By Cristian Reyna//
Hood College’s strength and conditioning program added a new face to the weight room in January.
The head strength and conditioning coach, Gregory Powers brought in Tyree Leonard after his previous graduate assistant, Cody Toler, graduated.
Leonard and Powers both attended Howard University which created a connection before Leonard even stepped on campus. “Like off the rip he took me under his wing,” Leonard said. Leonard described his relationship with Powers as a big brother kind of relationship.
Leonard graduated from Howard University with a bachelor’s in human performance with a concentration in sports medicine and a minor in psychology.
Leonard played football at Howard for two years before suffering two concussions during his sophomore year. “My coach sat me down and gave me three options. Go back home, take a medical redshirt, and be an intern or take a redshirt year,” Leonard said.
“So, I decided to medically DQ myself,” Leonard said.
Since he was a kid Leonard was always curious about how athletes, especially football players, could withstand impact and still maintain their physical stature. “I fell in love with the weight room outside of football,” Leonard said.
Leonard said he chose Hood because it was able to offer him a position as a trainer and a chance to receive his MBA. Hood is also a place he felt like God wanted him to be. “I feel like God places people in your life even if it is for a short period of time,” Leonard said.
Leonard always has the athlete’s interest in mind, and he wants to get the athletes to know that they don’t have to go the MLB, NBA, or the NFL to continue their passion. “At the end of the day your passion may have started with the sport, but it doesn’t have to die with the sport,” Leonard said.
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