Jarrett Roy is on new turf at Iola High School.
A recent graduate of Emporia State this past spring, Roy is currently in charge of Iola’s summer strength and conditioning program. When the academic year begins, Roy will serve as the weights and advanced P.E coach.
“My degree is in physical education, but strength and conditioning was always a passion of mine,” Roy said. “In high school I loved doing powerlifting and going to weights every day. From eighth grade to my senior year oh high school, I didn’t miss a single day of weights.”
Roy grew up in Hoyt, a small town north of Topeka. A three-sport athlete in football, basketball and track, Roy admits that growing up basketball was his favorite sport before leaving it for football.
“Growing up, basketball was my favorite sport, but obviously I didn’t grow into a basketball bod,” Roy laughing said.
After wrapping up his senior football season at Royal Valley High, Roy was keen on continuing his football career at the collegiate level.
“I was actually very under recruited,” Roy said. “I had no offers out of high school, and I had a few JUCOS and a couple NAIA schools talking to me. Washburn called, and offered me a walk on walk-on opportunity, but I felt confident in myself that I would be alright.”
After forming a good relationship with the Dodge City coaching staff, Roy suited up as a Conquistador for one season before receiving an offer at Emporia State in the spring of 2017.
With a goal of becoming a teacher, Roy’s transfer to Emporia State made perfect sense.
“I wanted to be a teacher my whole life, and I was super inspired by my high school coaches,” Roy said. “Emporia is one of the top colleges for teachers in the United States, and one of the best in Kansas for sure. It was a great experience for me!”
Roy featured in 28 games, starting 17 in his college football career on the offensive line. In order to be a force in the trenches, Roy knows strength is a key, which is why he plans on getting Iola’s athletes excited to get stronger.
Roy has been focusing his summer workouts on fast bar movement and the center of every athlete’s movement — their core.
Changes to the workouts routine is not the impact Roy pans on bringing. He also craves a new culture, one where athletes strive to improve each day.
“It has been a really good summer, and completely different than what they are used to,” Roy said. “The biggest difference I’m trying to bring is to change the culture. I want the kids to buy into the program, and understand we are trying to move fast, but also move weight. We have the big ole power record, but at the end of the day, it is not about how much weight you move but how fast you move it.”
Roy believes his youth has helped him settle in with his new athletes.
