We had the chance to sit down and talk with Charleston DeLa Cruz, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at the Fischer Institute, a division of Spooner Physical Therapy. If you haven’t worked with Charleston yet, then you are definitely missing out. Join us as we learn more about what steps he has taken to get to where he is today and how he is contributing to making the Fischer Institute the top sports destination in the nation! 

What was your education experience like?   

I was offered a scholarship to play football at North Carolina Central University. I then transferred to Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas to play my last three years on scholarship and earned a degree in Exercise Science. After school I went back to San Diego where I grew up and interned at Todd Durkin’s Fitness Quest 10, which is known for being included in the Top Ten Gyms in the Nation via Men’s Health for multiple years.   

Charleston De la Cruz

Charleston DeLa Cruz, CSCS, USAW-1, FRCms

What did your path prior to the Fischer Institute look like?   

After my internship, I took a job overseas as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Hohenems Blue Devils, an American football team in Austria. I coached a few American players, but most of the players were from Austria with a few from Germany and Switzerland. The language barrier was tough at times, but it turned me into a better coach. I had to be creative and do a lot of demonstrations myself. My time in Austria was definitely one of the greatest experiences in my life.  

I have always been on the move. When I got back to the States in 2013, I spent a year as the assistant sports performance coach for the University of San Diego Football team before returning to Fitness Quest 10 in San Diego in 2014. At Fitness Quest 10, I took over as the Director of Football Operations and NFL Combine assistant coach. In 2016, I won a state Championship as an assistant football coach at Cathedral Catholic High School. I also worked with the Varsity Rugby team at the school. My wife and I moved out to Arizona about three years ago. I had a few different coaching jobs locally before landing at Fischer this past spring. I saw the job posting pop up and took a shot. Here we are today!

What made you want to pursue a career as a Strength and Conditioning Coach?   

When asked, I think everyone in the industry says they like to help people. I fall along those lines as well, but I more so like to help people who really want to be helped. And, a lot of those people are athletes. Athletes want to get to that next level, whether it is from high school to collegiate or collegiate to professional. It really is all about inspiration for me and inspiring the athletes to do more. One of my differentiators is that I try to meet these athletes where they are and not try to fit them into a cookie cutter program. I’m confident this has helped me stay in the industry longer. That and knowing that there are gaps in the field that need to be filled.

A huge gap right now is definitely the spread of misinformation that goes around on social media, especially to young athletes. As a young athlete, how do you distinguish what’s good from what’s right? Anyone can make a trendy video and put it on TikTok or Instagram, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are qualified and knowledgeable on the topic. When it comes to what we provide with team sports and youth sports – it’s no nonsense here. You can tap dance in cleats after watching a video on TikTok – but are you getting faster? Are you getting stronger? Are you becoming a better athlete overall? We challenge you in ways that help you progress on the field and on the court.

What is the best part about being a coach?  

The relationships you build are priceless. Some of the athletes turn into some of my greatest friends. These people know you, trust you, and respect you and that is mutual with them as well. There have been many athletes that I have learned from, but one that stands out would be my first ever client who I worked with for 3 years who had Asperger’s. It challenged me not only as a coach but also as a professional. He had previously fired three other coaches all for different reasons. I was determined to not be like those other coaches. Working with him helped set me up for success for the rest of my athletes. I’m challenged to keep their attention, to make it fun and creative, and to address their needs however they come through the door. Not every day is the same and you have to be ready for that, but that is part of what makes it so great.  

What advice would give to someone looking to get into the field?  

Strength and Conditioning coaching pretty much goes into two categories: collegiate and team settings and then the private sector. When it comes to the private sector, there can be long and unpredictable hours at times. That is one of the brutally honest things to know about this career. It can sometimes be tough financially too. You do it because you love it.

When it comes to working with the athletes, the hardest thing is finding who you are as a coach. For me, it was not trying to fit a certain mold. I didn’t want to be the coach that is yelling every five minutes or be the coach who micromanages every movement. Learning to be authentic was huge for me. Like I said before, every one coming through these doors is different. Accepting that and actively making their time with you the best part of their day is your responsibility as a coach.

What are you doing now to further your education and professional development?   

Chip and Charleston

Chip Gosewisch and Charleston DeLa Cruz

I practice a lot of functional range conditioning (FRC) and implement that into our programs. Last June, I did their KIN stretch certification. KIN stretch is practiced in more of a group type setting so that works great with our large groups of athletes. Other than that, I read a lot of self-improvement books and listen to podcasts. I definitely recommend anything by Tim Ferris. Tools of Titans and Tribes of Mentors are incredible books. He’s known for taking what successful people do and breaking it down. I would start with his podcast to learn his style, and then read the 4-hour work week, followed by Tools of Titans or Tribes of Mentors.

Who has been biggest influence on you professionally?

There are so many but I’ll give a shoutout to a few: my mom, my wife Rachel, Brett Klika, Ryan Burgess, and Chip Gosewisch. These people challenge me, they don’t necessarily give me the answer to everything and they lead me in the right direction. They are people that help me believe that I can do anything.

What is a typical day like for you here at the Fischer Institute?   

It definitely depends on the season. Currently, I come in anywhere between 7:30am and 8:00am. I get my own workout in. I then get ready for our MLB groups. We have two groups in session right now with anywhere between 6 to 10 athletes per group. The baseball sessions last between 90 minutes and 2 hours. I also have a handful of regular athletes that I work with. I finish up my day around 5pm or 6pm. Time between coaching and training is spent working with Chip. We are consistently challenging each other and implementing new things into our programs that will challenge the athletes and produce optimal results.

What has been your favorite memory at the Fischer Institute so far?  

It was my second day working here when I was heating up my meatloaf for lunch. I dropped the glass container and the food and glass went everywhere. Didn’t end up eating that day. Sounds of glass shattering from the new guy who has been here for two days. It was pretty funny.  

Charleston De La Cruz

Where do you see the world of sports performance in the next 5 years?  

I’m excited for the growth that we are capable of having here at Fischer. I literally could not imagine working for anyone else besides Chip, just because of how open he is to new ideas and how much he wants to learn and grow. It makes me respect him and the grind that he has been put through. I think we are just scratching the surface. With the addition of a younger coach (Landon Davis) I think we can be one of the top facilities in the nation with the passion we have for this field and how we want to be the best. What makes Fischer special is the communication with the team. Everyone is on the same page, which is a large ingredient in the secret sauce. We all work together to help our athletes succeed. We really have that drive to be the best.   

With the support of now Spooner, this place can be even more incredible. When it comes to making a team work and establishing their presence in the field, there are certain things that need to happen. I have never met anyone with Spooner or Fischer who have ever had a problem with ego. I think that is huge and makes everyone work together even better. Everyone is on the same team and everyone wants to learn more and see each other do well. There is no ego getting in the way of that which is pretty special.

Are you up to the challenge? Work with Charleston, schedule here. The Fischer Institute, a division of Spooner Physical Therapy, is your sports medicine destination. Ready to learn more? Visit us here.