself, the number of regionals, because it keeps changing because we get a lot of schools that can host, but then some can't. And just trying to fill that all that in to make sure everybody's equally getting the chance to go. Chris Gilliam: Yeah, for sure. Yeah. Hopefully we've addressed that. Having a schedule ready for, you know, basically a year early. Hopefully that helps eliminate some of those issues, but we'll see. We won't know until it happens, but looking forward to this coming season with a full schedule. We have 16 regionals for the first time in quite a while. So hopefully nobody backs out. Yeah. Darrin Conrad: Right. Thanks, how? Chris Gilliam: That's the key. Everything's good right now. Chris Whittaker: We also have the official zone registration zones coming out, right? So that's, that's something that we've never had before that should help get the people to the meets that are closest to them. Chris Gilliam: Yeah, we've got a lot of them. Darrin Conrad: Right. Chris Gilliam: Yeah, for sure. Like, I mean, that'll be an emphasis is making sure that we get everybody that's like within that area gets first opportunity and then the surrounding areas get the next opportunity. You know, the one thing that may not ever, you know, people that want to travel from a far distance, you know, we'll just leave that to the discretion of the meat director because. You know, the reality is there's not many meets up in the UP. We're going to have our first one this year. Anybody from the UP that wants to come down to a meet, we should not ever tell them we're full. If they're willing to travel, you just let them in. know, I guess it would be an issue if they're bringing a hundred, but my guess is that their teams are going to be like, you know, 10 to 15. You know, so if they're willing to travel, you let them in, you know, but. Darrin Conrad: Right. Right. Hahaha Right. Chris Gilliam: Yeah, it's crazy. mean, I think we have more schools participating, Darren, would you say? But not all of them are the same size, you know? So that makes it tough. Darrin Conrad: Yes. Yes. No, no, you get some schools, like really big into it. But several years ago, like Whitmore Lake, when Brian was there, and then now it's almost not existent. But then you get other schools jumping in, like Davis to become really big this year. Montmore came back, did a couple of meets, just some schools you never think of doing it, they're popping in every year. Chris Gilliam: Yeah, that's a good point. think we've also had, like you kind of alluded to, like some teams had, some schools had a team, they kind of disappeared for a little bit and some of them are making like a comeback, it seems like now. So yeah, definitely. Darrin Conrad: Yeah. Chris Whittaker: What? Chris Gilliam: Is it my turn? I don't even remember. Chris Whittaker: We've bounced around. I'll go. What do you like most about being on the board of directors? Chris Gilliam: Okay. Darrin Conrad: What was that? Chris Whittaker: What do you like most about being on our board of directors? Darrin Conrad: Being able to help out and direct this sport in the right future, being involved, being to know what's going on so I can relay my kids a little bit quicker to what's going on in the future and get information from them, from other coaches, and just being able to help the sport grow in the right direction. Chris Whittaker: is there's a good part about it is, you know, we're, we're making, and we already talked about changes and stuff that have happened since you started, but a lot of these changes and then trying to go forward and do what's best for kids, right. And give kids a good opportunity. And I think that's a lot of fun. what's one piece of advice that you would give, to another coach looking to start or improve their team? Darrin Conrad: Yeah. Get involved with the school. It's harder for me because my job, but when I first started this, I was a sub to teacher, so I was in the school. But now it's a little bit harder, but get involved with the school administrators because that's where it helps start building the team, getting word out. Especially with you like your PE teachers, if you're not in the school system, they'll help you out a lot. Getting new kids in, getting the word out and just start building a program. If you don't know a lot about powerlifting, do a lot of studying and asking around to what's the best way to get kids to lift, the safety of it. What kind of. shoot. I'm like, not machines, but the equipment in the room. What kind of equipment to use. Chris Whittaker: Yeah. Getting, getting your stuff right. And I think what you said to like asking around, like talking to it, like there's no secrets here from any of us. Right. I think every one of us would share with somebody how we choose to do it. And then it's up to them if they want to emulate what we're doing or they want to pick, you know, bits and pieces. Chris Gilliam: Yeah. Darrin Conrad: And that's the thing about our sport too that's different from others is that we all help each other out. Kids help each other out, other coaches help your kids out. For example, Chris helped that, what's the kid's name? Yeah, the Richmond kid. Can't remember his name offhand, but he wanted to get in his depth. So Chris went over and talked to him and explained to him exactly what he needs to do to get the record. And he actually listened and got it. Chris Gilliam: other Richmond kid. Yeah, that would have stunk. That would have stunk to bomb out when he was hands on the favorite lifter. Um, number one ranked kid going for a state record right on his opening attempt. mean, lesson, you know, I said, we can't go back in time. You should, you should have probably opened a little lighter, you know, and made sure you got your depth, but you could tell he was definitely strong enough. Yeah. Darrin Conrad: We just help each other out. I mean, he's... Right. Chris Whittaker: Mm-hmm. Darrin Conrad: yeah. Yeah. I mean that kid is. Chris Gilliam: You hate to kids fail because you know, you just want to see them be successful. And I had, I had nobody competing against them and I, you know, it's just like, you know, this kid needs some help. So yeah, I was glad to see him get it. well, going back to when, when you first started, like what would. Darren Conrad today after 15 years of experience, go back and tell Darren Conrad. 