The Strength Game

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