***official Wisconsin/illinois Thread***

[Chill Will 33]

Originally Posted by SplittinAdam

Lakeview Rec Plex in Pleasant Prairie. Nice facility, good for the kids, too.

do you know the price off hand there for military?

[papi93]

Originally Posted by SplittinAdam

No, it was the Bears logo - 2006 Super Bowl.

Just checking because I am a Star Wars fan.

[SplittinAdam]

Originally Posted by Chill Will 33

do you know the price off hand there for military?

Not sure what the military discount is. I pay $74.00 a month for myself, wife, +2 kids. (Baby isn't on there yet, only 3 weeks old.) I think just one person is 39.00 or something. Do you actually live in Kenosha, or PP?

Originally Posted by papi93

Just checking because I am a Star Wars fan.

For 21,277 reps, it's whatever you want it to be. (j/k - no rep beg)

[papi93]

Originally Posted by SplittinAdam

Not sure what the military discount is. I pay $74.00 a month for myself, wife, +2 kids. (Baby isn't on there yet, only 3 weeks old.) I think just one person is 39.00 or something. Do you actually live in Kenosha, or PP?

For 21,277 reps, it's whatever you want it to be. (j/k - no rep beg)

A day ago it was over 43K reps until an admin adjusted them down with no reason given.

[ajk_ii]

Kenosha here as well.

[papi93]

Where were all these 80 degree days during the main summer months (June, July, August)?

[Mateo113]

Originally Posted by papi93

Where were all these 80 degree days during the main summer months (June, July, August)?

Seriously, its beautiful. I hope this lasts till october.

[papi93]

Originally Posted by Mateo113

Seriously, its beautiful. I hope this lasts till october.

Each year, it seems like lake swimming season gets pushed back farther and farther.

[SplittinAdam]

Saved me a ton of money on my electric bill this year. Should be a late winter, too - Lake Michigan is going to protect us well this winter I think. It took so long to get warm, it's gonna take a while to go the other way.

[oregonpanthers]

Yo what up ya all. I am looking to start scoping the GB area of WI as I have an interview set up for Tuesday this coming week with Aurora Baycare Sport Med Clinic. I am going to do everything in my power to land this job so I want to start at least looking for places to live, apartments, malls, gyms, theatres etc. All that basic stuff you would want to know before committing yourself to a new city and career.

Anyone here from GB wanna help a brother out??

[oregonpanthers]

Packers vs Bears Baby! Its the game of the month as far as I am concerned! Anyone wanna meet at Texas Road House in East Madison area? I'll be there for sure just like another other Packer game day! Steak, Football, Fun, cant beat it!

[Vandenberghe]

Originally Posted by papi93

Nope, is that in Northern, WI?

yeah superiors just about as nother wisconsin as you can get.

[papi93]

Originally Posted by oregonpanthers

Packers vs Bears Baby! Its the game of the month as far as I am concerned! Anyone wanna meet at Texas Road House in East Madison area? I'll be there for sure just like another other Packer game day! Steak, Football, Fun, cant beat it!

Packers didn't play their best game but finally pulled out a close game after losing so many last season.

[papi93]

Originally Posted by Vandenberghe

yeah superiors just about as nother wisconsin as you can get.

There's usually pretty cold temps up there isn't there?

[Vandenberghe]

Originally Posted by papi93

There's usually pretty cold temps up there isn't there?

well I havent been home really in the past 5 years but from what everone tells me its been getting colder and colder ever year, like schools closing not because of snow but of just how cold it is out side.

[papi93]

Originally Posted by Vandenberghe

well I havent been home really in the past 5 years but from what everone tells me its been getting colder and colder ever year, like schools closing not because of snow but of just how cold it is out side.

I've noticed that in southeastern Wisconsin too. Our winters are colder and we are getting more snow. Reverse Greenhouse effect I guess. The summer was cold too.

[Chill Will 33]

Originally Posted by SplittinAdam

Not sure what the military discount is. I pay $74.00 a month for myself, wife, +2 kids. (Baby isn't on there yet, only 3 weeks old.) I think just one person is 39.00 or something. Do you actually live in Kenosha, or PP?



For 21,277 reps, it's whatever you want it to be. (j/k - no rep beg)

i live very near the Keno Drive in. So its like a min from PP but still Kenosha

[oregonpanthers]

I agree, colder, more snowy winters every year, when you think we had the worst one yet, we go and set some recored for snow fall. I hate that part!

[whtcavy]

dude, we go to keno drive pretty often. crazy.

we're from Racine though.

what do ya do?

