Event Information:
The Los Angeles Dodgers are excited to host the inaugural Los Angeles Dodgers Strength and Conditioning Symposium this December at Dodger Stadium with the staff that trains the elite players of the organization. Led by Director of Athletic Development and Performance Science, Brandon McDaniel and his staff, the Dodgers Strength and Conditioning Symposium is open to any practitioner that is looking for NSCA CEU's and to learn about how the Dodgers Philosophy of Athletic Development has helped identify, train and continue to develop the physical aspects needed to perform at the highest level of baseball over a sustained period of time.
The two-day event will give a deep dive into how the Dodgers use movement analysis, technology, performance and skill metrics to develop athletes from the age of 16 in Latin America all the way up to how they train their professional team for the grueling demands on a major league season. All of the material will transfer over to how to train high school, college or professional baseball players.
There will be a blend of an academic setting in the classroom in the exclusive Lexus Dugout Club, as well as a practical setting, in the home weight room, batting cage, bullpen, and on the field. Please dress appropriately for the practical settings. Athletic clothing will be preferred.
What to Expect:
STUDENTS: (Email copy of transcript to symposium@ladodgers.com to access student rate)
Brandon enters his 12th season in Professional Baseball. He is currently the Director of Athletic Development and Performance Science for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
He has been in the field of strength and conditioning for 13 years and has previously worked for the Pittsburgh Pirates at the Minor League level and at EXOS (formerly Athletes Performance) in their military strength and conditioning department with the Department of Defense.
Brandon holds a Bachelors' Degree in Exercise Science from Wayne State College in Nebraska where he was a member of the baseball team. He holds a Masters' Degree from A.T. Still University in Human Movement. He also holds many certifications including the Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach Certification through the NSCA, as well as FMS, SFMA, USAW, DNS, PRI, and Strong First Kettlebell.
He has a strong belief in the importance of sound training and optimal recovery for high-level performance not only in the world of professional athletics, but also general human performance.
Travis Smith is a Major League Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. Where he is responsible for designing and implementing team training, nutritional and recovery programs.
Prior to his current role, Smith spent three seasons (2016-2018) as the Major League Assistant/Minor League Strength Coordinator. From 2012-2015 Smith served as a Minor League Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Dodgers. Previous experience includes strength and conditioning positions with the Miami Marlins organization, Mazatlan Venados Mexican Baseball Organization and Lara Cardenales Venezuelan Baseball Organization.
Travis has earned his license in massage therapy, Master's in Applied Exercise Science from Concordia University Chicago and Bachelors in Exercise Science from Taylor University. While attending Taylor, Smith played defense back for 4 years.
In 2017, Travis presented at the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society conference on Technology in Strength and Conditioning (Athlete Assessment and Monitoring). In 2018, Smith had the opportunity to run a baseball strength and conditioning mentorship in Okinawa, Japan for both Korean baseball organizations and Japanese baseball organizations. Presenting on Movement Assessment, Athlete development and systematic approach to weightlifting.
Kate Weiss is a Sports Science Coordinator for the Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Organization. Prior to working for the Dodgers, she worked as a Sports Science Consultant. She graduated in 2017 with a PhD in Sports Science and Biomechanics from Auckland University of Technology, in Auckland, New Zealand. Her doctoral thesis was focused on athlete load monitoring with an emphasis on the quantification of load and lower limb injury in men's professional basketball. As part of her research, she developed a unique and novel method for determining bilateral lower limb loading using wearable sensors. In conjunction with her research, she built an athlete monitoring system (inclusive of specific protocols and an excel based dashboard for data visualization) for the professional basketball team she worked with as well as providing sports science consultancy in collaboration with the staff and the athletes on an ongoing basis.
In addition to her work with the professional basketball team, she also worked with a local high school basketball team as well. Prior to her doctoral research and work in New Zealand, she worked as a strength and conditioning coach both in the private sector as well as in a NCAA Division I collegiate setting (Ball State University men's tennis as head strength and conditioning coach during the 2012-2013 season, and the University of Southern California as a strength and conditioning intern with men's football during the 2008-2009 season). Her previous research has been specifically with NCAA Division I athletes in the areas of biomechanics and injury prevention. Outside of her research and work as a strength coach, she has also taught group exercise classes, individual and group Pilates both in a clinical and private setting, received numerous certifications in the areas of strength and conditioning and injury screening and prevention, and taught exercise programming as part of Auckland University of Technology's certificate program. Before starting her college career, she coached gymnastics for four years and was part of a dance company.
Her extensive experience working with a variety of athletes at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels has prepared her to be able to assess the varying needs specific to each level of athlete and sport. Her education and research have lent itself to her understanding of injury prevention and performance in the context of athlete monitoring. Her work has provided her with the opportunity to present what she does for a number of professional teams nationally, as well as to present her novel approach to load monitoring as a Young Investigator Award recipient at the Aspire Athlete Load Monitoring Conference held in February 2016 in Qatar, and to present at various conferences including the NBA Strength and Conditioning Association's annual conference in 2018, the National Strength and Conditioning Association Conference in 2016, the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports in 2015, and the International Society of Biomechanics in 2015.
Eric is the Athletic Development Coordinator for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Eric is currently in his 4th year with the organization. Prior to the 2019 season he served as a Minor League Performance coach at various levels. His current role splits time within both the Performance and Amateur Scouting Departments. Within Performance, he works directly with players rehabilitating from injury as well as assisting the supervision of the Minor League Performance Department. Within Amateur Scouting he creates the physical evaluations for all players that have been identified as potential draft picks.
Prior to the Dodgers Eric spent time in the private sector of Strength and Conditioning. He completed an internship at Cressey Sports Performance (Hudson, MA) before working at Ranfone Training Systems (Hamden, CT). He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Connecticut where he was a 4-year member of the baseball team. While at UConn, he completed an internship with the Sports Performance Department. These experiences have offered him the opportunity to work with athletes across many different ages and sport demographics.
Brian is the Minor League Strength and Conditioning Coordinator for the Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Organization. In this role he is responsible for the supervision and implementation of the organizations' performance philosophy within the minor league system. He is entering his 8th year with the Dodgers where he has held many different titles such as Performance Coordinator, MLB Strength and Conditioning Coach, and Rehab Strength and Conditioning Coordinator. In these roles Brian has been responsible for implementing staff and player education, in-season and off-season programing, and coordinating communication between the performance department and all others within the organization. He graduated in 2008 with a BS in Exercise Science and Wellness from Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ. In 2007 Brian transferred to ASU from the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point where he played two years of collegiate baseball.
Prior to working for the Dodgers, he worked as a Performance Coach and Intern Coordinator for EXOS in Phoenix Arizona from late 2010-2011. While with EXOS Brian worked with a multitude of sports including baseball, football, basketball, soccer, and hockey ranging from youth levels up to professional. In 2011 he spent 5 weeks in Beijing China working with the Chinese Olympic Committee and their Olympic athletes to prepare for the 2012 Summer Olympics. Prior to his time with EXOS Brian worked as a Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Minnesota Twins AA affiliate for the 2010 season and as a Position/Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Cotuit Kettleters of the Cape Cod League. He has presented about performance and nutrition to the Chinese Olympic Committee in 2011 and at the MLB Winter Meetings in 2015 during the PBSCCS educational symposium.
Saturday, December 14
Sunday, December 15
*Subject to change.
Coming soon!
The Dodgers are proud to offer a special team rate of $147.00/night at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites in downtown Los Angeles December 13-15, 2019. To reserve, please call the hotel directly at (213) 624-1000 and mention the Dodgers Strength & Conditioning Symposium.
