The Strength Game

Rick Howard is an Associate Professor in Applied Sports Science at West Chester University (PA), Sports Performance Coordinator, and Coaching Minor Advisor. Starting at West Chester University in 2014, he is also a visiting professor at Reykhavik University, Iceland and a Fellow of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Previously, Howard served as a teacher at Keilir Health Academy in Iceland from 2015-2023, fitness director at Wilmington Country Club in Philadelphia, PA from 2014-2020 and director of athletics at School District of Philadelphia from 2003-2011.Over the course of his career, Howard has taught K-8 health and physical education, coached middle school sports, and strength and conditioning for middle school, high school, and college. He is a founding member and past Chair of the NSCA Youth Special Interest Group and Chair of the NSCA State Provincial Director Committee, where he was the Mid-Atlantic Region Coordinator. He has been a lead instructor for CSCS exam prep since 2014 and currently sits on the NSCA strongman, special populations, educators and LTAD, Special Interest Group committees in addition to being a liaison to the high school state and provincial director program. He presents nationally and internationally on youth training, LTAD, and strongman, and has contributed several articles to peer-reviewed journals and blogs on the topics.Howard is a master's strongman competitor and has been training and competing in the sport for over ten years. He is an avid lifter and enjoys walking his 2 dogs when he is not training in the weight room or teaching.Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comSport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Tanner Care is the Director of Performance for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL) as well as well as the Director of Performance for the Vancouver Bandits of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). Care joined the BC Lions in summer 2025 and began working with the Bandits in early 2023. Previously, Care was the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach at Simon Fraser University from 2021-2025 after being promoted after initially serving two years as an assistant coach. Prior to SFU, he was the head strength and conditioning coach for the University of Ottawa rugby team from 2020-2021 in addition to performance coach at the Titan Performance Centre. He began his coaching career as a postgraduate intern at Elite Performance Academy in Ottawa from 2016-2017 before moving on to become an assistant strength coach for football at North Prep School from 2017-2020. In addition to his experience working in professional and collegiate sport, Care is passionate about providing value in the realm of continuing education, presenting for companies such as the NSCA and Hawkin Dynamics and several universities. He is also an advisory team member for the Canadian Strength & Conditioning Association (CSCA). A former collegiate football player at the University of Ottawa, Care continues to stay active himself in the weight room and trains in high frequency training model while balancing his dual coaching roles and their intensive season schedules. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comSport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

John Bloom is the Founder and Head Strength Coach of Elevated Athlete Development LLC. Based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Elevated Athlete Development offers coaching services for athletes and mentoring for coaches alike, and is committed to developing the whole athlete, fostering success in athletics and life. Bloom is the former Director of Sports Performance and head of men's basketball at Oral Roberts University from 2023-2024. Prior to ORU he was the assistant strength coach for men's basketball at Texas Tech University from 2022-2023. Bloom got his start as an assistant strength coach at Prince of Peace School in Carrollton, TX serving two stints in both 2015 and 2018 before interning at his alma mater, Abilene Christian University from 2017-2019. He was promoted to full-time assistant in 2019, serving in that position for two years before becoming the director of sports performance for men's and women's basketball at Weber State University from 2021-2022. Bloom is also the author of “Strength in Numbers: Insight from Top Coaches on How to Build Your Career, Handle Failure, and Achieve Long-Term Coaching Success.”A former football player at Abilene Christian University, Bloom continues to stay active in his spare time training and enjoys playing basketball, spikeball and pickleball when he's not in the weight room. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comSport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Brandon Reyes is an Assistant Football Strength & Conditioning Coach at Colorado University. Reyes came to Boulder in 2023 and in addition to his coaching responsibilities, he coordinates and oversees the sports science integration for the Buffs football program. He spent the previous season as an assistant director of football strength and conditioning at Purdue University and two seasons as the assistant strength coach at Army West Point working with the football program from 2020-2022. Reyes got his coaching start at the University of West Florida as an intern before being promoted to graduate assistant coach from 2018-2020. While at UWF, he was a part of the football team that won the 2019 Division II National Championship. He also garnered experience as the football strength and conditioning coach at Fort Walton Beach High School and Booker T. Washington High School in Florida.Reyes is a lifelong athlete, avid training enthusiast and former competitive Olympic weightlifter. He continues to remain deeply invested in his own training through primarily Olympic weightlifting all while using his own training to find the best approach to impact the student-athletes he works with and stay active himself. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comSport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Madison Peele is an Assistant Sports Performance Coach at the University of Southern California. Peele joined the Trojans in 2022 where she works with the beach volleyball, women's tennis, women's water polo, women's cross country, and men's cross-country programs. Peele arrived at USC, after completing a Graduate Assistant position at Florida State University. She first began as a student intern coach in 2020 and before being promoted to a graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach working with the Olympic sports. During her time as FSU she was also heavily involved on the sports science side of performance, serving as a graduate research assistant from one year in addition to working as a tactical strength coach with Florida State's ROTC program and Bravo Company's Cadets. She started her career as a student volunteer at East Carolina in 2019 and from there interned as a tactical strength coach at Fort Bragg assisting with the training for combat engineers, intelligence, combat support and the 1-7 air defense artillery Soldiers. Peele is active herself in and out of the weight room. She's lifts 3-4x a week trying out new exercises, methods, and programs, and runs 5-6x a week, trying to accomplish new challenges and goals she has set for herself, while balancing the rigors of the collegiate coaching schedule. She is an avid lifter and enjoys painting, surfing, and hanging out with her 2 dogs when she is not training in the weight room. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comSport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Conor Hughes is the Head Football Strength & Conditioning Coach at Army West Point. Hughes is in his eighth overall season and sixth as the Head S&C Coach for the Black Knights being named to his current role in 2019 after serving two years as an assistant. He was the head strength and conditioning at the University at Albany for six seasons, where he directed training for the football and men's basketball teams, prior to joining the Black Knights. Prior to Albany, Hughes was the head strength coach at Iona College in 2010 working with all 21 Division I sports. He began his career as intern on the football strength staff at Georgia Southern University in 2008. From there Hughes was a graduate assistant strength coach at the University at Albany from 2008-2009 before being promoted to full-time assistant before joining Iona. Hughes is a former college football player and was a four-year member of the Springfield College football team. Hughes is active himself and continues to train with his strength staff trains while balancing the rigors of the college football season. He is an avid lifter and enjoys being a dad and shooting guns when he is not training in the weight room. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comSport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Colin Kenyon is the Associate Director of Football Strength and Conditioning at Tulane University. Kenyon came to the Green Wave in spring 2024 after spending the previous two seasons working as an assistant football strength coach at Troy University as well as two seasons in a similar role at the University of Illinois from 2021-2022. Prior to joining the Fighting Illini, he spent two seasons at Army West Point working with the football program, after interning with the Army Black Knights in both the summer of 2018 and summer 2019. Kenyon also garnered experience as an intern strength coach his junior and senior year at Merrimack College and during the summer of 2017 at Mike Boyle Strength. A former defensive lineman at Merrimack College, Kenyon continues to train and stay active himself while balancing the rigors of the collegiate coaching schedule. