Football
- Title:
- Director, Sports Performance
- Phone:
- 205-348-3600
Regarded among the best in the field, David Ballou joined the Alabama program in March of 2020 as the Director of Sports Performance after two years at Indiana University where he was the Director of Athletic Performance.
In his fifth year with Alabama, Ballou brings a scientific approach to the Crimson Tide’s tradition of hard work and dedication that is put towards maximizing genetic potential. Ballou implements Coach DeBoer’s offseason program, which is still called the “Fourth-Quarter Program.”
Ballou and his entire strength and conditioning staff work in unison with sports medicine and performance nutrition to create the optimal high-performance model for training and development. At Alabama, Ballou oversees the Crimson Tide’s 37,000-square-foot weight room that was updated in the spring of 2023 with Elite Form 3-D camera systems and a full line of 1080 Sprint equipment and technology.
The newly renovated state-of-the-art facility is comprised of a weight room that is highlighted by 30 one-of-a-kind racks which feature platforms built into the ground for a level surface that provides a safer training environment. It also features a dedicated sports science space which is comprised of the most innovative technology in human performance. The weight room also has a state-of-the-art performance nutrition center to fuel Alabama student-athletes plus physicians’ offices and strength and conditioning offices.
During his time at Alabama, Ballou has developed two Heisman Trophy Winners, a Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line, Maxwell Award winner, Walter Camp Player of the Year, and winners of the Unitas Golden Arm Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Paul Hornung Award, Outland Trophy, Biletnikoff Award, Rimington Trophy, and the Doak Walker Award. Also, during his tenure at Alabama, the Crimson Tide won the 2020 National Championship and the 2020, 2021 and 2023 SEC Championship. During his career, he has worked with 14 first round draft picks and just over 80 current NFL players.
While overseeing the Hoosiers, 11 players earned All-Big Ten honors in 2019 as Indiana went 8-5 and played in the Gator Bowl, the team’s first Florida bowl game. IU’s eight wins were also its most since 1993. Four IU standouts moved on to the NFL under Ballou, including Washington Redskins fourth-round pick Wes Martin.
Prior to Indiana, Ballou spent 2017 as Notre Dame’s co-director of football strength and conditioning. In his lone season in South Bend, the Fighting Irish went 10-3 with a victory over LSU in the Citrus Bowl. Notre Dame had posted a 4-8 record prior to his arrival. During his time with the Fighting Irish, Ballou helped develop a Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line, honoring the best line in the country. Two of those linemen, guard Quenton Nelson (6) and tackle Mike McGlinchey (9), were drafted in the top 10 of the 2018 NFL Draft while four ND players were selected overall.
Before his time in college, Ballou worked as the head football strength and conditioning coach at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., for two years, helping both the 2015 and 2016 teams go undefeated. In 2015, IMG finished the season being ranked 7th in the country. In 2016, IMG was ranked 4th in the country. Ballou coached 11 players at IMG that are currently on NFL rosters.
Ballou’s longest tenure was at Avon (Ind.) High School from 2002-14. During his time as the strength and conditioning coach, the teams won six state championships in multiple sports and seven others were finalists. He assisted in the development of 80 Division I athletes. In 2014, Ballou was a finalist for the NSCA National High School Strength Coach of the Year.
A graduate of Indiana in 2001, Ballou played fullback for the Hoosiers from 1997-99 and was recognized as the Hoosier Strength Challenge Champion. Ballou earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology while in Bloomington and obtained a master’s degree in human movement from A.T. Still University in 2009.
Ballou has been a certified strength and conditioning specialist since 2001. He is married to the former Leah Horn, a Bloomington, Ind., native who was a pole vaulter and graduate at Indiana. The couple has two daughters, Mallory and Aubrey.
