Reps and Rosaries: Coaching for Power
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Maxim Elramsisy
Team Cobb
The morning a Northwest Missouri State University athlete overslept and missed a meeting with his nutritionist, he didn't run extra sprints. After his workout, he sat in the office of Joe Quinlin, his strength and conditioning coach, writing a letter to his father and taking responsibility for the mistake, promising to fix it.
"We don't punish kids, we give them opportunities to get better," said Joe, 48.
Joe knows what the program demands because he came through it. As a Bearcat football player, he won national championships in 1998 and 1999, and now, 18 years into coaching at his alma mater, he works with athletes across the department.
“Don’t be afraid to fail!” The coach calls out during workouts. “Failure is an option here.”
“FAST” is printed on the back of players' workout uniforms, an acronym for Faithful, Assertive, Selfless and Tough. Faith is woven into his day. Twice a week after lunch, he leads an optional rosary in his classroom, adjacent to the weight room. Even while packing orders in his basement for his side business of fitness equipment sales, he listens to scripture.
“He could go to a top Division I program if he wanted to,” said Northwest men’s basketball head coach Matt Keeley. “But he’s a hometown guy and loves Maryville.”
Joe Quinlin, Northwest Missouri State University strength and conditioning coach, instructs the women’s basketball team on Sept. 25, 2026.
Joe Quinlin closes a Northwest Missouri men's football team practice with a huddle.
Joe Quinlin hosts a rosary with students in his classroom, adjacent to the weight room. A man of faith, he offers his space to hold prayer with student athletes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. “Dont sit next to same-sport athletes,” he instructed the students, allowing them to build bonds outside of their teams.
Joe Quinlin instructs members of Northwest men’s football team through an upper body mobilization exercise to prepare for their weight training.
Joe Quinlin works out in the same weight room as the student athletes. He completes his workouts in about 20 minutes in the time between workouts with student athletes.
Joe Quinlin keeps his championship rings on a shelf at home. This set includes rings that he won as a student and as a coach placed next to a beer can from his father’s hometown, Breda, Iowa.
Joe Quinlin explains the morning workout to Northwest Missouri women’s basketball players. They are his first group of athletes, bringing energy and intensity at 5:30 a.m.
Joe Quinlin passes by the locker of his oldest son, Derek Quinlin. Derek is a junior on the Northwest men's basketball team.
Joe and Derek Quinlin greet each other at the grey track. Derek, 20, is the oldest of Joe’s four children.
Joe Quinlin arrives first to the weight room and begins preparing for the morning's training sessions.
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