15 years ago, about powerlifting, like, what would you be telling that guy to focus on at like a practice or in preparation for me? Darrin Conrad: Technique. When we first started our technique wasn't that great. It's because we were just getting involved with the different rules that MSPLA compared to others, just the different rules of how things are done. Just techniques getting the kids to do it the right way. That's biggest thing we were flawed back then. Chris Gilliam: Okay. So like, did your kids originally struggle with depth for squad? Is that one of the things? Darrin Conrad: Yep, that's a squat, setting up the correct way on the bench to do it. Cuz everybody just gets up there and they just throw the weight. You don't do it that way. So just, yeah. Chris Gilliam: Yeah, bouncing it off your chest, things like that. Yeah, I got you. All right, good. Thank you. Chris Whittaker: So we kind of talked already about powerlifting being a sport, varsity sport at Kersley and the numbers that you guys have had with the different coaching changes that have come in and out over the years and you not being in the building as a teacher. So you need those people to help you. In this sport though, we, much like life, we experienced many failures. What's a favorite failure or setback? that you've had that ultimately has set you up later for success. It could be in powerlifting, it could be in life. Darrin Conrad: one of the lessons learned several years ago, like Chris alluded earlier to the kid from Richmond, you know, starting with a state record. We let a girl do that several years ago and because I see her do it in our weight room, you know, do a two or three sets. So we're comfortable again. And she didn't get death. And. But end up bombing out. Basically, so. Not to start out that way is one of lessons learned. Even though I know they can do it, get something on the books first, then do it. So that's one of the things, know, life lessons learned. And that goes to life with anything else. you know, start out where you know you can do it, you know, and just start out a little bit safe and then go from there. Chris Gilliam: Yeah, that's good. mean, I think this is probably the topic where people could have the most debate. I understand the reason why people start off with, with that. It's like, well, I'll get three cracks at it. You know, but you know, it's the philosophy behind like how you do your attempts. That's definitely its own podcast, but you know, trying to convince teenagers that, Hey, Darrin Conrad: Yeah. Chris Gilliam: It's okay to go for it on your second attempt or just save it for the third time. We know you're going to get it, you know, but that. Darrin Conrad: that then they keep an eye on what they're doing because sometimes you walk away and they jump it. They jump their next left, you know, you know, and then they don't get it. You're stuck with it. You know, don't you know, if you don't get the first attempt, stay with that. Don't jump it. Listen to your coach. Chris Whittaker: Mm-hmm. Chris Gilliam: yeah. Yeah, it's pretty rare that I would let a kid still jump after missing it. But yeah, I'm with you. That's a fine line. That's a tough thing to do. That might be a topic Whitaker down the road is like meat management. When you have a failed attempt, when is it still all right to... Darrin Conrad: Yes. Chris Whittaker: Zzzzz Chris Gilliam: go to your next attempt and you know, or should you not ever, know, those types of things. That's definitely an interesting concept. I've seen a lot of people do it every which way you can think of. So, what's the hardest thing in your time besides technique, you have drill technique, but maybe it's a specific technique for a specific lift. Darrin Conrad: Yeah, that definitely be a long. Chris Gilliam: What's the hardest thing to coach or teach in the sport of powerlifting? In your opinion. Darrin Conrad: Probably the biggest thing is mindset. some of the kids, you know, especially when they're starting out, they doubt themselves a lot until they get into it. or some kids, they need to actually go the other way. No, can do it. And you can't, but a lot of it's mindset to get their mind in the right frame of mind, to get themselves set up for the proper lift. Did it do the correct way? Don't just rush it through. Cause you want to get it done. Doing your proper setup. to get ready in your head, just like with any other sport or anything else, you gotta be mentally prepared. And that's the biggest thing is just trying to get the mindset for him. Chris Gilliam: Okay, great. Chris Whittaker: So the next thing is like rapid fire, quick speed set questions. Okay. So these are just quick answers. and we'll, we'll jump back and forth on them, but like the first thing that comes to your mind here. All right. So what you prefer as a coach, your favorite lift squat bench press or deadlift. Darrin Conrad: squat probably. Chris