Jim Romero is the Director of Strength & Conditioning, Head Track Coach, and Associate Athletic Director at Harpeth Hall School (TN), an all-girls college-preparatory school in Nashville with a reputation of academic and athletic excellence. With over 25 years of experience in strength and conditioning and more than a decade spent at Harpeth Hall alone, Romero exemplifies what it means to balance athletic program management with coaching at the scholastic level. From cultivating resilience in young athletes to streamlining athletic budgets, Romero’s influence extends across every athletic activity on the campus.

“It’s a juggling act, but I enjoy all three roles,” says Romero. “It’s just a matter of staying the course, being proactive, and setting schedules and sticking to them.”

Romero’s Journey to Harpeth Hall

Romero’s path began in Southern California as an athlete, where his passion for coaching took root. After playing football and earning a degree at the University of Arizona in 1999, he started as a football and track coach at Tesoro High School. There, he honed his expertise in strength development, injury prevention, and sports-specific training, ultimately shaping programs that catered to a wide array of athletes. In 2010, Harpeth Hall School recognized his potential, bringing him on as their first full-time Director of Strength and Conditioning.

“Strength and conditioning was brand new to Harpeth Hall,” Romero says. “They had never had somebody on campus working full time with their athletes. That only lasted about two years before I was asked if I would you be interested in helping coach track. And so I said, ‘Yes, if we could make the schedule work,’ and it did.”

Rethinking Physical Education

At Harpeth Hall, physical education is an integrated part of the curriculum, the emphasis is on overall wellness and lifelong fitness. Students can fulfill their PE requirements by participating in sports or through structured physical education classes. For freshmen and sophomores, PE is embedded into their weekly schedules, with two dedicated strength training sessions a week led by Coach Romero. These weight room sessions focus on foundational movement patterns, promoting strength, agility, and injury prevention.

“At the end of the day, I want them to be able to leave this weight room and be able to have a true understanding of what they’ve done and how to do it in a weight room outside of the one they’ve been accustomed to for the past 4 years,” Romero says. “Whether it be on a school campus rec center or a gym somewhere else, I want them to know where to put different movements, why those movements go there, and which ones pair and don’t pair together.”

In the school’s “Life Balance Class,” students meet with counselors to explore topics like mental health, nutrition, and sleep. Initiatives like the “Feed the Bear” program provide athletes with post-workout recovery shakes. This integrated approach to physical education at Harpeth Hall engrains students with valuable knowledge about long-term health and wellness that they can use well-beyond high school.

“I love it because they ask why we do this, why we do that,” Romero says. “They’re not being disrespectful or trying to question what we’re doing. They just want to know the why behind it, and that carries over to the classroom. They want to learn.”

A Culture of Excellence For Female Athletes

As a leader in a girls-only school, Romero tailors his programs to follow the best practices for training any athlete. His programming for freshmen and sophomores focuses on movement literacy, while upperclassmen work towards sport-specific training and injury prevention techniques.

“Max velocity, acceleration and plyometric work, those are the three things that we implement into the program starting as freshmen,” Romero says. “As freshmen and sophomores, they’re learning how to jump and land correctly. As juniors and seniors, we’re going to implement a lot of things that go beyond just the basics.”

A Leader in Track and Field

In preparation for the upcoming Track season, Romero is focusing on organizing preseason training sessions and working with assistant coaches to cultivate a team culture that values effort and sportsmanship. With a training philosophy rooted in building foundational skills, athletes learn how to apply explosiveness for sprints and distance events, as well as technical movements for jumping and throwing. Under Romero’s supervision, Harpeth Hall’s track program is a dynamic space where young women can achieve socially and athletically.

“There are times throughout the training period when we will do fun competitions that will push them mentally and physically, Romero says. “One thing we do, but they know it’s going to be hard, is we use our assault bikes. It’s probably one of the hardest things you’ll ever do if someone challenges you to go all out for 30 seconds. We get all the girls in a circle, and they’re cheering on the person who’s on the bike. They’re trying to hit a certain number of calories or a certain speed on the bike in that 30 seconds.”

Wearing Multiple Hats: Strength Coach, Athletic Director, and Mentor

Balancing roles as the Director of Strength and Conditioning, Head Track Coach, and Associate Athletic Director requires focus, and Romero thrives in his multifaceted role. Beyond crafting training regimens, he oversees Harpeth Hall’s athletic budget, ensuring every program receives the resources it needs to succeed. Coordinating facility upgrades, weight room renovations, and replacing outdated equipment.

“At the end of the day, I see these girls more than than their head coaches do for their sports,” says Romero. “So I have the ability to speak into their lives, to influence them in a way that, hopefully, is positive. Being a male role model on a daily basis is honestly what brings me the most joy, what drives me. I am excited to show up every day.”

Romero’s Legacy of Impact

For Romero, success is measured by the relationships he builds and the lessons he imparts. As a mentor to hundreds of athletes, he prioritizes character development and resilience. His ability to connect with students fosters an environment where young women feel empowered to push past perceived limits and achieve their goals. Romero’s leadership at Harpeth Hall is a testament to the profound impact of dedicated coaching and thoughtful sports management.