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comSport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Cole Hergott is the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Trinity Western University in Langley, BC, Canada. He is entering his sixth season at TWU overseeing all 14 teams and over 300 athletes. Prior Trinity Western he spent time as an intern coach at Simon Fraser University in 2018 and student intern coach at TWU from 2015-2018. Hergott was the head strength coach at a private facility in Langley, BC, Canada, Coastal Athletics from 2016-2018 as well as strength coach at Meadowridge School in 2018. Hergott is heavily involved in the profession outside of just coaching. He was a Board Member for the Canadian Strength & Conditioning Association (CSCA) as well as an Advisory Board Member for the BC Provincial for the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA). He has also written multiple articles for both Simplifaster and Teambuildr and been featured on multiple podcasts and spoken at conferences on topics ranging from speed training in large groups to developing weight room culture. A former Olympic weightlifting competitor for five years, he retired last year after the birth of his second daughter, but continues to train and stay active. He is an avid lifter and enjoys being active with his family by going for walks and bike rides with his wife kids when he is not training in the weight room.Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comSport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Jared Heumann is the Director of Strength and Conditioning at UT Permian Basin where he oversees the training for the football and the women's basketball team. Heumann arrived at UTPB in 2020 as a graduate assistant coach and was promoted to full-time assistant in 2021 and later took over as the head strength and conditioning coach after one year before being named the director of strength and conditioning in 2023. Prior to arriving at UTPB, he served as an assistant coach at Shippensburg University in 2020. He's also spent time as an intern coach at Binghamton University from 2018-2020 and in the private sector at BX Strength and Speed Development in 2017.A former college football player at Hartwick College, Heumann continues to train himself in the weight room. He is an avid lifter and enjoys cooking when he is not training in the weight room. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comSport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Connor Gettemy is the Director of Sports Performance at Flagler College.  Arriving in in 2019, he is entering his sixth year overseeing the sports performance department where he is also in charge of training the men's basketball, volleyball, women's soccer, women's tennis, and women's lacrosse programs. Gettemy began his career in the collegiate sector as an intern coach at both Hofstra University and Robert Morris University in 2014.  Gettemy was an assistant strength coach at Waldorf University from 2014-2016. He transitioned to working in the private sector as a sports performance coach at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Pennsylvania from 2016-2017 before returning to the college as an assistant coach at the University of North Florida in 2017, prior to relocating to Flagler.A former college rugby player at Hofstra University and competitive bodybuilder, Gettemy is active in the weight room and trains/conditions four times a week while balancing the rigors of the collegiate coaching schedule.  He enjoys spending time with his wife, Courtney, when he is not training in the weight room.Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comSport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Brian Roller is the Assistant Director of Sports Performance at Jacksonville University where he oversees the training for the Dolphins' baseball, women's soccer, and beach volleyball programs. Roller joined JU in 2021 first as an assistant coach before being promoted to assistant director in 2023. He spent two years as an assistant coach at High Point University after completed his graduate assistantship at St. John's University from 2017-2019. Additionally, Roller has garnered experience as an intern coach at Quinnipiac University in 2018, Wake Forest University from 2016-2017, and Strides of CNY in Syracuse, NY from 2015-2016. In addition to his collegiate coaching responsibilities, Roller is a Certified Cancer Exercise Trainer (CET), helping cancer outpatients return to full strength and normal life following their lengthy hospital treatments. He is also the owner and head coach of Lighthouse Performance Systems which offers athletes and patients alike online programs and educational content.  Roller is a former college hockey player, playing forward for the Cortland Ice Hockey team from 2010-2013. He continues to train as a coach, nowadays focusing on furthering his education as a strength & Conditioning coach and Cancer Exercise specialist and enjoys lifting and touring Jacksonville in his free time.  Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Sport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comCerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Rashan Chanyothi is an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Temple University where he oversees the training for the field hockey, crew and gymnastics programs. In addition to his teams, he serves as the internship coordinator and an Adjunct Instructor in the Kinesiology Physical Activity Program at Temple. Prior to Temple, Chanyothi was an assistant sports performance coach at Georgetown University from 2021-2022. Additionally, he was a full-time intern coach at Army West Point from 2020-2021 after spending 2019-2020 as a dual strength and conditioning coach/sports science graduate intern at the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to his positions in college, Chanyothi spent time as a personal trainer and a strength and conditioning coach in the private sector in the Greater Philadelphia area.As a former wrestler and a stint playing rugby at Temple, Chanyothi understood the importance and benefits of strength training for performance. Chanyothi is an avid lifter himself, previously training in powerlifting and currently competing as an 89kg Olympic weightlifter. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Sport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comCerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Natalie Portwood is an Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach at the University of South Dakota. Portwood works with the ‘Yotes women's basketball and women's soccer teams in addition to being the first assistant for football. She joined South Dakota in the summer of 2022 after spending the previous year and a half as a sports performance graduate assistant at Southeastern Oklahoma State University where she oversaw the basketball, volleyball and softball programs while also assisting with football. Portwood also garnered experience as an intern coach at both the University of North Texas and her alma mater, the University of Nevada, Reno. A self-proclaimed failed athlete, Portwood got into the weight room in college and continues to love training. She is an avid lifter and enjoys golfing and being outdoors when she is not training in the weight room.Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Sport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comCerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Haili Wimer is the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Saint Mary's High School in Bismarck, ND. Prior to SMCHS, Wimer worked in the collegiate setting as an assistant strength coach at Florida International University from May 2023-January 2024 working with beach volleyball, women's basketball, indoor volleyball, and assisted with football. Prior to FIU she was an GA transitioned into an assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of South Dakota from August 2022-May 2023. While there, Wimer took the lead with men's basketball, volleyball, track and field while assisting with football, softball, soccer, and swim/dive.Joining the Army National Guard in 2014 and earning her Commission in 2023, Wimer currently serves as a Field Artillery Officer in the South Dakota National Guard at the rank of Second Lieutenant. Wimer is a former collegiate track athlete at Northern State University competing in the 400, 4x400, and 400 hurdles. She is an avid baker, book reader, and music lover and continues to lift weights and develop/maintain power as well as reluctantly do cardio occasionally to train and stay active. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Sport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comCerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Sam Romanski is the Assistant Director of Strength & Conditioning at Stetson University working directly with the men's basketball, beach volleyball, Men's Soccer, men's golf, women's golf programs in addition to assisting with football. Romanski came to Stetson in 2022 following a stint with the University of Wisconsin football team as an intern strength coach for the 2021 season. Prior to that he was a graduate assistant coach at North Dakota State University from 2020-2021, primarily working with the football and track & field programs. Romanski got his coaching career started as a Strength and conditioning intern at his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire from 2016-2017. From there he garnered experience as an intern at Stanford University in 2018 with football and basketball, and with the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire sports performance department in 2019. An athlete in his own right, Romanski is a former two-time NCAA Division III football All-American at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He is an avid beach goer and continues to strength train and stay active. