Logan University alumna Sierra Girton recently became Xavier University’s first full-time strength and conditioning coach dedicated to only the women’s basketball program.
“Every day I feel blessed that I am getting the opportunity to work in collegiate athletics—specifically with women’s basketball because it is the sport I am most passionate about,” Sierra said.
Sierra grew up playing basketball. In high school, she realized she enjoyed training in the weight room just as much as competing on the court.
“I picked up my first dumbbell seriously when I was 14 years old and fell in love with the training process,” Sierra said. “You can always find a way to challenge yourself in the weight room, and the work is never done. I would often go to my local YMCA after my high school games and practices to lift and get extra shots up on the court. This process led to my overall coaching philosophy: Find joy in the journey.”
Sierra earned her bachelor’s degree in movement and sports science from Purdue University in 2016. To become a more well-rounded health care professional, Sierra decided to pursue a second bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics from Purdue as well as a Master of Science in Sports Science & Rehabilitation (MS-SSR) from Logan University.
Sierra chose Logan’s MS-SSR because she knew its convenient online format would allow her to complete coursework for both her degrees at the same time.
“I spent a lot of weekends working on assignments, and it was challenging to balance both programs while working multiple part-time jobs and gaining hands-on coaching experience, but I knew in the end it would be worth it,” Sierra said.
After graduating from Logan’s MS-SSR program, Sierra achieved her dream of working with college athletes. She served as a strength and conditioning intern at the University of Kentucky and Purdue before being hired as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Georgia Southern University. She got the chance to focus on her favorite sport when she joined Oakland University as the director of women’s basketball sports performance and director of basketball operations.
Sierra started her current role as head strength and conditioning coach for women’s basketball at Xavier in August 2022. She is responsible for developing a comprehensive strength and conditioning program for the student athletes on Xavier’s women’s basketball team. As a registered dietitian, she also ensures the athletes maintain proper nutrition by planning meals and creating personalized fueling, hydration and vitamin regimens. Additionally, she uses the skills gained in Logan’s MS-SSR program to establish return to play protocols for athletes recovering from injuries in collaboration with the university’s sports medicine staff.
“Logan’s MS-SSR program helped broaden my perspective when evaluating athletes’ injuries,” Sierra said. “It increased my knowledge of preventative and mobility exercises as well as the process of returning athletes to sport after injuries. I also learned more about how injuries occur and the factors that can put athletes at risk.”
Sierra hopes her role opens doors for other professionals interested in working with female athletes.
“I’m excited female sports and athletic programs are starting to take off and elevate,” Sierra said. “More schools should invest in hiring strength and conditioning coaches dedicated exclusively to women’s teams because it pays off. Every one of my athletes is currently at their best body composition from when they first put on a Xavier jersey, so I’m excited for what’s to come.”