[jimmyk21]

Might be going to the Packer game Sunday and I'm pretty pumped and had to share it with some WI folks..havent been to one since pre-season 97, first game after the super bowl so it was pretty cool actually

[papi93]

Originally Posted by jimmyk21

Might be going to the Packer game Sunday and I'm pretty pumped and had to share it with some WI folks..havent been to one since pre-season 97, first game after the super bowl so it was pretty cool actually

Nice...I hope the Packers play up to their ability and not down to the Bengals.

[oregonpanthers]

Dont know yet if any of you are from the Waukesha, Pewaukee, Hartland, Sussex area but I should let it be known I have an interview on Monday with Quad/Graphics. I would die for this position so I am going to do whatever I can to nail this interview and land it. Plan to move out that way from Madison if it was offered to me. That said I would be looking for area gyms and training partners to link up with if your local, let me know hey?

[papi93]

Originally Posted by oregonpanthers

Dont know yet if any of you are from the Waukesha, Pewaukee, Hartland, Sussex area but I should let it be known I have an interview on Monday with Quad/Graphics. I would die for this position so I am going to do whatever I can to nail this interview and land it. Plan to move out that way from Madison if it was offered to me. That said I would be looking for area gyms and training partners to link up with if your local, let me know hey?

QuadGraphics doesn't have an employee gym? They're supposed to have good benefits from what I've heard.

I work out at a Cardinal Fitness in Waukesha. That QuadGraphics is quite a driving distance from Waukesha, isn't it?

[oregonpanthers]

I do believe they have one yes. I toured the place back in college my freshman year as part of a field experience class that was looking at corporate wellness centers. I cant recall much of what it had or looked like to be honest. Its funny how one of the first fitness centers I ever saw in college when getting into fitness is now a possible career pursuit? Ironic aint it?

Regardless of the gym they have, I doubt it a bodybuilder style gym or allows the kind of training I do not to mention I would rather not train where I work and help the employees, its the kind of thing I like keep isolated from work life, thats all.

[papi93]

Originally Posted by oregonpanthers

I do believe they have one yes. I toured the place back in college my freshman year as part of a field experience class that was looking at corporate wellness centers. I cant recall much of what it had or looked like to be honest. Its funny how one of the first fitness centers I ever saw in college when getting into fitness is now a possible career pursuit? Ironic aint it?

Regardless of the gym they have, I doubt it a bodybuilder style gym or allows the kind of training I do not to mention I would rather not train where I work and help the employees, its the kind of thing I like keep isolated from work life, thats all.

Most corporate fitness centers don't have db's that go very high and might not have a squat rack or the like. Not a good place to train for the dedicated strength trainer, bodybuilder, etc.

I don't think it's really ironic because having a degree in Fitness usually means that you won't end up in that field when it comes to a long-term career. The hours and pay are for ****. If you have stroke with someone at a college, that is the quickest way to get into a good career. Otherwise, you are very limited unless you have degree in business.

[oregonpanthers]

Originally Posted by papi93

Most corporate fitness centers don't have db's that go very high and might not have a squat rack or the like. Not a good place to train for the dedicated strength trainer, bodybuilder, etc.

I don't think it's really ironic because having a degree in Fitness usually means that you won't end up in that field when it comes to a long-term career. The hours and pay are for ****. If you have stroke with someone at a college, that is the quickest way to get into a good career. Otherwise, you are very limited unless you have degree in business.

I partialy disagree with you on this one. Many many of my friends and close collegues are doing very well in several sectors of fitness, exercise, sport science, therapy, sport performance and other areas. Most all of them have been or are now employed full time in the field doing pretty well for themselves. I was able to put myself through my last year of college and 2 years of grad school by working as a part time independent personal trainer in 3 different cities. I have had amazing experiences in 2 internships, one with an MLB baseball team and the other with a BIG 10 college athletics department. And yes, having some networks does get you in real quick with big programs, been pulling those strings myself but I guess mine are not as tightly pulled as others, cant seem to land one so far in the colleges I applied to despite surpassing every requirement they listed?

I will admit that personal training today is not a lucrative or stable career path at all. Unless you own or co-own a gym or have some major niche in the market, you wont make a lasting career out of personal training. I know this all too well myself and thats why I dont intend nore have ever intended to stay in personal training for very long. As an hourly job with maybe 30-40 hours of work and not a spec of benefits (let alone doing your own taxes since they dont take out for contract trainers) you would be lucky to make a decent living off of that.

