Some notable changes have come to the weight room of Culver-Stockton College (C-SC) with the hiring of a new Athletic Strength and Conditioning Coach, Cullen Marrella. With the addition of Coach Marrella to the athletic staff, student-athletes can expect to experience changes in the weight room as they gear up for their respective seasons and off-season training. Marrella seeks not only to improve athletes’ experience but to create a culture that embodies communication, adaptability, accountability, and effort.
Although retaining strength coaches has been a challenge for the athletic program in recent years, athletes and coaches can now shift their focus to Culver’s newest strength and conditioning coach. Marrella comes from a strong background in strength and conditioning, having held positions at prestigious colleges like Alfred University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Minnesota Duluth. While at C-SC, Marrella plans to focus his attention on many different aspects of the weight room, such as tailoring workouts to specific teams based on where they are in their season and guiding athletes to greater success. He claims that his sessions will always be on time and that workouts will “be well-structured, with adjustments based on the day’s goals and schedule.”
In leading by example, Marrella hopes his efforts will be impactful to student-athletes and teach them the importance of timeliness, accountability, and, above all else, effort. To some, like sophomore goalkeeper, Adam Alemond, the atmosphere during workouts has already begun to transition, “At this level, we already know how to lift weights, but he brings the energy. That’s what gets us motivated.”
By pouring into his athletes, Coach Marrella wishes for all his athletes to realize that they “must push themselves in training, holding themselves accountable for putting in the necessary effort to improve.” By pushing this mindset and vision, he hopes that his ideals will create a new pathway to success in the weight room, on the field, and, most importantly, in life.
Looking ahead, athletes and coaches alike are eager to see how Marrella’s philosophy translates into performance gains and team success. Hopeful athletes like junior outfielder Dallas Slayton, feel very positive about Coach Marrella and his early results. Slayton even went as far to say, “When you have a guy who cares that much about your program it’s a big step. When you see the coach bringing the energy it will always bring out more within the players.” With a renewed focus on strength, conditioning, and mental toughness, C-SC athletics is entering an intriguing new era—one where dedication in the weight room paves the way for victories in competition.