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Sport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comCerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Lilly Bernardi is an Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach at Hofstra University. Bernardi works with the Pride's women's soccer, baseball, women's lacrosse, men's golf, track & field and cross country teams in addition to being the internship program coordinator for the Hofstra strength and conditioning department and an adjunct professor. She rejoined the Hofstra staff in 2022 as a full-time coach after previously serving as a graduate assistant from 2020-2021 as well as a volunteer coach. Between her stints at Hofstra, she was an assistant coach on the strength and conditioning staff at Fordham University for one season. She also worked as a senior intern at the Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, NJ in 2019 before shifting to collegiate coaching. Bernardi was a four-year member of the TCNJ women's lacrosse team from 2016-2020, where she was a three-year starter for the Lions and a key member of two Final Four teams. She has since her playing days continued to stay active, training during the collegiate season as well as competing in powerlifting.Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Sport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comCerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Nat Sauberan is the Assistant Director of Athletic Performance at Gardner-Webb University where he works with the men's and women's basketball and wrestling programs, in addition to supervising the intern coach over men's soccer. Before GWU, Sauberan was the head football strength & conditioning coach at Morehead State University for one season. He served as a graduate assistant coach at Belhaven University for two years from 2021-2023 where he worked with the Blazers football, men's basketball, men's and women's soccer, and track & field programs. Sauberan got his coaching career started as a strength and conditioning intern at Yale University in 2021 and has also completed internships with the University of Pittsburgh's football program as a sports science intern and paid intern at Sanford Power in Bismarck, North Dakota. Sauberan is an avid lifter and enjoys traveling and finding cool places to eat with his wife and dog when he is not training in the weight room. He has competed in classic physique and continues to train with the goal of learning to dunk a basketball. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Sport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comCerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Sam Jeffries is the Director of Strength & Conditioning at the University of Detroit Mercy. Jeffries came to Detroit Mercy from Elizabeth City State University where he was the assistant athletic director for sports performance where he developed the university's first sports performance program, integrating the athletic training, strength and conditioning and sports nutrition programs for the varsity teams. Prior to that he was the director of athletic performance at Godspeed Elite Sports Academy in Hoover, AL from 2020-2022 where he worked with teams and individuals at the middle, high school and collegiate level, including professional football players. He began his career as a graduate assistant coach at Salisbury University before taking over as director of sports performance at Perfect Performance in Tysons Corner, VA in 2017 before leading the strength and conditioning department at Mary Baldwin University from 2018-2020. Jeffries also garnered experience as an intern strength coach at James Madison University (2020), Temple University (2017), and Georgetown University (2015). Jeffries played football at Greensboro College earning academic All-Conference honors twice. As a coach, he continues to train mainly utilizing a lot of Olympic lifting, running and basketball as well incorporating a lot more yoga and movement into his training recently. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Sport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comCerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Ron Dickson is the Assistant Athletic Director for Strength & Conditioning for Olympic Sports at Virginia Tech. At Tech, he directly oversees the department as well as designs and implements S&C programs for men's soccer, women's lacrosse, and men's golf.  Previously, Dickson spent five years at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where in addition to his coaching duties, he was in charge of the nutrition and sleep student-athlete education program and directed the athletic performance internship program. Prior to that, he served as an S&C coach at Wofford College during the 2012-2013 academic year. Dickson began his career as a graduate assistant coach at Emory University. From there he went on to become an assistant strength coach at Merrimack College for one year. Outside of coaching, Dickson has also been an adjunct professor at multiple schools teaching everything from energy system development, to anatomy/physiology courses, to clinical exercise prescription and intro to athletic performance classes.A former four year letterman for the University of West Georgia football team. Dickson continues to train and has been participating in endurance races as of late, most recently completing his first marathon.Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Sport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comCerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Mason Baggett is an Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach for football at the University of Maryland. He returned to College Park to work with the Terps football program after previously serving as the associate director of football strength & conditioning for five season from 2016-2021. Most recently Baggett was the head strength coach for the Nevada football team for two seasons and the assistant coach for the University of Oregon football team for one season the year prior. Baggett started his career at his alma mater, Virginia Tech, as a graduate assistant strength & conditioning coach from 2006-2008. He also garnered experience as an intern strength coach at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO in 2007 before moving into his first full-time role as an assistant strength coach at East Carolina University. Working with ECU from 2008-2011, he then transitioned into a tactical coaching role working as a strength and conditioning coach with the 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion (2D MSOB) in Camp Lejeune, NC from 2011-2015. He then returned to college football as an associate strength coach at the University of Illinois from 2015-2016 before landing at his first stint with the Terps. Baggett is a former college football player, playing on the offensive line for Virginia Tech from 2002-2006. Following his college playing career Baggett continued to stay active and involved with performance and training. He competed in powerlifting as well as strongman from 2003-2011, attending his first powerlifting competition during in-season football at VT. His competitive edge has not left and he still continues to train and hosts an in-house competition with his strength staff members at the end of every fall.Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Sport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comCerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the Show.

Mat Clark is the Director of Strength & Conditioning Coach for track & field and cross country at the University of Arkansas. Clark joined the Razorbacks as a strength and conditioning coach in 2014 before being promoted to director in 2023. During his tenure, the Razorback men's and women's teams have won eight NCAA team championships, including both the men's and women's team titles at the 2023 NCAA Indoor Championships. He began his coaching career as a volunteer track coach with the Arkansas track team in Fayetteville, AR in 2011. Prior to joining the University of Arkansas strength and conditioning staff in 2014, he also worked as a personal trainer and nutrition coach. He also continues to train a group of professional track athletes who make their home base at the University of Arkansas. The athletes he has trained have combined won 2 Olympic medals and 20 world championship medals.Clark is himself a well decorated athlete competing in the decathlon at the University of Northern Iowa from 2005-2009. He earned All-American honors three times and was a two-time 1st Team Academic All-American as an athlete competing for UNI in addition to qualifying for the 2008 Olympic Trails, and the 2009, 2010, 2017, and 2022 US Championships. Clark continues to train and compete, having competed at the US championships in the decathlon in 2022 at age 34. In addition to his track and field background, Clark has competed in Men's physique, CrossFit, and triathlon.Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Sport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comCerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the Show.