Head strength coaches at D1 colleges across the nation make between 60 and 80k a year, higher end if your at a reputable and successfull program. Assistance at those programs pull down 40-45k a year as well. Not shabby to help make college students into national champions is it?

[papi93]

Originally Posted by oregonpanthers

I partialy disagree with you on this one. Many many of my friends and close collegues are doing very well in several sectors of fitness, exercise, sport science, therapy, sport performance and other areas. Most all of them have been or are now employed full time in the field doing pretty well for themselves. I was able to put myself through my last year of college and 2 years of grad school by working as a part time independent personal trainer in 3 different cities. I have had amazing experiences in 2 internships, one with an MLB baseball team and the other with a BIG 10 college athletics department. And yes, having some networks does get you in real quick with big programs, been pulling those strings myself but I guess mine are not as tightly pulled as others, cant seem to land one so far in the colleges I applied to despite surpassing every requirement they listed?

I will admit that personal training today is not a lucrative or stable career path at all. Unless you own or co-own a gym or have some major niche in the market, you wont make a lasting career out of personal training. I know this all too well myself and thats why I dont intend nore have ever intended to stay in personal training for very long. As an hourly job with maybe 30-40 hours of work and not a spec of benefits (let alone doing your own taxes since they dont take out for contract trainers) you would be lucky to make a decent living off of that.

Head strength coaches at D1 colleges across the nation make between 60 and 80k a year, higher end if your at a reputable and successfull program. Assistance at those programs pull down 40-45k a year as well. Not shabby to help make college students into national champions is it?

I've seen many people with Master's degrees in fitness working as service managers at crapholes like Bally's. What type of degrees and certifications/licenses did these people have who found success?

[oregonpanthers]

Originally Posted by papi93

I've seen many people with Master's degrees in fitness working as service managers at crapholes like Bally's. What type of degrees and certifications/licenses did these people have who found success?

Since we all had similar career paths from an academic standpoint most of us had at least a BS in Kinesiology (specializing in athletic training, exercise and fitness or physical therapy) along with course work that prepared us to take the NSCA CPT and CSCS exams. Most anyone I graduated with alos took and obtained those certifications. I got my wellness coaching and sports nutrition certs soon after graduation as well. I decided on graduate school as I was told time and time again that to get into d1 or d2 strength and conditioning or above (pro level) an MS was a must. So here I am now.

I dont think too many of my peers went on for MS degrees unless they went into physical therapy.

[papi93]

Athletic training requirements a lot of hours in the training room before you can sit for the exam. I think it is a license if I'm not mistaken. I know one person who years ago worked for minimum wage at a high school trying to get the field more established. She would do some work in a sports medicine clinic just doing whatever rehab exercises the PT's or OT's told her to do with their patients. That was back in 1996. With the economy in the dumps, I can imagine that athletic training programs get axed very quickly at large schools.

Regardless, most never get paid what they should unless they are working for a college or pro program.

[oregonpanthers]

Originally Posted by papi93

Athletic training requirements a lot of hours in the training room before you can sit for the exam. I think it is a license if I'm not mistaken. I know one person who years ago worked for minimum wage at a high school trying to get the field more established. She would do some work in a sports medicine clinic just doing whatever rehab exercises the PT's or OT's told her to do with their patients. That was back in 1996. With the economy in the dumps, I can imagine that athletic training programs get axed very quickly at large schools.

Regardless, most never get paid what they should unless they are working for a college or pro program.

Your right on the athletic training end. Its heavy on lab hours and training time before you even sit for the BOC exams that certify you as a trainer, then you get licensed by each state you wish to practice in at that, no easy task. I have 6 good friends I stay in touch with who are AT's and they all work in college settings and also do contract work with local high schools.

I do however see openings for at least 1-2 full-time AT jobs in the Sunday paper though for smaller colleges or high schools, so the job market is a little more oprotune for AT's it seems. Pay however may not be ideal.

Regardless of all that, I still sit on my 4th month of job searching (broke 60 applications last week) and have had 2 interviews to date, go figure that!

I have been trying to expand my job search as best I can but I have told time and time again to look like an expert/specialist in one area and go for those jobs that fit it. I guess its more effective in what employers want these days then a generalist I'm told.

My resume screams athletics, sports performance and strength & conditioning so thats kinda where I am stearing anyway. Its what I truly want so I guess its no harm done either.

My resume is linked below, please let me know if you see any issues with it as is.

http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/resumes/oregonpanthers/trainer

My cover letter has been reviewed and looked over/adjusted by 2 college career counslers so I am sure I am good on that front.