Garrett Giemont
Encyclopedia
Garrett Matthew Giemont is a strength and conditioning coach who has worked for 30 years at the professional level with several teams in the National Football League
(NFL) as well as in Major League Baseball
.
where he got into the NFL on the ground floor at age 12 as a ball boy
for the Los Angeles Rams
. He played football in high school, but any thought of a playing career was ended by knee injuries. He attended Fullerton College
where he earned a degree in physical education
.
Giemont left the Rams in 1992 to become the director of physical development for Major League Baseball
's Chicago Cubs
. With the Cubs he helped develop such players as Greg Maddux
and Sammy Sosa
.
Giemont returned to the NFL in 1995, taking a job as the strength coach of the Oakland Raiders
. He remained with the Raiders under four head coaches through the 2002 season
. In 2002, Giemont was named Coach of the Year by the Professional Football Strength and Conditioning Coaches Society.
In 2003 Giemont was hired as strength coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
, rejoining head coach Jon Gruden
, under whom Giemont had coached in Oakland. The Buccaneers let Giemont go in 2006.
Mike Tomlin
brought Giemont in as the strength and conditioning coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers
in shortly after taking over for Bill Cowher
as head coach. Tomlin had previously worked with Giemont on the Buccaneers coaching staff. When the Steelers won the Super Bowl
in , Giemont received the 2008 Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year Super Bowl Achievement Award from the Professional Football Strength and Conditioning Coaches Society.
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) as well as in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
.
Early life
Giemont grew up in southern CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
where he got into the NFL on the ground floor at age 12 as a ball boy
Ball Boy
Ball Boy is a comic strip in the UK comic The Beano and also the name of the main character. It first appeared in issue 1735, dated 18 October 1975. It features a five-a-side football team that includes:* Ball Boy - the captain of the team, Ball Boy bears resemblances to The Dandy's Owen Goal...
for the Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
. He played football in high school, but any thought of a playing career was ended by knee injuries. He attended Fullerton College
Fullerton College
Fullerton College is the oldest community college in continuous operation in California, having been established in 1913. Current enrollment is 22,014.- History 1913 to 1972 :...
where he earned a degree in physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
.
Coaching career
Giemont began his career as a training assistant with the Rams in 1970. He worked his way up the Rams organization, eventually becoming the team's strength and conditioning coach in 1990.Giemont left the Rams in 1992 to become the director of physical development for Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
's Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
. With the Cubs he helped develop such players as Greg Maddux
Greg Maddux
Gregory Alan Maddux , nicknamed "Mad Dog" and "The Professor", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the first pitcher in major league history to win the Cy Young Award for four consecutive years , a feat matched only by Randy Johnson...
and Sammy Sosa
Sammy Sosa
Samuel Peralta "Sammy" Sosa is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder. Sosa played with four Major League Baseball teams over his career which spanned from 1989-2007....
.
Giemont returned to the NFL in 1995, taking a job as the strength coach of the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He remained with the Raiders under four head coaches through the 2002 season
2002 Oakland Raiders season
-AFC Championship Game:-References:...
. In 2002, Giemont was named Coach of the Year by the Professional Football Strength and Conditioning Coaches Society.
In 2003 Giemont was hired as strength coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
, rejoining head coach Jon Gruden
Jon Gruden
Jon David Gruden is an American football analyst and former head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for seven seasons and prior to that the Oakland Raiders for four seasons. In his first year as the head coach of Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers won Super Bowl XXXVII, defeating the Raiders whom he had...
, under whom Giemont had coached in Oakland. The Buccaneers let Giemont go in 2006.
Mike Tomlin
Mike Tomlin
Michael Tomlin is the current head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. Tomlin is the third youngest head coach in any of the four major North American professional sports. He is the tenth African-American head coach in NFL history, and first in Steelers history...
brought Giemont in as the strength and conditioning coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in shortly after taking over for Bill Cowher
Bill Cowher
William Laird "Bill" Cowher is a former American football coach and player. Cowher resigned after 15 seasons as the Steelers' coach on January 5, 2007, 11 months to the day after winning 2005–06's Super Bowl XL...
as head coach. Tomlin had previously worked with Giemont on the Buccaneers coaching staff. When the Steelers won the Super Bowl
Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals to decide the National Football League champion for the 2008 season. The game was played on February 1, 2009,...
in , Giemont received the 2008 Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year Super Bowl Achievement Award from the Professional Football Strength and Conditioning Coaches Society.