Joe Sheffield is the Head Strength coach at Rolston Hockey Academy and Little Caesars AAA Hockey. With over 20 years of experience personal training and strength coaching, Sheffield has been in his current position since 2021. After getting injured playing college football, Joe changed his academic focus to exercise science and started working as an assistant at a physical therapy clinic. Joe started his strength coaching career at a private training facility focusing on high level high school, college, and pro football players before expanding his business to nearly every major sport, while completing his master's degree in exercise science at Oakland university all while competing in competitive bodybuilding. He then spent 10 years in the corporate fitness world working at several large chain fitness centers in various capacities while launching his own private consulting business where he focuses on setting up gyms, sports training centers, and program design for clients. He also spent time in both pharmaceutical sales and later a consultant for weight loss and hormone treatment centers. Joe is also the co-author of the “Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Strongman Champion,” and is currently working on two new books in addition to continuing his private consulting business. He has also been featured on 1D talks and anabolic bodybuilding podcasts. An athlete in his own right, Sheffield is a competitive strongman and former competitive bodybuilder sponsored by 1stdetachment nutrition. Joe has won many local and state level competitions in his career, most notably 4 times motor city's strongest man, 3 times Michigan's strongest man and has placed in the top 10 at strongman national championships 3 times as well. He continues to compete in local and regional strongman competitions, most recently getting 2nd in the masters heavyweight division at great lakes strongest man. He has also trained in Highland Games, arm wrestling, stone lifting and jiu-jitsu throughout his career. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Sport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comCerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the Show.

Chad Snodgrass is the Director of Sports Performance at Old Dominion University and the head football strength coach for the Monarchs. Snodgrass joined the ODU sports performance department in January of 2022. Prior to ODU he spent his entire career at his alma mater, West Virginia University. Snodgrass started as an intern coach assisting with football and other Olympic teams on campus before spending two years as a graduate assistant where he oversaw women's soccer and continued to work with the football program. He was promoted to a full-time position and spent the next seven years as an assistant coach for the Mountaineers football team. Snodgrass was a three-year letterman for the Mountaineers on the offensive line playing both guard and tackle from 2009-2011. In his senior season he earned both the “Hammer Award” and the “Iron Mountaineer Award.” Those honors are given to the team's most dedicated and hardest working individual and given to the hardest working member of the team voted upon by the strength and conditioning staff, respectively. Snodgrass continues to develop himself as an athlete and continues to train following his collegiate playing days and currently competes in powerlifting.  Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Sport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comCerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the Show.

Jay DeMayo is in his 21st year as a strength and conditioning coach at the University of Richmond, and his 19th year working with the men's basketball team. DeMayo is directly responsible for the training for the men's basketball and tennis teams and has worked with many of the other Spiders programs over his tenure at Richmond. In addition to his role with the Spiders, DeMayo is also the head strength and conditioning coach at NOVA of Virginia Aquatics where he is responsible for the year round training for the senior and senior gold age group swimmers. He got his start in the coaching field as a student strength and conditioning coach at his alma mater, SUNY Cortland from 2000-2001 followed by an internship at Binghamton University in 2002. From there he was a graduate assistant coach at Indiana State University before making his way to Richmond in 2004.  An author, presenter and podcast host, DeMayo is known for his extensive work within the coaching community. As a top expert in the field of strength and nutrition, DeMayo has presented at dozens of seminars and clinics across the country. He is the owner of Central Virginia Sport Performance and hosts one of the world's top continuing education events, The Central Virginia Sport Performance Seminar (CVASPS) every July in Richmond, VA. He hosts multiple weekly podcasts including the CVASPS Podcast and Outside the Rack.A former soccer player at SUNY-Cortland, DeMayo is still training past his college playing days. He continues to stay active using the weight room as his lab and his own training to test out new programs, research, technology, and ideas on himself before implementing them with his athletes.  Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Sport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comCerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the Show.

John Odden is the Owner and Head Coach of Empowered Strength. Located in Bend, Oregon, Empowered Strength offers in person and online coaching for athletes, business coaching and both in-person and online Highland Games programming and clinics. Prior to starting his own business, Odden worked in the clinic environment as an exercise physiologist and employee wellness coordinator at PeaceHealth in addition to being a high school strength coach for over 10 years before “retiring” from his clinical position and relocating to Bend, Oregon to start Empowered Strength back in 2014. Since that time he has been training and rehabilitating clients in both the personal training and clinical setting. He is also a mace, Indian club and kettlebell instructor. Odden himself has a mired of athletic accomplishments his boasts as an athlete. He was the #1 World ranked Scottish Highland Games lightweight class athlete in both 2016 and 2017, was the 2017 lightweight National Champion, 2021 Master's Highland Games World Champion and 6x World Record Holder. Additionally, he is a former heavyweight professional athlete from 2010-2014, competitive Olympic lifter in the 94kg masters class, and has competed in multiple StrongFirst challenges and strongman throughout his lifting career. Odden has also successfully lifted the Dinnie Stones and many other legendary stones of strength in Scotland.Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Sport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comCerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the Show.

Steve Pulcinella is the Owner of Iron Sport Gym in Glenolden, Pennsylvania. Starting Iron Sport Gym in 1995, the gym is fully equipped for all types of strength training including powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, strongman, and Highland Games. Nearly thirty years later, Iron Sport continues to build a unique strength community in the Philadelphia area and is truly a facility for the lifter operated by the lifter. In addition to the gym, Pulcinella is very active in the strength game community. He was a featured contributor for EliteFTS from 2010-2015 and previously served serves as athletic director for the annual Celtic Classic in Bethlehem, PA. He has also published a strength training manual titled “Iron Sport Strength Method” that is available in both paper and electronic formats and is notably the face of the “Do You Even Lift” meme. Pulcinella has been passionately strength training since the age of twelve and competing in strength sports and athletics since the age of fourteen. He started out as a powerlifter and progressed into strongman followed later by Highland Games. After winning many powerlifting titles in the early 1980's, Pulcinella then shifted into doing professional strongman contests. His biggest pro strongman title was the 1993 North American Champion and he was selected as a competitor in the 1994 World's Strongest Man Contest. From there he began competing in Highland Games and was a Professional on the circuit from 1994 until he retired from the sport in 2012 due to injuries. Over his career he participated in more than 300 events around the world and earned over 40 professional titles over the course of his throwing career in Highland Games competition. To this day, Pulcinella can still be seen training hard, competing and helping others in the gym every day. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Sport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comCerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the Show.

Kerry Overfelt is the Owner and Strength Coach of Darkside Athletics. Located in Bardstown, KY, Darkside Athletics is a multipurpose training center that meets all athletes and client's needs. He has owned and operated the gym for over 11 years. Getting his start training people and writing programs back in 1996 he began his personal training business in 2001 and has been working with athletes, clients and training groups ever since. In addition to coaching in his facility, Overfelt takes to the field, where he works with many Highland Games athletes coaching them both in person and online. He is also a Games Athletic Director running competitions in his home state of Kentucky, in addition to being the author of the “Master's Highland Games Training Manual.”A former college football player at Campbellsville University, Overfelt has trained and competed in bodybuilding before finding his true talent in Highland Games. He went from self-taught thrower to Professional Highland Games Athlete. He boasts such accolades as being the 2013 Masters World Champion, 2009 US National Champion, 3 time North American Champion and regularly saw him placing high in the national rankings including a stint from 2006-2010 where he was ranked in the top 5 in the US. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Sport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comCerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the Show.

