Student Strengthens Knowledge to Knock Future Career Out of the Park

Kannon Dumont ’25 desired a college internship to enhance his confidence and knowledge of strength and conditioning coaching with athletes, and he found that opportunity with Cressey Sports Performance (CSP) in Boston, Massachusetts. “Since I started at Mount Marty, I was always hoping to get an opportunity to intern with a well-known name in the strength and conditioning world,” said Dumont. “I made it a goal of mine to apply for this internship when it became this time of my life, and I was lucky enough to go!”

CSP is a 15,000-square-foot indoor training center where high school and collegiate athletes can receive strength and conditioning training, nutrition consultation and physical therapy. CSP also specializes in baseball mechanics, which Dumont is passionate about as he plays baseball as a Lancer. When preparing to apply for the CSP internship, Dumont reached out to Jason Nelson, Mount Marty assistant athletic director, who connected Dumont with an alumnus, Michael Sadler. Sadler also played baseball as a Lancer and completed an internship with CSP at their Florida location. “I had asked about what he [Sadler] did to set himself apart as a candidate and how to continually further my education in the field,” said Dumont. Sadler’s advice was helpful to Dumont, especially when Sadler said to always stay curious about the field.

During Dumont’s days at CSP, he got hands-on experience with athletes in assessment and training while supervised by qualified staff and coaches. “You spend most of the time building a relationship with the athletes as well as coaching through their workouts if needed,” said Dumont. “Also, about once a day, I would shadow an eval of a new client. Here, we analyze how they move through their joint range of motions. Then, they receive an individualized program based on their needs.” Dumont’s most heartwarming experience while interning was when an athlete who had just graduated high school confided to him about struggling to hit the baseball at the plate. Dumont then asked the athlete what he was thinking about while hitting. “He answered with a long response that I can’t even remember,” said Dumont. “My response to him was, ‘This is your problem; you’re thinking too much.’ I explained that if you are going to think, only pick one thing. Then, after that, just have fun, especially since he only had one or two weekends left of it. This athlete came up to me after the two weeks and told me how good he did in his last few games … I was fired up for him because he did so well!”

Although it was difficult being so far from home, Dumont found connection with his fellow interns, the local church and his coaches and coworkers, which made Boston feel more like home. Dumont found comradery with a fellow Nebraska native, Grady Greenwoood, who was a strength and conditioning coach, and he was most inspired by a coach named Brett Homer who he always asked questions to. “He was always encouraging to me and a good role model to look up to as a coach!”

As a senior exercise science major, Dumont hopes to someday become a collegiate or professional strength and conditioning coach in the baseball community, and this internship provided him with the necessary experience and building blocks to be successful when accepting his first job after graduation. “It continued my love for coaching, as well as caring for the athletes as human beings,” said Dumont. “They also have ups and downs, and we as coaches are able to pick them up and insert confidence into their lives.” He plans to take the Benedictine Hallmark of humility and the core value of hospitality into his future career. “I will serve all athletes and clients with the utmost hospitality so that they always feel welcome in my space while also implementing humility of myself to stay grounded and care for those in need.”

###

ABOUT MOUNT MARTY UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1936 by the Benedictine Sisters of Sacred Heart Monastery, Mount Marty University is South Dakota's only Catholic institution of higher education. Located along the bluffs of the Missouri River in Yankton, with additional locations in Watertown and Sioux Falls, Mount Marty offers undergraduate and graduate degrees focusing on student and alumni success in high-demand fields such as health sciences, education, criminal justice, business, accounting, and more. A community of learners in the Benedictine tradition, Mount Marty emphasizes academic excellence and develops well-rounded students with intellectual competence, professional and personal skills and moral, spiritual and social values. To learn more, visit mountmarty.edu.