SAINTS HEAD STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH DAN DALRYMPLE NAMED 2009 PROFESSIONAL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH OF THE YEAR
New Orleans Saints head strength and conditioning coach Dan Dalrymple was named as the 2009 recipient of the Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year Award by the Professional Football Strength and Conditioning Coaches Society. The award was based on a vote by Dalrymple's NFL peers in the strength and conditioning field.
Dalrymple has been a key member of the Saints coaching staff since arriving in New Orleans in 2006 and has played a key role in the success of the club over the past four seasons, including their Super Bowl XLIV Championship, directing their offseason and in-season strength and conditioning program.
Prior to joining the Saints, Dalrymple spent 17 seasons in a similar capacity at Miami University (Ohio), including the final 16 as director of athletic conditioning, receiving a promotion to assistant athletic director in 2003. Dalrymple oversaw the strength and conditioning regimens for each program at Miami, focusing specifically on football.
"While I'm honored to receive this award, I regard it as an achievement by our team as a whole," said Dalrymple. "First I would like to thank Mickey Loomis and Sean Payton for providing me with such a high-character and hard-working group of players to work with. Our entire roster gave us an outstanding effort in the weight room and in conditioning from the start of the offseason program through our final game. I would also like to recognize the hard work of my assistants, Adam Bailey and Charles Byrd."
Highly active in his field, Dalrymple has been certified by the National Strength & Conditioning Association since 1991. He's been a finalist for their coach of the year award five times. He's one of only two NFL coaches in his field to be certified by the Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association as a Master Strength & Conditioning Coach, also earned two certifications for USA Weightlifting that designates him as qualified to work with athletes in Olympic weightlifting and as a sports performance specialist.
Dalrymple was a four-year starter at Miami from 1983-86 and was a first-team All-MAC selection in his final two seasons, also earning honorable mention All-America recognition. He was one of three captains as a senior, was honored on the Cincinnati Enquirer's All-20th Century Miami football team and was selected to the school's Hall of Fame in 2002. Following a training camp stint with the Seattle Seahawks in 1987, he returned as a student assistant coach and took over the school's strength and condition program in December, 1989.
Dalrymple will be honored on Friday evening at the association's banquet to be held at the Westin Indianapolis at 7:30 p.m.