Michelle Pifer is an Associate Director of Strength and Conditioning at Rutgers University where she works with the field hockey and women's rowing programs. Pifer was promoted from her assistant strength coach role in 2023 and served in a similar capacity at the University of Pennsylvania from 2019-2021 before arriving at Rutgers. Pifer began her career as an intern coach at Bucknell University in 2014. From there she worked as a fitness specialist at Weston Fitness in North Wales, PA and also garnered experience as an intern at UPenn, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania as well as a return visit to Bucknell. Pifer was a wellness supervisor at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania from 2017-2018 before becoming an assistant strength coach for one year at Swarthmore College, arriving in 2018. Outside of coaching, Pifer herself is very active in her own right as an athlete. She is a multisport strength athlete having competed in both bodybuilding and powerlifting competitions over the course of her career. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Sport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comCerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the Show.

Scott Leech is the Associate AD for Strength and Conditioning at the University of Rhode Island. In his current position he leads the training for Rams football, women's Tennis and women's Lacrosse in addition to overseeing all areas of the strength and conditioning department. First arriving to URI in 2020 as an assistant he has previously worked with the baseball, volleyball and women's soccer teams before being elevated in 2021. Leech arrived by way of Merrimack College where he was an assistant coach from 2015-2020. First starting his career as a graduate assistant coach at Springfield College he also gained experience as intern with the strength and conditioning departments at Albany, Missouri and Brown. A former football player at Springfield College, Leech was a team captain his senior year, earning All-District honors. Following his collegiate athletic career, he continues to stay active and practice what he preaches training himself and consistently fine-tuning his athletes programs. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Sport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comCerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Scott Caulfied is the Director of Strength & Conditioning at Norwich University. Joining Vermont's Military College in 2021, he is their first Director of Strength and Conditioning in university history. Caulfield has been in the strength and conditioning profession for nearly 30 years and has coached at nearly every level from the private sector, college, professional level and even NSCA Headquarters. Caulfield was the Coaching Education Manager and Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at the National Strength and Conditioning Association Headquarters in Colorado Springs for nearly 11 years. During that time he also served as the head strength coach for the Colorado College men's hockey team from 2011-2015 and the women's soccer team from 2011-2013. Much of Caulfield's work with the NSCA was centered around training other coaches and interacting with the many different high school, collegiate, professional and international teams, coaches and tactical units that came the headquarters to train, learn and develop. Just prior to joining Norwich, he rejoined the Colorado College staff for his second stint as the director of strength and conditioning working with the schools two Division 1 programs, men's hockey and women's soccer. Caulfield is no stranger to Norwich, got his start training the then club Norwich University men's rugby team from 2003-2006. He worked in the private sector as the Fitness Director for First In Fitness from 2001-2007, as well the American Basketball Associations' Vermont Frost Heaves as their head strength coach and director of camps from 2006-2008 where they won back-to-back ABA Championship titles. From there he became the director of sports performance at River Valley Club and then serving as an assistant strength coach at Dartmouth College for five and four years respectively, before joining the NSCA staff.Caulfield is a respected speaker and lecturer, having lectured on the national and international circuit for over a decade. He has been an adjunct instructor at both Norwich University and the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. He is the current NSCA Vermont State Director in addition to serving previously from 2008-2011. Caulfield also holds the role of Vice President of the NSCA Foundation and was the former host of the NSCA Coaching Podcast for three seasons as well as been featured on numerous others. Caulfield is also a veteran, serving in the Navy from 1991-1995 where he was an Aircraft Director onboard the USS GUAM LPH-9. He is also an active firefighter and the true definition of a strength athlete, advocate, and enthusiast. He fell in love with training before the start of his coaching career and, Coach Caulfield, aka “Dr. Jacked,” continues to stay active in his spare time training, lifting and getting on the slopes as an avid skier. Samson Equipment Samson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Sport Kilt Use Code: TSG at SportKilt.comCerberus Strength Use Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Nick Cidado is an Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach at Boston College. Cidado arrived at BC in 2018 where he began working as an intern before being promoted to graduate assistant coach in 2019 and then full-time assistant coach in 2020. Over his tenure at BC he's assisted with all 31 Olympic sports teams and now leads the performance training for the Eagles women's lacrosse, field hockey and men's and women's golf teams. In his current role, Cidado has reached the NCAA National Championship in 3 consecutive years with the lacrosse program, who won the title in 2021, and most recently won the ACC Championship in 2023. Cidado started his career in the private sector first as an intern coach at Evolution Sports Performance in Easton, Massachusetts in 2017. He was an assistant strength coach at MJP Strength and Conditioning in Boston as well as sports performance coach at Velocity Sports Performance in Norwood, Massachusetts from 2018-2019. He also gained experienced as intern at Harvard University in the fall of 2019. Cidado is also the author of “Sweat More During Peace, Bleed Less During War: Preparation Tactics That Generate Success.” A former football player at the Bridgewater State University, Cidado continues to stay active in his spare time training throughout the demanding collegiate athletics year-round season. Samson Equipment Samson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus Strength Use Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

John Grundy is the Assistant Director of Athletic Performance at the University of Missouri. Grundy joined the staff in 2023 and directly works with the Mizzou baseball, cheer and track and field sprinters. He spent the previous two years as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of Memphis where he designed and implemented strength and conditioning programs for the baseball, women's tennis, men's soccer, rifle and track and field sprinters.. Prior to working at Memphis, Grundy was the head strength and conditioning coach at Marymount University from 2020-2021, where in addition to his coaching role, he was also the chair of the school's return to sport committee. Grundy was a graduate assistant at George Washington University and held internship positions at American University, Newman University and Liberty, along with spending seven years in the private sector in various capacities at YMCA Greater Wichita and Central Virginia. He began his career at his alma mater, Randolph College, as a volunteer coach in 2014.Grundy is a former college lacrosse player at Randolph College and continues to train and progress in the weight room during his downtime.Samson Equipment Samson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus Strength Use Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Joe Kenn is the Vice President of Performance Education at Dynamic Fitness and Strength, where he leads the development and delivery of cutting-edge fitness and strength training programs and resources for athletes, coaches, and trainers. Coach Kenn has over 30 years of experience as a performance specialist and strength and conditioning coach. He has worked with athletes at all levels, from high school to professional, across various sports and disciplines. Coach Kenn has been a head coach at four major universities and an NFL team, a national, regional, and state level speaker, and the creator of the Tier System Strength Training and the Block Zero Concept. He began his career as an assistant athletic fitness director at Wake Forrest in 1991 before becoming a graduate assistant at Boise State University. He was later promoted to full-time assistant coach following his graduate assistantship and a year later became the head strength coach where he held that title from 