Media Guides

A.G. Kruger

        When it comes to time management and weight management, few throwers can compare with Ashland University's A.G. Kruger.      

       Kruger, AU's strength and conditionnig coach, finished first in the weight throw at the 2010 United States Indoor track and field championships, held Feb. 27-28 in Albuquerque, NM.

            Kruger won the competition with a throw of 82-0 feet.  Cory Martin was second (80-0) and Jake Freeman was third (78-8.25). AU assistant track and field coach Rob Klenk was seventh (74-3).

            Kruger’s mark was a personal best, his previous best was 81-3.  This was his fourth indoor championship.  Klenk established a personal best by three feet.

            “For Rob, to throw over three feet better than he did two years ago when he won a national championship is phenomenal,” said AU head track and field coach Jud Logan, who works with both throwers.  “For A.G. this is fantastic, a fourth indoor championship.”

            Kruger related that in preparing for this meet, he and Logan tweaked his training plan.  Obviously, the changes worked.

            “This year, Jud and I looked at it and said we were going to work on my strength levels,” said Kruger.  “I’m probably about 20 pounds heavier than I had been. I’ll probably lighten up for outdoors.”

            Kruger says he’s tipping the scales regularly at 270 to 272 pounds right now.  That extra weight is the only weight he felt in New Mexico.  He believed early on that this competition could be special.

            “I knew I was capable of 80 feet, I didn’t know how far beyond that,” Kruger said.  “I just tried to throw and let it happen.  In warm-ups I felt, ‘This is easy, this is a good sign.”

            Kruger said he’s not felt like that in warm-ups in a long time. Speaking of long times, that’s what the AU coach endured on his trip to the meet.  He flew out of Cleveland, where he sat on the plane for an hour due to some technical difficulties.  From Cleveland he flew to Minneapolis, where he raced to get on the connecting flight that went to Albuquerque.

            “When I was younger I let all that stuff bother me,” said the 31-year-old Kruger.  “Now it’s, ‘Just get in there and I’ll let it happen.”

            This year has been different for Kruger than any previous year because of his job responsibilities and training program.  This is Kruger’s second year as AU’s strength and conditioning coach and he’s working with approximately 350 student-athletes.  A year ago, AU teams were in the process of learning how to work with him and what he could provide.  Now, there’s a comfort level between Kruger, AU student-athletes and coaches and he’s got two full schedules he is constantly trying to meet.

            “From this year to last year, it’s more prep time,” Kruger said.  “It’s more prep time, especially on the weekends, it can be 10 hours getting ready.  There are different things that I want to do with certain people.  It’s time consuming. Plus, I want to train and throw through the year.”

            Kruger throws four days a week, fitting his workouts in between sessions with AU student-athletes.

            “I usually throw around 10 or 11 o’clock in the morning,” Kruger said.  “Most of our athletes have class then and it gives me time to do my own thing.”

            Kruger is a two-time United States Olympian in the hammer throw.  A 2001 graduate of Morningside College, the AU coach won an NCAA Division II championship in the hammer in 2001.

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