Gilliam: Do you prefer low bar or high bar squat when teaching kids? Darrin Conrad: Hi, bar. Chris Whittaker: Sumo deadlift or conventional deadlift. Darrin Conrad: to the national. Chris Gilliam: Do you feel it's more beneficial for a max out, a one rep max or a rep PR? Darrin Conrad: let's just say one time. Chris Gilliam: Okay. Chris Whittaker: What? Darrin Conrad: Here comes the gold. Chris Gilliam: Yeah. Chris Whittaker: That's what I like to let's do. Let's do a single less can go wrong. Right. And just do it once you start doing more reps, more technique. Things can go wrong. What's your best accessory exercise for the squat? Chris Gilliam: Heh Darrin Conrad: There's so many I use. Probably front squat or back squat. Chris Gilliam: What's the best accessory exercise you have your kids do for bunch breasts? Darrin Conrad: Probably like a deficit or a negative bench. Chris Gilliam: Okay. Chris Whittaker: And then your best accessory exercise for the deadlift. Darrin Conrad: priority else. Chris Whittaker: But that's a pretty common one we hear a lot of bank bang for your buck with the RDL. Darrin Conrad: Mm-hmm. Yeah, it's... Yeah. Chris Gilliam: That's most popular one we've heard. Yeah. No, that's good. Um, awesome. I appreciate your time, Darren. Um, a couple of things with, uh, being, you know, we're both from the same area and stuff. Uh, what have you noticed? Um, you know, changes in the school, you know, even though you're not teaching there, what's some positive things that have occurred at Kersley? that's got you excited, maybe the kids in your program excited. Darrin Conrad: Well, of course we've got a brand new indoor facility, um, brand new weight room this past year. And then, Just getting the brand new equipment. They're all excited about that. Everybody wants to jump in. Now the other sports are trying to take up time. So now we got to fight for gym, you know, weight room time, new indoor tracks. We can do accessories out on the track, um, different lifts and things out there when the weight room gets too crowded and, just. over our field of school. There's great, some great things coming up, not just for the power lifting, but now they're finally going to put bleachers this summer on the on the visitor side for football. Yeah. Chris Gilliam: where the Hill is, they putting them into the Hill or are they taking that Hill down? No. Many a miles of, of bear crawling and crab walks took place on that Hill much Whitaker. all the great Kersley teams in the past put a lot of blood, and tears on the Hill. Like our old famous coach Pratt, you know, basically when you heard them say, all right. Darrin Conrad: that I have not heard. just heard that. yeah. Yeah, we. Chris Whittaker: You Darrin Conrad: Yeah. Chris Gilliam: boys to the hill. We knew it was going to be, all right, how many of us are throwing up today? Because it was grueling workouts. was. Yeah. So I hope if they're putting them over there, they put them within the hill. So there's still it's there, but who knows what will happen with that? That's cool, though. Then they put the scoreboard on the hill. Darrin Conrad: Ha Yeah. It's just in front of the hill. Yeah. Chris Gilliam: Just in front of the hill is the scoreboard. So I wonder if that'll get moved if they're putting bleachers over there. Darrin Conrad: that I've not because I don't even know where they're gonna have a separate entrance because the last several years we've had a lot of instances with visitors and home team right there. So it's getting a little bit wild but another great thing is is they hired a new football coach. He's also gonna be PE somewhere. hopefully he and he's a former high school powerlifter too. So hopefully he can help recruit when I'm not there to get our numbers back up. Chris Gilliam: great. Sure. that's awesome. That's exciting. Chris Whittaker: It's always good to have people in the building, Like to bring your numbers in and to bring people in. So, all right, Darren, well, we're getting close to our time here. We thank you for doing this and we thank you for your service on the board and to our association. Anything we haven't discussed yet that you'd like to share with our listening audience? Chris Gilliam: Yeah. Darrin Conrad: No, just it's been a great season. We just got finished up and just looking forward to the new stuff coming for this coming season. Chris Gilliam: Yeah. I just want to say to you, Darren, you've been a tremendous asset to the board. I was on there maybe two years before you, but since you've been on there, you've been very helpful. You're probably the easiest going guy I know. know, and I know that your, your wife helps out a lot too. You know, shout out to her. Darrin Conrad: Hahaha! Yeah. Chris Gilliam: because she's super helpful even though she's not on the board. You're like a package deal, I think. But we appreciate everything you guys do. Darrin Conrad: Right. Yeah, because. Thanks, I appreciate hearing that. Cuz it's fun, it's really fun. And just seeing for the kids, what I get out of it most is just the excitement for the kids when they complete a lift. They just get so excited and watch them, their confidence build. It's great. Chris Gilliam: Yeah, I agree that it makes it very rewarding. Even the kids that don't get a medal, the fact that they set a PR and they get all excited and you just see the growth and progress within the individuals. It makes the sport super rewarding. So yeah, thank you for being a coach and a member of the board. Appreciate you, man. Darrin Conrad: yeah. All right, thank you. Chris Whittaker: All right. This has been the platform where the stories weigh a ton.