1994-1999. Kenn spent two seasons as the as the director at the University of Utah before landing at Arizona State University as the head sports performance coach from 2001-2007. From there he spent two years leading the University of Louisville football program's training before jumping to the NFL as the head strength and conditioning coach for the Carolina Panthers. He spent 2011-2020 with the Panthers before arriving at his current position working with Dynamic Fitness and Strength. In addition to working with high-level collegiate programs and professionals in the NFL, Coach Kenn has been the strength coach for Brian Shaw for two years on his quest for his 5th World's Strongest Man title. Coach Kenn is a Master Strength and Conditioning Coach and boasts such awards as the, 2015 NFL Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year (Professional Football Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association, PFSCCA), 2013 National Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association (NCSA) Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year, 2000 NSCA Mountain West Conference Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year and 1998 NSCA Big West Conference Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year.He is the author of multiple books including, “The Coach's Strength Training Playbook” and “Push, Jump, Punch: A Developmental Process for Teaching the Athlete to Power Clean” He is the owner of Big House Power, which is a subscriber-based website designed for educational and professional development for all levels of strength coaches.  Coach Kenn has been training long before he began coaching and continues to develop himself in the weight room as a strength athlete. A former two-year letterman for the Demon Deacons football team at Wake Forest University, he has also competed multiple times in powerlifting both in the raw and single-ply divisions. Samson Equipment Samson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus Strength Use Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

DJ Melgar is an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Hofstra University where he works with the Pride's men's soccer, wrestling, men's lacrosse, and men's and women's tennis programs. While in undergraduate at Hofstra he was the President of the “Exercise is Medicine Club” for three years from 2018-2021 prior to him beginning his coaching career as a intern with the strength and conditioning department in the spring of 2021. He was later elevated to a graduate assistant in the fall of 2021 and a full-time assistant coach in spring of 2022. Additionally, Melgar also spent time as a physical therapist aid and assistant at NYPT and Wellness from 2019-2020 where he aided physical therapists with patient rehabilitation treatment. Melgar is an avid lifter. This past summer he competed in his first powerlifting meet earning a total of 1,086lb in the 90kg weight class going 7/9 with more to come in the future.  Samson Equipment Samson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus Strength Use Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Zach Even-Esh is a Sports Performance Coach, Life Coach, Business Consultant, gym owner, Speaker, Author, and Family Man.Zach Even-Esh is the Strength Coach & Founder of THE Underground Strength Gym. He established the gym in 2002 in his parent's garage and backyard, and has seen it grown over the more than two decades he opened the doors to his facility. There are currently 2 Underground Strength Gym locations in NJ and over 1,000 Certified Underground Strength Coaches from around the world. Even-Esh is the current New Jersey State Director for the National High School Strength Coaches Association (NHSSCA) since 2021. Prior to making the full-time switch to coaching, he worked as a public school teacher for four years. He was the strength & conditioning coach for the Rutgers University Wrestling team from 2017-2018 as well as the Leigh University Wrestling team from 2014-2015. He was the marketing coordinator for Spartan Team from 2013-2014 and has consulted with countless coaches, gym owners and special operations military units throughout his career. He has also served as a consultant for adults in Corporate Health, Wellness & Leadership as well as a consultant for Military (Naval Special Warfare), LEO & First Responders. Coach Even-Esh began sharing his content on YouTube when YouTube first came out. In addition, to his large presence on-line he is also the host of the STRONG Life Podcast, Iron Roots podcast, NJ High School Strength Coach Podcast, former co-host of the Spartan Up Podcast and has been featured on multiple others as an expert guest. He is the author of three bestselling books including The Encyclopedia of Underground Strength & Conditioning which has been translated into numerous other languages. He has written countless E-books, training manuals and blogs for zachevenesh.com and the undergroundstrengthcoach.com. Strong Life is a fitting mantra, because Zach Even-Esh truly lives up to it. He is the epitome of an athlete and strength advocate and enthusiast who has been an avid lifter with dedicated time under the bar. He has had his hand in everything from bodybuilding, wrestling, training unconventionally with no-equipment in various New Jersey parks for sessions, powerlifting, strongman, you name it! He continues to test himself daily, train and find new ways to challenge himself and battle the barbell.Samson Equipment Samson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus Strength Use Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Nick O'Brien is a college strength and conditioning coach, national level Strongman competitor and Highland games athlete, as well as an Officer in the United States Army. In addition to his coaching and athletic experience, O'Brien is a committee member of the NSCA Strongman SIG, columnist for Samson Equipment, and the Host of “The Strength Game” Podcast. With more than 14 years of experience in coaching and competing, Nick has traveled the country as an athlete, consultant and coach.Samson Equipment Samson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus Strength Use Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Connor Agnew is the Director of Basketball Performance at App State. Joining the App State staff in July 2022, Agnew works with the both the men's and women's basketball as well as women's golf team. Most recently, he was a strength and conditioning coach at Texas Tech working primarily with the women's basketball program for two years. Agnew began his career as a sports performance intern working with the University of Pennsylvania men's and women's basketball programs. He then spent time as an intern for the New York Jets during training camp for the 2018 season. Following his stint in the professional ranks, he spent time at the University of Tennessee first as an Olympic strength and conditioning intern before working as an intern with the football team and finally being elevated to a part-time assistant Olympic sports performance coach for the Volunteers. Additionally, Angew is the host of the Samson Strength Coach Collective Podcast. Agnew himself is a prime example of someone who practices what they preach. He was a member of the Powerlifting Team at Temple University while completing his undergraduate degree. He continues to train, nowadays focusing still on powerlifting but also blending jiu jitsu, and marathon running.  Samson Equipment Samson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus Strength Use Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Matt Mitcheroney is the Associate Director of Olympic Sports Strength and Conditioning Coach as James Madison University working directly with the baseball and softball programs. Mitcheroney joined the staff in 2022 after serving as an assistant coach for three years at the United States Military Academy working with the hockey, men's rugby, softball, and strength teams. Prior to joining West Point, he worked at American University for a year as well as had stops at UMass and Saint Francis in graduate positions. Mitcheroney also served as a soldier in the United States Army Reserves from 2011-2018 while also completing internships at Harvard, Army West Point, Boston University and Evolution Sports Performance. Mitcheroney stayed active as a Horizontal Construction soldier. Following his service, he has since shifted his athletic focus to competing in Olympic weightlifting.Samson Equipment Samson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus Strength Use Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Andy Brown is a Sports Performance Coach at the University of Massachusetts Amherst where he oversees training for the men's soccer, men's and women's swimming & diving, and tennis programs. Prior to arriving at UMass, Andy was a strength and conditioning coach at American University from 2019-2022.  