Reese Bridgman is in his sixth year as the Spartans’ strength and conditioning coach in 2013-14. Bridgman, who has 30 years of coaching experience in athletics at the high school, college and professional levels, oversees the strength and conditioning efforts for all 15 of Norfolk State’s sports programs.
During his first five years at NSU, former NSU players Don Carey and Kyle O’Quinn moved on to careers in the NFL and NBA, respectively, while both football and men’s basketball won their first-ever MEAC titles. NSU has won the MEAC all-sports award for its men’s programs during all five years of Bridgman’s tenure.
Bridgman previously served as the strength and conditioning coach for the Newport News Apprentice School’s football program from 2005-07. He was also the Builders defensive coordinator in 2007 after coaching the defensive line in 2005 and 2006.
Before moving to the Hampton Roads area, Bridgman was the head strength and conditioning coach for Central Florida from 1997-2003. Bridgman helped train 20 UCF football players who went on to make active NFL rosters, including the likes of Daunte Culpepper, Asante Samuel, Travis Fisher, Atari Bigby, Steve Edwards, Brandon Marshall and Rashad Jeanty. Other top-notch athletes he helped tutor at UCF include Major League pitcher Mike Maroth.
Along with his strength and conditioning expertise, Bridgman has an extensive background as a football coach at the high school, college and professional levels. Bridgman coached two seasons in the Arena Football League. He coached linemen and was the strength coach for the Orlando Predators in their ArenaBowl runner-up season of 1995. The following year, he worked in the same capacity for the Milwaukee Mustangs.
Bridgman’s one stint as a head football coach came at East Central Community College in his home state of Mississippi from 1992-94. He has also worked as an assistant football coach at NAIA Georgia Southwestern College and at a pair of Division II schools, Southeast Oklahoma State and East Texas State (now known as Texas A&M-Commerce). He also was men’s track coach during his tenure at Southeastern Oklahoma State.
Bridgman, a native of Tylertown, Miss., got his football coaching start at Hattiesburg (Miss.) Prep in 1983.
Bridgman is certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCA), and the National Association of Speed and Explosion (NASE). He was named a Master Strength and Conditioning Coach (MSCC) by the CSCCA on May 9, 2013. Bridgman was also recognized by the NSCA as a Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach with Distinction (RSCC*D) on June 17, 2011.
Bridgman received his bachelor’s degree in athletic administration and coaching from Southern Mississippi in 1985. He earned his master’s in physical education with an emphasis in exercise physiology from East Texas State (Texas A&M-Commerce) in 1986.
He and his wife, Kelly, reside in Chesapeake.
