Farmer steps in as Lions' first-ever strength coach

On Jan. 26, Texas A&M University-Commerce Athletic Director Carlton Cooper announced the hiring of Lance Farmer as the Lions' new strength and conditioning coach.

Farmer will work with all 11 athletic programs, supervising weight lifting, conditioning, fitness and nutritional programs for all student athletes.

Prior to his arrival at A&M-Commerce, Farmer held several positions at different universities. He started his career as a student assistant at Eastern Washington University, where he first learned about strength and conditioning, and received his bachelor's degree in exercise sciences from Eastern Washington University in 2006. He attended Appalachian State University in  North Carolina, where he spent two seasons as a graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach.

At Appalachian State, he was directly responsible for strength programs for men's and women's tennis, wrestling, field hockey, and assisted with physical development of the Mountaineers' 2006 and 2007 Division 1-AA national championship football teams. Farmer received his master's degree in exercise sciences and strength and conditioning from Appalachian State in 2008.

"Being a strength and conditioning coach has been a goal since my undergrad years," Farmer said. "I've always been open-minded about it and it's something I've always wanted to do. I have to be willing to move around and wherever it takes me is where it takes me."

Farmer has already set numerous goals here at A&M-Commerce, and wants the program to be able to compete with the best. He wants to teach and motivate athletes to have a proper mindset, getting stronger, attitude, and a mind of purpose on and off the field.

Farmer wishes to heavily enhance and provide proper training techniques and ways for athletes to take proper care of their bodies.

"I discovered that our weight room is just approximately over 6,500 square feet, which is a decent size for a Division II campus," Farmer said. "I'd like to develop the weight room to one of the best in Division II. I want to make sure all the equipment is being used properly and athletes are spending that extra time in the weight room, to where we have to kick them out. Having a strong weight room facility along with the program is a strong asset to recruits, and I want to make sure it measures as a strong recruiting tool when different coaches and recruits come to our weight room."

Farmer plans to implement a year-round training program, a process that requires focus as well as high expectations, all year long. In training comes adversity, and Farmer plans to build mental toughness, along with physical toughness, in order to maintain accountability.

"I'm trying to give them direction and hold them to a high standard, to make them do the right things at the right times every time they're with me," Farmer said. "I also want to see how they respond when social life interferes with their workout, class assignments cram up on them, and if they can keep focus on athletic commitment as well as school."

The A&M-Commerce Athletic Director and coaching staff has quickly brought in Farmer as strength and conditioning coach beginning this semester.

"All the coaches have been receptive and they realized if I need assistance I can count on them," Farmer said. "So far, it has been a good working relationship with the other coaches. [Carlton] Cooper seems very supportive of everything that I do and he wants exactly what I want so that we can build a foundation in being the best in Division II and having a stronger recruiting program."

After the official announcement of Farmer as strength and conditioning coach, athletes seem eager to learn and ready to get their offseason programs underway.

"My overall goal as strength and conditioning coach is building athletes to do things the right way, keeping athletes focused, and, most important, assist them to get better every day no matter what they do and work hard in having a championship mindset," Farmer said.