Andy also worked at Franklin Pierce University for 2 years. First arriving in 2017 he spent his first season as an assistant before being promoted to head coach going into his second year. He also had previous stops as an intern at the University of Maryland in 2016, at James Madison University in 2014, as well as experience working at the high school level. Andy is an avid strength athlete and has previous experience competing in both powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting over his career. Samson Equipment Samson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus Strength Use Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Gio Grassi is an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Monmouth University where he is responsible for optimizing player readiness and performance through load management as well as implementing, analyzing, and interpreting all technology used with the Monmouth Football team, including Polar Heart Rate/GZPS system and Sparta Science Force Plates. He is also the head for programming strength speed/agility and conditioning programs for the baseball, men's and women's swim, and rowing teams. Before arriving at Monmouth, he was an assistant coach at Fordham University from 2018-2021 as well as assistant at Fairleigh Dickinson University from 2014-2017. Between those stops, he spent the 2017 season with the New York Giants as a strength and conditioning intern. Grassi got his start in the profession in 2010 as a strength coach and NFL combine preparatory coach at the Parisi's Speed School, before working at Hackensack UMC Health and Wellness in NJ where he was the ACL return-to-sport coordinator spanning from 2015-2019. He's also completed an internship working with the football program at Rutgers during the 2016-2017 seasons.In addition to his coaching, Grassi is the host of the “Toes on the Line” Podcast. He has presented at conferences, most recently the NSCA New Jersey State Clinic and has written multiple articles for his own website as well as Stack.com. Grassi is a former college football player at Delaware State University and continues to train during his downtime.Samson Equipment Samson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus Strength Use Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Anthony Paradis is the Performance Dietitian for the US Army at Fort Jackson, SC. Paradis has spent time in multiple sectors of the sport nutrition space. Prior to taking his current role with the US Army's H2F program in early 2023 he was the director of Olympic sports nutrition at the University of South Carolina from 2021-2023 and the director of sports nutrition at Tennessee Tech for 5 years from 2016-2021. Before entering the collegiate realm, he spent 8 years in the private space. He was a dietary technician at Lewisville Medical Center, a nutrition instructor in the school of human ecology at South Carolina, dietetic intern at Texas Woman's University, and personal trainer. His time in the private sector culminated as the owner of “Food and Fitness LLC” where he built a six-figure and three-employee business from the ground up. Food & Fitness LLC, was Texas's premier fitness training and nutrition studio where Paradis was both a private practice RD and personal trainer for over six years. In addition to his businesses, registered dietician work, and personal training, Paradis is himself an athlete in multiple different ventures. He's tried his hand in many different strength sports, endurance-based sports and more. He is both a Tennessee state and Texas state record holder powerlifter, has completed a solo 500-mile consecutive hike on the Colorado trail in 2015, and has competed on American Ninja Warrior in 2012, in addition to continuing to be an avid strength lifter. Samson Equipment Samson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus Strength Use Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Jimmy Stitz is the Head Olympic Strength and Conditioning Coach at Utah State University. Stitz joined Utah State in 2021 after spending the previous eight seasons as an athletic performance coach for USA Volleyball Women's Senior National Team. He began his first season with the program as a seasonal assistant in 2014 through their mentorship program and took over the team the following year prior to their 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil where the team earned a bronze medal. In 2020 at the Summer Olympic Games, played in 2021 in Japan, the team won the gold medal. Stitz first started coaching as a volunteer assistant strength coach from 2009-2011 at his alma mater, Minnesota State University. From there he became the first-ever head strength and conditioning coach for Charter Oak High School in Covina, CA. He was then selected to serve as an assistant coach through the National Strength and Conditioning Association assistantship program in 2013 before interning at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA, prior to joining the national team. Stitz continues to train as a coach. He is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu blue belt and enjoys lifting and training on the mat in his free time.  Samson Equipment Samson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus Strength Use Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Ryan Metzger is the Assistant Director of Olympic Sports Performance at the University of Tennessee where she is directly responsible for the strength and conditioning efforts for women's soccer and women's tennis as well as having direct oversight of all volunteer interns. Metzger arrived at Tennessee in 2022 after spending the previous three seasons at Clemson University as their senior assistant strength and conditioning coach where she was in charge of softball, women's soccer and the volunteer interns. From 2015-2019 she served as an assistant sports performance coach at Virginia Commonwealth University. Metzger's first role was as an intern coach at her alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 2011. She then went on to the University of Kentucky as a volunteer the following season working with their Olympic staff prior to being promoted to graduate assistant from 2012-2014. She also spent time as an intern strength coach working with the Kentucky football team in 2015.Metzger has been featured on many other sports performance and coaching podcast, has written articles for SimpliFaster and TeamBuildr, as well as being awarded the 2022 NSCA Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year.A former gymnast at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Metzger continued to stay competitive in athletics following her collegiate career competing in Olympic Weightlifting. She has been competing on the national stage since 2012 and has earned a handful of National medals, with her best competition finish at the 2018 American Open Finals earning 2nd in the snatch and 3rd in total as well as most recently taking bronze in the 49kg class at the 2023 Senior National Championships. She has competed as a 53kg, 55kg and now in the 49kg class she frequently ranks among the top 5 in the nation for her respective weight class. Samson Equipment Samson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus Strength Use Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Chris Slater is a teacher at Baldwin County board of education in Alabama as well as wrestling coach. He has been teaching and coaching for over 13 years. Slater took a break for teaching in the high school setting to be a gym owner, personal trainer and strength coach at Alabama Strength before returning to high school coaching and teaching. He has also been an independent professional trainer at Results Gym in Gulf Shores, AL and at Fairhope Fitness in Fairhope, AL. In addition to his dual roles coaching and teaching, Slater is the Alabama State Chair for Strongman Corporation and current NSCA Strongman Special Interest Group Chair.Slater is a former collegiate wrestler competing for four seasons at Eastern Michigan University. Since his time competing on the mat, he has been heavily involved in strength training and is both a National level MW strongman competitor with Strongman Corporation and powerlifter in the USAPL. Samson Equipment Samson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus Strength Use Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Bobby O'Mullan is the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach at Rollins College as well as Performance Specialist at Spectrum Performance in Orlando, FL. Starting at Rollins in 2021, O'Mullan arrived from nearby UCF where he served as an adjunct instructor in the kinesiology department from 2017-2021 teaching courses in exercise science and strength and conditioning. In 2019 he served as a football sports performance intern at UCF before being elevated to assistant sports performance coach leading the cheer and men's soccer programs for the 2020-2021 season, in addition to his teaching responsibilities. O'Mullan has held multiple other positions outside of the collegiate coaching realm, including being a strength and conditioning coach at Optimal Performance Training Center in Orlando, FL for one year, serving in a variety of roles at Spectrum Performance and Physical Therapy since 2016, coach at Alpha Knights CrossFit from 2016-2017 and both weight room supervisor and group exercise instructor at his alma mater, Loyola University Chicago. He