This summer, the Tarleton State University Athletic Department hired Stephanie Sharpe as Assistant Coach of Athletic Performance, under Head Coach for Athletic Performance Rod Cole.

Sharpe spent seven years at Division I school Tulane University in New Orleans, La as the assistant training coach for the football team.

Sharpe credits Cole on her reasoning for coming to Tarleton, describing him as “a master level strength coach” whom she has looked up to and known in the business knowing she wanted to be developed by him, itself, Sharpe took the opportunity.

 Sharpe, a New Orleans native, is a 2002 graduate of Loyola University in New Orleans. She completed her graduate work at the University of New Orleans and served as an intern at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Sharpe is also Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) certified with the National Strength and Conditioning Association, USA-Weightlifting certified.

During her tenure at Tulane, Sharpe worked with the football team and other Olympic (all other non-football) teams. Sharpe’s main focus is teaching rate of force development to incoming freshmen and helping them realize that they must teach before they can coach. Her main goal has been making sure athletes are not the same leaving as a senior than they are as incoming freshmen.

Sharpe, on explaining the differences between New Orleans and Stephenville said she realizes that the pride that both sides possess are similar, so the culture infusion isn’t too hard to mesh with.

“Everyone has been very warm and welcoming and I’m just looking forward to experiencing Texas high school football,” said Sharpe.

Sharpe’s said her overall goal for the Texan and TexAnn athletic programs is to equip the student athletes with the tools to not hinder, but impact and add to the history of excellence at Tarleton  and to help them to be the best in the Lone Star Conference.