Internship provides valuable experience for Simpson grad

craig

Tim Lone

For the past three months Simpson graduate Zac Craig has been working as an intern for the Minnesota Vikings on their strength and conditioning staff. Craig will continue to work as an intern for the Vikings until the conclusion of the 2008-2009 season.

At the time Craig was chosen to be an intern for the Vikings, he was working as an intern for the strength and conditioning program at LSU, and was in line to receive a position as a graduate assistant on the strength and conditioning staff.

"I was at LSU just happy as could be," Craig said. "I was ready to get a G.A. position. Then I got a call out of the blue asking if I would be interested in the position with the Vikings. I said, ‘Yeah sure, why not try out the NFL?'"

The phone call took place in mid March. Craig's first day with the Vikings was March 24.

Craig says his job with the Vikings is similar to what he was doing at LSU.

"Basically I'm there at about six o'clock every morning," Craig said. "We get the weight room ready for the players and then we run them through their workouts."

Craig's description of what it's like working for an NFL organization can be conveyed in just five words.

"Oh, Timmy, it's crazy bro," Craig said.

That's not all Craig had to say on the subject. He added that one of the favorite facets about his job is seeing how an organization such as the Vikings runs on a day-to-day basis.

"The most exciting part about the job is seeing all the behind the scenes stuff," Craig said. "Seeing how a professional organization functions everyday."
    
Prior to his experiences at LSU and the Vikings, Craig worked as an intern for Justin Snyder, head strength and conditioning coach for Simpson. Craig said that his experience working with the strength and conditioning program at Simpson may have been short, but provided him with some valuable experience.

"My experience helped me a tremendous amount," Craig said. "Snyder does a great job of building up his interns.  I wish I could've spent more time in there."

Snyder says that Craig will go far because of his desire to get better at what he does every day.

"He really thinks critically," Snyder said. "He knows that no matter how good he gets, he can always improve."

Craig added that he not only gives credit to Snyder, but the strength and conditioning and athletic training staffs as a whole for his success thus far.

"I would really like to thank not only everybody on the strength and conditioning staff at simpson but I also owe a lot of credit to the athletic training staff," Craig said.  "Both of these experiences were great for me to try and kick start my career."

Craig said prior to getting his one year position with the Vikings he was planning on staying down south and earning his master's degree, but he said he simply couldn't pass on the opportunity to work for an NFL team.
    
"After this year I'll probably go back to school and get my masters degree," Craig said. "But I wanted to try out the NFL because I didn't know if I'd ever get another chance at it."
Last Updated: 8/25/08