Want to know one of the most common qualities you’ll see from great coaches? They spend a lot more time talking about other people than themselves. Another one is when they establish themselves through athlete production in meets instead of posturing on social media. Andy Coggins checks both of those boxes.
 
Olympic weightlifting in the southern US has a long, proud history. Some of the strongest programs we’ve ever had in this country come from the south. Gayle Hatch Weightlifting Club in Louisiana, Coffee’s Gym and Team Savannah in Georgia, Team Florida, LSU-Shreveport…and several others over the last few decades. Andy’s Allsouth Barbell Club is the newest wave in this storied tradition.
 
I’ve been saying for years: if you want to know who the best coaches are, just go to the Nationals and find the ones who basically spend the whole weekend in the warmup room. These are the coaches who have qualified gangs of athletes to the biggest stage in the country. Any coach can have ONE stud. You just have to be lucky enough to have a thoroughbred walk into your gym. But when coaches start showing up with big groups of high-level lifters, that means they’re not just looking for a stud. They’re building a program.
 
That’s exactly what’s going on at Allsouth, and Andy is the coach driving it all. The Performance Menu is pleased to share his story with you.
 
Tell us about your background. Where are you from, where do you currently live, what’s
your occupation, family life, what kind of sports background do you have outside of lifting,
etc.

I am from the southside of Atlanta, Georgia. I currently live on the northside in Sandy Springs, Georgia. I am a full-time weightlifting coach and gym owner. My sports background is football, wrestling, as well as track and field (primarily the throwing events). I also have coaching experience in football and throwing.
 
Describe your weightlifting history, as either a coach or athlete. When/how did you start?
Who have your coaches been? What are your proudest accomplishments?

I started learning about weightlifting after the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Most of my early development in strength with the barbell came in the high school weight room. Our strength coaches believed in the snatch, clean, and jerk. Granted, the coaching was not the best, but they knew the benefit of performing these movements, so we did them! After high school. I got away from the barbell for a bit, dabbling in bodybuilding before making my way back in toward powerlifting and strongman. Later, meeting a lifelong friend, Brandon Connor, who helped rekindle my love for the Olympic movements even pushed me into my first meet in 2010, I believe. Little did I know the man who would become my coach was there watching that day. I always heard about Coffee’s Gym and started making weekly trips there to train. After a few sessions there, John Coffee finally started speaking to me. He took an interest in where I was from and introduced me to my coach, Ben Green. Ben has been my coach ever since, and still laughs at me for not knowing he lived in my hometown the entire time! I have had many people help me and allow me to ask the numerous questions I’ve had since beginning, and continue to meet and learn from new people every year. Even observing them at meets, I pick things up from some great coaches. My proudest accomplishments all have to do with my athletes. Developing talent to the international level, and teaching lifters how to coach all levels while seeing them apply that knowledge brings me so much joy!
 
Please give a basic description of your training method. Just tell us as much as you can
about your program, weekly/yearly planning, etc.
My training method works on yearly macro cycles. We capture an athlete’s goals, lay them out across a calendar and set markers across each cycle we want to hit. The intensity of each athlete’s work is entirely dependent upon their goals, training age, strength and overall health. Each athlete is different and requires a different stimulus to find training balance and progress over time. As we all know, in weightlifting it’s the athlete that can train consistently for the longest that ends up making the most progress. We find the physiological changes and mental development of athletes working in the same system for 5-10 years is much more than an athlete with no direction. We speak that into our athletes and grow their knowledge of what it takes to be the best athlete they can be. Whether your lifetime best snatch is 150kg or 70kg, both take time. There is no rush.
 
Describe some of the obstacles you face, or maybe some things that frustrate you in your
weightlifting life. What kinds of changes would you like to see, either personally or with the sport in general?
The introduction of social media in the weightlifting world has brought on some amazing insights into athletes all around the world, coaching knowledge, and access to more information. It has also brought on many challenges in the realm of coaching. Athletes see others moving heavier loads, or doing gimmick exercises and think they should be doing that as well. All too often this leads to discouragement of the beginner and intermediate lifter. Taking time to educate athletes on what they are seeing and why they may be doing something different is important if keeping athletes engaged and encouraged in the sport. As far as changing this, I know there is no way we can change it! Personally, I don’t have much I’d like to change. I love the sport and the direction we are headed with our international presence, coaching development and growth.
 
What are your plans and goals for your weightlifting career? How do you see your future in the sport?
I plan to continue working to grow athletes and coaches on all levels of the sport. I want to get to the highest level of international competition. Knowing that’s just as dependent on having the right athlete as having the right systems in place to support those athletes, it’s just a waiting game! Until then, I’ll continue to develop everyone I have to the top of their potential in the time I have them. Continuing to grow myself as a coach, my business, and what we provide to athletes in their pursuit of greatness.
 
Who are some of your major influences, people you look up to, etc.? Who are the people you want to thank for your success?
My biggest influences are Ben Green, Brandon Connor, Travis Cooper, and Walt Neubauer, Taylor Stephens, Ben Podbeilski, and my father Barry Coggins, and my mother Kelley Boykin. All of these people have had a substantial impact on my life, how I coach, why I coach, and how I run my business. I want to thank my coach Ben Green for teaching me how to lift, how to teach the lifts, and having the patience to teach me to lead. All the above influencers for their part in my development from educating me, to hard conversations about business and life...but most of all I want to thank my athletes at Allsouth Barbell. The family we have created in the gym and team is second to none. The culture drives success from top to bottom. I am so proud of them, and what they have become.
 
Clubs like yours are the lifeblood of USA Weightlifting, Andy. Keep up the good work and best of luck to you!