Who are Walter Norton and Brian Doo? No, they aren't a comedy team... They are the Celtics team of strength and conditioning coaches. In this final article on the Celtics assistants, we take a look a these two. They have both been with the Celtics for 4 years now and you just have to look at the before and after photos of Perk to see that they can do great things with a player if that player is willing to work.
We also see their handiwork in Al's revamped body and conditioning. He dropped 20 lbs and added muscle and we saw the difference in his ability to run the floor and not get winded this past season.
We read their names all the time in articles about the Celtics' players, but who are these guys? First and foremost they are the strength and conditioning coaches for the team. They are the guys responsible for the workouts that keep the players in shape. They are the guys who helped turn Perk from a chubby kid to a rock wall. They are the guys who helped Al to slim down while adding some muscle. They are the guys who try to keep all the players in shape during the season and the off season.
Bryan Doo will be starting his 5th season as Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Boston Celtics. He was named to the position on August 3, 2003.
Prior to joining the Celtics, Doo founded Optimal Fitness in Waltham, MA, which specializes in home personal training and post physical therapy. He also served as the Wellness Director at the Harvard Business School from 1998-2001 and spent three seasons as the Assistant Women’s Lacrosse Coach.
Doo earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Sports and Exercise Science in 1995 from Messiah College in Pennsylvania, while also minoring in Business. He is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) from the National Strength & Conditioning Association.
In his spare time, Doo enjoys playing ultimate Frisbee, surfing, yoga and spending time with his nieces and nephews. Brian is a very devout Christian and shares his faith openly both with his words and his actions.
Brian Doo says this about his goals:
"I have found that my biggest goal with players is to change their mindset from "playing will get me better" to
"working on my body will allow me to get better""
Here is another quote from Brian Doo from a Messiah College alumni paper:
"I have been in a great, but challenging situation where the players’ ages range from 18–36. This has allowed me to teach the young players how to train hard, since they really are coming from a place of no training. Last year one of our players lost 50 pounds of fat, dropped 12 percent body fat, and increased his vertical jump by six inches. Coming out directly from high school and taking the year to get in shape has really changed his outlook on himself and his future. Some players have come from various other teams, so you are constantly trying to find a way to implement your training style and beliefs with them without losing their trust. Players have rituals and things that got them there beliefs, so there is a fine line on how you approach them."
Without a doubt, he is talking about Perk. He really did make himself completely over. What an amazing difference. And this past season, we saw another amazing transformation in Al Jefferson and we saw the result of that in his attitude and his conditioning. This seaon, we may see a new and improved Big Baby as a result of working with this pair.
Walter Norton, Jr. Is also beginning his 5th season as Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Boston Celtics. He was named to the position on August 3, 2003, the same day as Brian Doo.
Norton is a founding partner of Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning, one of the nation’s largest private strength and conditioning facilities which trains professional athletes in the NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB, WNBA, WUSA and MLS. They also prepared 25 athletes for the 1998 and 2002 Olympic Games. Prior to joining the Celtics, Norton spent three seasons as the Strength and Conditioning Coach of the WUSA’s Boston Breakers. Before moving to the Breakers, Norton spent three seasons in the MLS serving as the New England Revolution’s Strength and Conditioning Coach. Norton also served as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Boston Bruins in 1998.
Norton received his Bachelor’s Degree in Human Movement from Boston University in 1993. He currently resides in Boston, MA.
Walter is a featured speaker and presenter nationwide and is known for his passionate and enthusiastic approach to training.
So, when you hear about Big Baby or Perk losing weight, gaining muscle and being in great shape, you will know that Brian Doo or Walter Norton are behind them, pushing them, and guiding them to be the best they can be.