Her Story
About Lindsey
Lindsay Kirschman is the Director of Sports Performance and Strength and Conditioning Coach for the University of Utah Utes, where she works exclusively with the women's basketball team. She has spent five seasons at the University of Utah following earlier roles at a lower-level Division I program for one year and eight years coaching at the high school level, totaling nearly 15 years in the field. Kirschman earned her bachelor's degree in environmental science from the University of Washington in 2010 and her master's degree in education in 2013. She holds the CSCS certification as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and is a member of the NSCA. Her path into the profession began with a non-traditional background as a track athlete who initially pursued graduate studies in range science before shifting to education and full-time coaching. Kirschman attributes her success to the guidance of strong mentors and coaches who challenged her while providing support, and she strives to offer the same to her athletes. She emphasizes core values of courage, freedom, and authenticity in her leadership and daily work with athletes, focusing on genuine connection, humility, and adaptability amid the changing landscape of collegiate athletics.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Lindsey
01What do you attribute your success to?
I've had a lot of amazing coaches myself. That's the only reason I can be successful in what I'm doing. I look at the people who have made an impact and moved the needle in my life, and it's the people who have challenged me, but stood beside me as they've done so, and helped me achieve and accomplish the challenge. So, I just strive to do the same thing for the people that I'm around now.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is this constant theme of being humble. It means being confidently hungry. You're always eager to crave constructive feedback, advice, the chance to try something new and grow and develop your skill and your art. But you don't do it in a way that your head is down and you don't believe in yourself. Model what it looks like to stand tall in the world and boldly step into a challenge, but in a way that you know is going to challenge you and push you to grow, not in a cocky way. That balance of confidence and humility of stepping into a room, believing that you belong there, but also always seeking out advice and being more observant than anybody else in the room, and asking great questions.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be the most genuine person that you can be. You definitely need to ask for feedback and advice and direction, but you need to make sure that it's not a one-sided transaction, that you give something back as well. There's a spirit of reciprocity. Be genuine. Athletes are the quickest to sniff out a fake. Finding a way to be the most genuine version of yourself in the most appropriate way possible is a goldmine in terms of being follow-worthy as a leader.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is navigating constant change in collegiate athletics. It used to be the case where you had an athlete for 4 years, and you could develop them over time, and that's just simply not the case anymore. It's rare where that happens, so you might get a transfer that you might have for a year, or maybe 2 years if you're lucky. Sometimes you get freshmen that stay, but it's kind of less common now that we have NIL deals and that kind of stuff. You just coach the person in front of you, to the best of your ability, and whether you've had that person for a year or 3 years, it doesn't really matter, your job doesn't change that much.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My core values are courage, freedom, and authenticity. If I'm going to be a leader, those values should be evident in every single thing I do. They should be evident in the way I live my life in general, outside of work, evident in the way I coach and lead a group of people, and evident in the programs that I'm writing. Live in integrity, and that means that's dependent on your own personal values, so it's gonna look a little bit different for every person, but it should be consistent.
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