Anthony Decker was elevated to the director of speed, strength and conditioning in August 2016. He oversees the Chanticleer student-athletes’ physical improvement for all 19 athletic programs while working specifically with the football program.
Decker joined the Chanticleer staff in June 2016 as the co-director of speed, strength and conditioning for the Chanticleer athletic programs prior to being elevated in August of 2016.
Decker has more than 30 years of collegiate strength and conditioning experience at the Division I level and is a former National Strength Coach of the Year (1998).
Prior to coming to Coastal Carolina, Decker served as the head strength and conditioning coach at Susquehanna University from 2015-16. While there, he directed and coordinated strength, speed, agility and conditioning efforts for all 23 varsity sports. Additionally, he served as an adjunct faculty member in the department of biology.
Decker also spent five years from 2006-11 at Temple University, where he was directly responsible for the strength, speed, power and flexibility of the football team. He also oversaw two weight rooms while supervising several assistants and student interns. Decker coached 17 Temple players that went on to play in the National Football League (NFL).
Prior to his years at Temple, Decker was the director of strength and conditioning at the University of Virginia (1998 – 2002). He coordinated daily operations of the weight room, designed and implemented strength and conditioning programs for the football program and supervised a staff of six assistants.
During his years at Virginia, Decker worked with several NFL draft picks including Heath Miller, D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Matt Schaub. It was not Decker’s first stop at Virginia as he also spent one year there as a graduate assistant in 1985-86.
From 1988-98, Decker was the head strength and conditioning coach and assistant athletic trainer at the University of Delaware. While there, he worked with the football and men’s and women’s basketball teams, and was twice honored as the conference’s Strength Coach of the Year. In addition, he was also named the regional and national Strength Coach of the Year one season. Decker worked with all 22 men’s and women’s varsity sports and was charged with program design, speed, agility and flexibility training.
On top of his many years as a strength and conditioning coach, Decker also spent time as an instructor at both Delaware and East Stroudsburg University.
Upon leaving Temple in July of 2011, Decker co-founded ADAPT (Athletic Development and Performance Training) in New Jersey. He served as a strength and conditioning coach and consultant to several teams and individual athletes at the youth, college and professional levels.
Decker graduated from East Stroudsburg University in 1983 with a degree in health and physical education with a concentration in athletic training. In 1986, he received his master’s degree in athletic training and sports medicine with a concentration in strength and conditioning.
Decker has been a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) since 1991, a certified club coach with the United States of America Weightlifting Federation since 1991 and a certified senior coach with the United States of America Weightlifting Federation since 1994. He has also been a certified athletic trainer through the National Athletic Trainers’ Association since 1983.
Decker is married to Kate Decker, who has 20 years of experience in strength and conditioning and flexibility, as well as in muscle therapy. She has spent time working with the Philadelphia Eagles and at Temple University.
