CSB welcomes Jerron Granberry to athletics department

CSB welcomed a new face to the athletic department this year in conjunction with being a recipient of the NCAA Ethnic Minority and Women’s grant program for 2022-24.

They chose to hire Jerron Granberry as the head strength and conditioning coach and the assistant to the athletic director this August. CSB is one of 19 colleges and universities across the United States to receive this grant, and one of three to receive it in the MIAC, along with Carleton and the MIAC office. With this grant, the recipients receive money, education and opportunities to improve their athletics while providing opportunities for women and BIPOC individuals to assume leadership positions.

Each school has the opportunity to write an employment position into the grant, to best fit the needs of the college at the time of awarding the grant. CSB decided to use the grant to expand its strength and conditioning program to include a full-time coach dedicated to strength and conditioning for all Bennie athletic teams.

“This allows us to have a full-time person whose primary responsibility is strength and conditioning… strength and conditioning has to be an important part of the formula for a premier athletic program,” CSB Athletic Director Kelly Anderson-Dierks said.

Anderson-Dierks emphasized that a strength and conditioning program helps athletes to build up size and speed and helps student-athletes to focus on injury prevention and recovery.

“Having all these things for 12 different sports is something I thought our athletes needed and deserved,” Anderson-Dierks said.

Anderson-Dierks said that when it came to prioritizing needs for the Bennie athletes, she wanted to choose a position that would make the greatest difference for the most student athletes. She believes Granberry can fulfill this role.

Granberry is no stranger to the world of college athletics and the strength and conditioning that comes with it. He is a native of Miami and played Division I basketball at the University of North Florida before continuing his last year of athletics and academics at the University of Wyoming. He then started his career in coaching at the University of Wyoming as the strength and conditioning coach. After his work there, Granberry continued his career with the Denver Nuggets and later the Dallas Mavericks, where he worked with several NBA players, including Larry Nance Jr., Justin James, Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic. Jokic was the NBA MVP for 2020-21 and 2021-22.

“I originally wanted to be a basketball coach, but I fell in love with strength and conditioning more than actually being a basketball coach,” Granberry said.

Granberry said he enjoys being a strength and conditioning coach because of his connections with his players.

“We’re not inventing lifts here… it’s not new material, but it’s the connection I have with the athletes here,” Granberry said.

Anderson-Dierks emphasized the positivity and energy that Granberry brings to his athletes, even at their 6:30 a.m. workouts.

“That changes the whole experience of the workout, and I think we have the right person in the right position to make a difference for our students here,” Anderson-Dierks said.

Currently, Granberry, known as Coach J to his athletes, works with all Bennie athletic teams, both in and out of season. Granberry works with both varsity and club teams. He likes to emphasize efficiency and speed in his workouts but works in mental health days and active recovery in the process.

“I think it’s a really important aspect of the formula to be successful here,” Anderson-Dierks said.

She said that there has historically been an emphasis on being bigger, faster and stronger in athletics. Although that is important, there has been a shift towards injury prevention, mental health and recovery. In addition, Granberry explained that this is his first time coaching women.

He said that although it’s different from what he’s done in the past, it’s one of his favorite things about working at CSB. Granberry said that working with female athletes has allowed him to learn a different approach to coaching and has given him opportunities to grow in his coaching abilities.

“This is the thing that’s different and that I’ve liked the most is that it has allowed me to come out of my box and learn new ways to communicate with people,” Granberry said.

Bennie athletes have enjoyed Granberry’s energy during workouts and appreciate his approach to workouts.

“I love being able to show up to strength and conditioning and know I’m going to get a good workout and have fun doing it. Coach J creates a super unique environment where everyone is pushing themselves while still having a good time with each other,” sophomore track and field sprinter Emerson Knapp said.

Junior softball player Bryn Carlstrom agreed with Knapp.

“[Granberry’s] energy is infectious, and I look forward to going because he does a great job of balancing having fun and working hard,” Carlstrom said. “Working with Granberry benefits us because we are getting stronger, and we are growing closer as a team by pushing through tough workouts together.”

Granberry will continue to work with Bennie athletes throughout the next two years, bringing his energy and positivity to every workout. Anderson-Dierks hopes to reapply for a similar grant next school year. However, this time, the grant would allow the department to keep the position for an additional five years, rather than two.