I was a swimmer at Center Grove High School and throughout that time Coach Mills worked with our swim coach, Jim Todd, to coordinate a weight program that would build strength that would transfer to the pool. My freshman and sophomore year the program was primarily machine based with bench and squat on free weights.
My junior year the coaches made the decision to switch to Olympic lifts- cleans, RDL, snatch. The power lifting helped in many ways. 1.The free weights were a change which my body needed after doing the same routine for two years. 2.The explosiveness in the motions of Olympic lifts were beneficial in the pool- off the blocks and the walls. 3.The strength I gained with power lifting was more effective in the pool than the strength I had built with the machine weights.
My senior year Coach Mills started incorporating kettle bells into the Olympic lifting circuit. Kettle bells were a great addition to the strength program. Not only do kettle bells provide the same explosive strength training, if done in a circuit, kettle bells can also be used as an aerobic exercise circuit as well.
Coach Mills was an exceptional weight lifting coach. He stressed perfect technique during all lifts to prevent injuries. He took time to work with each individual student to make sure they were performing to their full potential. His weight program prepared me, like many other students I have talked to, for my college weight program. I swim for a top division one school and the weight coach at the school was impressed by the knowledge I had in the weight room and the form I had during lifting. Doing the Olympic lifts and kettle bells with Coach Mills helped prepare me for college. I was very thankful that I had such an involved weight coach with our swim program in high school. Whenever I come back to CGHS to work out, Coach Mills is always curious about what I am doing in the weight room in college. He is constantly looking for new and better lifts to improve his weight program for the student-athletes at the high school.
Michelle McKeehan – University of Georgia Swimming;
Pan American Champion;
4 Time State Champion
