PELLA—Central College's highly regarded strength and conditioning program is taking another step forward with the addition of Monica Ruiz as assistant strength and conditioning coach thanks to a unique partnership with Pella Community High School.
           

Ruiz, a 2016 Central graduate, most recently served as assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of New Haven (Conn.) where she received a master's degree in sport management.
           
She begins her new role May 12 and will help provide a strength and conditioning program for Pella High School's student-athletes. The partnership is made possible through generous support from Pella Corporation and the shareholder family as well as the Pella Booster Club.
           
The year-round program will provide the high school's student-athletes training and education in physical health, nutrition and mental health. It will also provide Central's strength and conditioning students internship opportunities in the profession. Central students majoring in exercise science can choose strength and conditioning as an area of emphasis and the college has numerous graduates in the profession.
           
"This is another way that Central can serve the Pella community and provide opportunities for our students as well," said athletics director Eric Van Kley. "We value our relationship with the community and deeply appreciate the support of Pella Corporation and the shareholder family along with the Pella Booster Club in making this program possible. We are so grateful for all they do for our community."
           
Ruiz joins a Central staff led by head strength and conditioning coordinator Kyle Johnson and assistant Charles Friday.
           
"Under Kyle's leadership, we believe Central's strength and conditioning program is among the best anywhere and adding Monica to the staff will make it even stronger," Van Kley said. "We're excited about what she can bring to this new program and confident that it will be tremendously beneficial for Pella's student-athletes as well as Central's students."
           
Ruiz began her job at New Haven in 2017 after serving as a graduate assistant for the 2016-17 academic year. She oversaw program design, warm-up routines, plyometrics, strength training, mobility and conditioning for athletes competing in women's basketball, field hockey and softball as well as for sprinters on the men's and women's track and field teams. Ruiz also supervised the university's summer strength and conditioning training sessions.
           
She is a competitive lifter as well, and in 2019 qualified for the USA Powerlifting Raw Nationals in Lombard, Illinois.
           
Ruiz is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and has received CPR, AED and first aid training through the American Red Cross.
           
While at Central, Ruiz was a strength and conditioning intern and was a four-time letterwinner in women's track and field, gaining all-America honors after helping the Dutch place seventh in the 4x400-meter relay at the NCAA Division III Championships. She was a seven-time Iowa Conference placewinner and three-time NCAA national meet qualifier. Ruiz was a three-time USTFCCCA all-academic honoree and academic all-conference honoree as well.