Donnie Maib

Donnie Maib decided to refocus his dedication and passion away from football after he suffered a career-ending knee injury during the spring football game for the University of Georgia in 1992.  He found his direction in strength and conditioning, in thanks to a former mentor, Dr. E.J. “Doc” Kreis. 

Kreis had introduced Maib to the techniques of Olympic lifting prior to his senior season at Georgia.  Maib realized how his athletic potential could be enhanced from his summer sessions with Kreis, and he attests that his explosiveness and athleticism changed on the playing field because of the similar movement patters he learned from the clean, jerk, and snatch.  In addition, Maib would follow his off-season training up with his best season as a Bulldog defensive tackle.

Upon his graduation from the University of Georgia in 1993, Maib accepted a six-month internship in Boulder and followed Coach Kreis to the University of Colorado.  His internship turned into a full-time assistant strength and conditioning position for Colorado after just two years.  After his time working under Kreis, Maib accepted a position under Coach Jeff Madden at the University of Texas in 1998 as an assistant strength and conditioning coach.

Since 1998, Maib has primarily assisted in coaching the football team, but today he is in charge of men's tennis and women's volleyball.  During his coaching career, Maib has instilled the principles he learned form Olympic lifting, as well as what he calls “addressing weaknesses and improper movement patterns” by means of “functional training”.
        

 Maib does admit that the evolution of strength and conditioning has changed from when he first began in the field.  Specifically, he has seen changes in coaching philosophy, which is becoming increasingly focused on injury prevention rather than bodybuilding.  In addition, more teams and sports need individual treatment and coaching from strength and conditioning coaches, rather than simply football teams having full access.

Maib’s weight room coaching has influenced multiple professional and Olympic athletes, but he credits his ability to create leaders and mentally tough athletes that ultimately helps create championship caliber teams.  His view is that a strength and conditioning coach can “enhance work ethic, leadership, and physical and mental toughness” which can grant “a team a major edge during competition.”        

Maib’s influence in weight room has helped guide numerous teams to successful seasons, most notably in 2008 and 2009 with the Longhorn men’s tennis and women’s volleyball teams earned runner-up honors in each of their National Championship games.  In addition, Maib was a part of the 2005 National Champion football team as an assistant strength and conditioning coach.  In 2011, as a credit to his positive influence, successes, and numerous accolades stemming from the weight room, Maib was promoted to head strength and conditioning coach of Olympic sports at the University of Texas.