Bachelors of Science in Exercise & Movement Science, Masters of Science in Health Promotion and Wellness Management, USAW-L1
I grew up in a very rural town, graduating from a county school with less than 60 people. Growing up there my whole life, I developed a blue-collar mentality, specifically from my parents. They worked long hours and depended on me to do my part to keep our home functioning as it should. I woke up early and went to bed late. I walked to school, uphill, both ways, in the snow. Not only did I need to take care of my responsibilities at home, but I also had to take care of them in the classroom and on the playing field. I was a 3 sport athlete playing football, baseball, and basketball. As I graduated I moved on to play baseball at Central Methodist University. After a short stint at CMU, I transferred to Missouri State University. That is when I came into contact with rugby and never wanted to leave its side. I’ve been playing with Springfield Rugby Football Club since 2016. All of my previous sports left me prepared to play something I knew nothing about. The one constant through all of these sports and life changes was strength training. I understood and valued the importance of being strong and capable. This led me to coaching as a profession. I’ve had various internships working with S&C and fitness-related activities. I’ve worked with professional athletes, Division I-III & NAIA athletes, physically & mentally impaired athletes, and most recently, youth athletes. I’ve had a plethora of experiences and I bring all of those to SSC to help deliver the best product available. I bring high standards, attention to detail, and grit to all athletes that walk through our door.
My purpose for coaching is to provide an opportunity to athletes of all ages, sizes, and skill levels to improve their physical abilities and have confidence through their mental abilities. I want athletes to leave SSC with the confidence to attack any challenge or goal that lays before them. It is my calling to make a lasting impression on athletes. By creating an environment that is encouraging athletes to ask ‘why’, we provide them with knowledge that will last a lifetime. Not only am I providing strength & endurance to these athletes, but I’m also providing life & communication skills, critical thinking, and goal setting. My motivation to keep coming back everyday is from the relationships I’ve built and the progress I’ve seen in my athletes. When you like who you work with and what you’re doing, it makes the job really easy. Kids, especially, don’t see the progress as much as they’d like from day 1 to day 100. I do. When you have fine attention to detail, you also must have a fine attention to progress. I love what I do. It’s hectic, it’s frustrating, it’s loud, it’s exciting, it’s tiring, but most importantly, it’s FUN!
