Dundee native Rath hired by Rams
http://www.monroenews.com/sports/20170323/dundee-native-rath-hired-by-rams
Ted Rath’s interest in the intricacies of athletic conditioning began at an early age.
“It was probably in my high school days,” the Dundee graduate explained. “I noticed just by myself as I began to train, lift weights and exercise, I started to see a difference not only physically how I look but how I felt and performed on the field.
“It was like a light bulb went off that there is something to this, you can change how you look and perform just through training and doing the right things outside of it.”
Rath took his epiphany and ran with it. Now entering his ninth season working in the NFL, he has accepted the position of head strength and conditioning coach for the Los Angeles Rams.
Rath, 33, is two years older than his new boss, Rams first year head coach Sean McVay.
Rath is also one of the youngest strength and conditioning coaches in league history, an accomplishment he doesn’t take for granted.
“It’s humbling because a lot of guys have come before me and the science of (the field) has evolved a lot over the past decade or so,” Rath said. “There are guys who have fought their whole lives to get here. In this profession, they’re the guys that have laid the groundwork.”
After graduating from Dundee in 2003, Rath attended the University of Toledo to study health and physical education. He didn’t make waves on the field during his time as a Rocket, but his exposure to UT Director of Strength and Conditioning Steve Murray proved life changing.
“I’m sure I annoyed him most days,” Rath said. “I just asked him for the reasoning and the science behind it, and he was awesome. It helped me develop.”
Once his playing days ended, Toledo brought Rath into the fold as a graduate assistant. He later served as UT’s assistant director of strength and conditioning, and as an assistant football coach at Crestwood High School in Dearborn Heights.
But the NFL was calling.
Rath latched on with the Detroit Lions in 2009, working under former Lions coach Jim Schwartz and current coach Jim Caldwell. Less than three years after graduating college, he had reached the highest level of his profession and he was still working just 45 minutes away from home.
“I always joked that the only time it sucked was when ticket requests came in, I always felt humbling because a lot of guys have come before me and the science of (the field) has evolved a lot over the past decade or so bad because I wouldn’t be able to help everybody out,” Rath said. “But to be able to work in the NFL and still be just 45 minutes away from family was an extreme blessing. To be in this business at this level but still have the opportunity to go home and see nieces and nephews for birthdays, we didn’t take it for granted.
“Obviously you could be at the opposite end of the country now very fast with the way this business is.”
After seven seasons with the Lions, a major organizational shake-up occured when Bob Quinn took over as general manager following the 2015 season. Quinn brought Harold Nash Jr. with him from New England to bethe Lions strength and conditioning coach.
That left Rath looking for a new employer. He found one in the Miami Dolphins as they began to rebuild with new coach Adam Gase.
Rath was an assistant strength and conditioning coach with the Dolphins.
McVay, who was hired by the Rams in January, offered Rath an opportunity to be the head strength and conditioning in Los Angeles. As is fitting the NFL’s constant state of flux, he had just a week from when he accepted the position to when he was expected to show up for work.
Just one season after relocating his young family from Michigan to South Beach, Rath and his wife Robin found themselves facing a quick move to Southern California.
Adding another wrinkle to the chaos was the couple’s young family. The Rath’s have two children under four years old, and they are expecting their third in less than a month.
“It’s crazy,” Rath said. “But the first goal was to get the wife and kids out there before she was too close and couldn’t fly. My wife is a stud, she’s the real worker in the family and holds the fort down at home. A week was plenty of time for me, but she dealt with the brunt of it and takes care of everything else.”
As he prepares to implement his own philosophies with the Rams, Rath is enjoying working within a franchise experiencing its own share of change. A year removed from their well-publicized migration from St. Louis back to Los Angeles, the Rams have a new coaching staff, a young offensive core and a shiny new stadium in the works.
Rath said he is excited to implement his program, and that the players he has already met have done nothing but further fuel his passion.
“I’ve been fortunate to meet with quite a few of the guys,” he said. “We’re in an area where you get guys that want to stay around — when you’re in L.A., and it’s 75 and sunny everyday that doesn’t hurt. I’m beyond impressed with their attitude, it’s one of hard work and they’re ready to work and want to do whatever they can.
“To come here with such an excitement from the fans… Everybody in the area has been positive, and have had open arms and it’s been incredible.”
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