Cool Cat: James Fakkema
Interview by Noah Wright | Photos by James Fakkema
James Fakkema, a former athlete for the football team, graduated in 2018. No longer a player, Fakkema returned last year not only to work as an assistant strength and conditioning coach, but also, “to give back to the program that I was a part of for 5 years,” he says.
Where are you from initially?
Blaine, WA
What did you study while attending CWU?
Exercise Science
What drew you towards your degree?
Jason Dudley was the first strength coach that I worked with here at Central. He was hired halfway through my first year. At the time I had not decided on a field of study, and after a short conversation with him about his career path I decided to declare for the exercise science major and start my path towards being a strength coach.
How have things changed around campus since you attended?
Things haven’t changed too much in my opinion, other than some significant upgrades to a few older buildings. It still has the small-campus feel, which is one of the things I enjoyed about it during undergrad.
What drew you to coming back to work for CWU?
It was a combination of the opportunity to stay in Washington and the connections I already had in the athletic department.
Do you have any advice for students in regard to navigating school?
Don’t procrastinate, but remember to have fun. Best piece of advice I can give is to make a schedule, stick to it and prioritize time for yourself just as you would for homework or other activities.
Do you have any advice for students in regard to strength and conditioning?
Keep it simple. There’s a lot of noise out there, especially on social media, with people doing some crazy, and even dangerous, exercises. Nothing will work as well as mastering the basics. Also recover with the same intent that you train with, gains are made during the recovery process, so don’t neglect hydration, eating right and getting enough sleep. And finally stop doing burpees.
Is there anything else to add?
Go Cats!