Weight Training Coach To Leave

Only weeks after Harvard’s Director of strength and conditioning Craig Fitzgerald accepted a job offer at the University of South Carolina, Daniel Perlmutter, one of his two assistant directors, has also announced his departure—leaving colleague Timothy Mullen in control of all 41 Crimson varsity squads.

Perlmutter’s absence will mean that one of the nation’s largest varsity programs will go forward with only two certified strength and conditioning specialists—Mullen and coaching assistant Shauna L. Forsyth.

Perlmutter, who players call “Coach P,” plans to join the Duke University athletic department, where he will assume an assistant strength and conditioning coordinator role, overseeing the majority of Blue Devil varsity teams with the exception of football and basketball.

Fitzgerald’s departure in January raised little concern among coaches and athletes, as three-fourths of the department’s leadership remained intact.

But now Mullen, aided by only a small staff of interns and Forsyth—who joined Harvard athletics this fall—must take the reins of the program.

To ease the burden for Mullen, Perlmutter will remain with Harvard for a number of weeks, preparing the staff to take over training for ice hockey, soccer, track, cross-country, volleyball, and skiing.

Women’s ice hockey tri-captain Jennifer M. Brine ’09 said that the transition is going smoothly, though Harvard will lose an important presence in the weight room.

“Coach P was our main lifting coach, and we’re going to miss him,” she said. “We understand he has a great opportunity at Duke that’s going to help his career out, and we’re very supportive. We’re going to take what we’ve learned from him and continue to keep that in mind as we lift.”

Having joined the Crimson in the fall of 2004, Mullen’s involvement with the program predates Fitzgerald’s arrival—leaving him with the opportunity to make a lasting impression as the lone holdover in a time of transition.

It remains to be seen how effectively the fourth-year coach will allocate his time, as the staff maintains a commitment to give all sports equal attention.

Still, many Harvard athletes and coaches have expressed little concern about the diminished staff of the strength and conditioning department.

Jay T. Weiss, the wrestling teams’s head coach, embraced Mullen’s increased role with his squad.

“I think [coach Mullen has] been great,” he said. “He’s got a wrestling background and I really don’t foresee too much of a change with us... He understands [what we’re trying to do], so I’m pretty excited about it.”

Brine said that Mullen’s background in ice hockey will help his work with the women’s team.

“We’ll accept him with open arms,” she added.

By press time, Mullen had not responded to numerous requests for comment.

“Obviously it hurts to lose coach Fitz and coach P,” wrestling co-captain J.P. O’Connor ’10 said. “They’re great guys and that’s why they got great opportunities.”

—Staff writer Max N. Brondfield can be reached at mbrondf@fas.harvard.edu.