got his start in the coaching world first interning at Loyola University Chicago in 2013 and has also interned with VCU Athletics in 2017. He was a graduate assistant with the UCF's Recreation and Wellness Center from 2015-2017 while pursuing his master's degree. The club football Founder & President at Loyola University Chicago he played 4 years on the team as well as a season of semiprofessional football with the Leyden Lions. Since then he is still heavily involved in lifting and training. A true hybrid athlete, O'Mullan has competed in powerlifting, CrossFit, triathlons, flag football tournaments and recently a relay half ironman. Samson Equipment Samson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus Strength Use Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Jon Heck is a Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Houston Texans. First arriving with the Texans in 2023, he spent the previous 5 years at his alma mater, the University of North Carolina, as an assistant football strength and conditioning coach. Concurrent to his work on the Tar Heel's strength staff, he served as a strength and conditioning coach and nutritionist at D1 Sports Training in Raleigh, NC since 2018. Heck got his start in the coaching profession interning under Joe Kenn and his staff at the Carolina Panthers for the off-season and 2017 football season. Heck is a former four-year starter and 2x All-ACC selection at right tackle for the University of North Carolina football team. Following his collegiate career, he shifted his training to the platform and has been competing competitively at both strongman and powerlifting. Samson Equipment Samson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus Strength Use Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Grant Broggi is a Marine Officer, owner of The Strength Co., Starting Strength Coach and a member of the Starting Strength Seminar staff. Working in multiple other industries initially, Broggi joined the Marine Corps in 2012 and commissioned as an Artillery Officer the following year. Over the course of his nearly twelve year career in the service, he has moved up the ranks and has held many different roles. While at The Citadel and early into his military career, he learned the benefits and importance of strength training. Grant took his own experience and principles from Starting Strength, to first implement them as a young Lieutenant with his platoon. Seeing the impact it made on his Marines, this eventually led him to training civilians in his home garage gym before officially opening the doors to The Strength Co. in 2017, which now has two locations in Southern California. Broggi found a need for equipment for his gyms. He sought out to bring back quality manufacturing of Olympic weight plates to America and in 2020, he did did just that, producing their first line of high quality, American Made iron plates under The Strength Co. brand. Today, the company has expanded to offer a range of training products including plates, barbells, weight trees, collars, mats and more. All of which are Made in the USA.Alongside coaching in-person at the gyms two locations, Grant provides live online coaching as a Starting Strength Coach. He has competed in powerlifting and is still an avid lifter and strength athlete. He boasts personal best lifts of 500lb squat, 265lb press, 360lb bench press, and a 560lb deadlift. Samson Equipment Samson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus Strength Use Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Will Ratelle is an Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach at the University of North Dakota working with the volleyball and softball programs along with assisting the football team. Ratelle returned to his alma mater, UND, as a full-time coach in 2018 after previously serving as an intern in the department from 2015-2017. In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, Ratelle is the owner of W2 Performance. W2 Performance is an online training program that provides athletes a service to aid in them taking their sports performance to a higher level as well as provides consulting for sports teams and individuals. He has written multiple articles for SimpiFaster and has been featured on many other coaching and performance-based podcasts.Prior to working in the performance field, he spent time as a professional football player with the Atlanta Falcons, Kansas City Chiefs and Saskatchewan Roughriders (CFL). Ratelle was a four year linebacker on the University of North Dakota football team, picking up multiple accolades during his career including holding the UND single season record for tackles. Following his football career, Ratelle remains a highly dedicated strength and power athlete. Samson Equipment Samson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus Strength Use Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Bryan Woolson is the Regional Director of the MedStar Health Sports Performance program in Forest Hill, MD where he oversees the day-to-day operations of the Harford County facility. In addition, Woolson is the head strength & conditioning coach for the John's Hopkins Women's Lacrosse team. Woolson has been working with the JHU lacrosse program for over 10 years now, first starting with the women's team in 2013. In his time at Hopkins, he has also spent time working with the field hockey, men's soccer, and women's basketball programs. From 2011-2015 he served as the strength and conditioning coach for the Boys' Latin School of Maryland's lacrosse team and has been a performance coach for the NEMS Lacrosse Club since 2013. Woolson is the owner of M.O.A.B. Performance, an online program that provides training and nutrition advice to help clients and athletes alike achieve their goals through a life of pain-free performance. Woolson is a former college football running back at Salisbury University. A 3-year starter and team captain in his senior season, he still holds multiple lifting records for his position. After a brief stint competing in powerlifting, he still continues to strength train and is also an avid golfer.Samson Equipment Samson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus Strength Use Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Matt Hickmann is the Head Strength Coach for Football at Middle Tennessee State University. Hickmann arrived at MTSU in 2018 after spending two years as an Assistant Coach at NC State. He began his coaching career at his alma mater, Cumberland University as an intern coach and soon after a similar position at Vanderbilt University working with the Commodore football and baseball programs. In 2010, Hickmann was named the director of strength and conditioning at Cumberland University working with all varsity sports. He then spent one year at Furman University as an assistant coach before working with the Georgia Tech football program from 2012-2014. Hickmann spent one year as the director of performance at PLAE where he directed and organized a training facility working with general population and training youth sports teams, in addition to working with professional testing labs responsible for testing the floor products the company produced. Hickmann earned all-conference honors at Cumberland University where he played defensive back for three seasons. He has also trained heavily in mixed martial arts and has competed at the amateur level earning a 3-0 record. Hickmann himself walks the walk, and continues to train heavily during his downtime setting the example for his student-athletes in the weight room and on the field.  Samson Equipment Samson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus Strength Use Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Bryce Taylor is an Instructor of Physical Education and Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach at the United States Air Force Academy. There he leads training for the women's soccer, wrestling, and men's and women's gymnastics teams in addition to being a course director for PE Advanced Physical Development courses for Air Force cadets. Prior to arriving at the Air Force Academy in 2018, Taylor served as an assistant strength coach at Alabama State University for two years. He got his start in the coaching profession as an intern coach at his alma mater, the University of Nebraska at Kearney, and has been a personal trainer at multiple facilities including Sterling's Team Speed, Metro Fitness and Abercrombie. A former college football cornerback, at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Taylor embraced the weight room leading the team in multiple performance testing categories. Following his playing career he still takes that love he developed for the weight room and continues to train regularly. Nowadays he still trains like an athlete, often running his teams' program ahead of time as well as incorporating a lot of calisthenics and gymnastics type work into his own training. Additionally, he has previously competed in ultra-marathons and still enjoys trail running. Samson Equipment Samson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus Strength Use Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show