The Strength Game

Monte Sparkman is the Head Athlete Performance Coach at Azle High School in Azle, Texas. Prior to arriving at Azle, he served multiple roles for over a decade at Richland High School as an athlete performance coach, special education teacher, assistant football coach, and head track and field coach. Sparkman also served as a physical education instructor and head powerlifting coach at the Virginia Military Institute from 2007-2010, volunteer assistant powerlifting coach and physical education teacher at Burkburnett High School in Texas for one year, after starting his professional career as an assistant director of recreational sports and wellness at Midwestern State University. Additionally he was an intern performance coach for football at North Texas under Frank Wintrich.  Sparkman has been giving back to the profession since his inception, speaking at numerous coaching clinics and his articles have been featured on EliteFTS and Simplifaster. Sparkman is no stranger to training in addition to his extensive experience in coaching and athletics. A former 3-year letter winner in football at Baker University, he has been competing in powerlifting since 2003. He has competed in multiple classes and boasts personal records of competition best 1,000 squat, 635 bench (full meet), 661 bench only, and 490 raw bench. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus 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 Georgio is an Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach at Fordham University where he oversees the training for the men’s basketball, men’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, and women’s volleyball programs in addition to assisting with football. He assumed his new position with the Rams after working as a volunteer coach in the summer of 2019 and most recently serving in a similar assistant coach capacity at Iona College for one year. While at Iona, Georgio was also an adjunct professor teaching exercise science classes in the undergrad program. He has also spent time as a strength coach at Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning in addition to being a volunteer coach at The Citadel for the 2016 summer. Georgio continues to train as a coach. He spent three years intensively training for Olympic weightlifting and has now shifted more focus to the mat as a competitive athlete in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, where he most recently earned his blue belt. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus 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

Mark Ellis is an Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach at Princeton University where he oversees the Tigers’ men’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, men’s swimming, men’s and women’s diving, and women’s tennis programs. Before arriving at Princeton in 2021, Ellis was an assistant athletic performance coach at Stony Brook University. He began his coaching career as volunteer strength coach at Hofstra University. In addition to his collegiate experience, he has worked as a strength coach at Professional Physical Therapy as well as head lacrosse coach for Garden City Middle School, both in New York.A former college lacrosse player, Ellis started his career as a defensive midfielder at Stony Brook University, however after his initial two first seasons then redshirting one year and being sidelined due to injury the following season he transferred to finish his final two years of eligibility at Hofstra University while completing his graduate studies. He went on to become team captain of the Pride in his final season before being selected in the 2019 MLL Rookie Selection Draft by the New York Lizards where he played for the subsequent 2019 and 2020 seasons. Following his professional lacrosse career, Ellis is still heavily involved in lifting, using his own training to stay healthy and test out new programs before implementing them with the many different collegiate teams and athletes he works with. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus 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

Sean Fantuzzi is a Strength Coach at Life Time Athletic in King of Prussia, PA. Prior to coaching in the private sector, Fantuzzi spent the majority of his coaching career in the collegiate realm with his most recent stop as an assistant coach at the University of North Dakota from 2016-2019. He came to North Dakota after a two year stint as an assistant coach at Loyola University (MD). Fantuzzi started his coaching career at his alma matter, interning within the Penn State strength & conditioning department from 2011-2013. From there he went on to serve as a graduate assistant strength coach at Saint Francis University (PA) before returning to Penn State briefly as a volunteer coach. Sean is very active as a coach and strength athlete himself. He’s dabbled in both powerlifting and CrossFit, and has competed locally in both strength sports throughout his time. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus 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

Andrew Wentz is an Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach at High Point University where he oversees the training for the men’s lacrosse, volleyball, and women’s soccer teams. He arrived at High Point in late 2021 by way of nearby Wake Forest University where he was an intern coach. Wentz began his coaching career personal training in 2016 and served in similar internship positions at both UNC Greensboro and Southern University, while personal training. He is a powerlifting coach and has been working with clients in person as well as online for the past two years. Wentz is a former collegiate hammer thrower for Eastern Michigan University’s Track & Field program. He competed in both indoor and outdoor with personal bests of 18.18 meters/ 59’ 7” in the weight throw and 54.43m/178-07 in the hammer throw. Since his college throwing career, he continues to train heavily in various different methods as well as stepping onto the platform to compete in powerlifting. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus 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

Henry Adelman joined the Cal Poly staff as an Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach at the start of 2022 where he works with the football, men’s soccer, women’s basketball, wrestling, and throwing programs. Prior to returning to the west coast he most recently served as the head football strength coach at Maryville College in Tennessee, after spending time as a volunteer coach at the University of Tennessee and sports performance coach at D1 in Knoxville. Adelman began his coaching career as a head strength coach at Dakota Junior College in North Dakota for a season. From there he worked at Fresno State University, starting in 2017 as first an intern before being promoted to graduate assistant, and finally moving into a coaching assistant role in 2020. A former linebacker at Willamette University in Oregon, he was a two-year starter and captain for his final season receiving all-conference honors. Adelman continues to stay active following his competitive career, training like his athletes do in order to demonstrate for his athletes and ensure he’s never asking them to do something he can’t do himself.  Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus 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

Sarah Cerami is an Athletic Trainer at Mississippi State University working directly with the women’s volleyball team. She joined the MSU staff in 2020 after previously working at Fresno State University, first as a graduate intern with the water polo, and swim dive team before transitioning into a graduate assistant role with the water polo team from 2018 to 2020. Cerami also served as the athletic trainer for USA Water Polo’s Junior World Championships in Portugal in fall 2019 and was a student athletic trainer at Oregon State University during her undergraduate degree. Cerami is a former collegiate gymnast where she competed at Oregon State University. In addition to her obligations at MSU, she is also an artist and passionate photographer. She continues to stay active in her spare time running and weightlifting. She has run two half marathons and is looking to complete her third in the coming year. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus 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

Alec Olson is an Assistant Sports Performance Coach at Western Oregon University where he directs all aspects of performance for the women’s volleyball, track and field, women’s basketball, and men’s soccer teams in addition to assisting with all other sports. Olson began his coaching career at his alma mater, Western Oregon, as a student intern coach before returning in 2020 at a full-time capacity. Before his return, he spent two years as a graduate assistant strength coach at Illinois State University. He was an intern strength coach for the summer of 2020 working with the University of Iowa football team and was a personal trainer at Fitness Experience in Oregon. Olson was a three year letter winner for the Western Oregon University football team. Currently, he competes in Olympic Weightlifting with personal bests of a 155kg clean & jerk and 120kg snatch. On top of his weightlifting he also steps outside the weight room to train jiu-jitsu.   Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus 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

Michael De La Pava is a strength coach and owner of The Battle Axe Gym in Miami, Florida. Michael opened The Battle Axe Gym’s doors in 2012 and the invite-only gym is home to athletes of all various disciplines including powerlifting, MMA fighters, Strongman, officers of multiple authorities and military personnel. Prior to opening his facility he has also worked as a personal trainer and social worker before diving head first into entrepreneurship and owning his own business. MDLP is the host of The Battle Axe podcast and his gym is the venue to some of the biggest strongman and powerlifting competitions in the southeast, including Miami’s Baddest Man and the Miami Throwdown. Michael is the epitome of a strength sport athlete, advocate, and enthusiast. He started his athletic career training in martial arts where after more than 14 years and multiple Muay Thai fights he shifted his focus to other strength sports. He played 3 seasons as a prop for the Miami Tridents rugby team all while training in both strongman and powerlifting. He has competed extensively in both strongman and powerlifting earning such accolades as being former Florida’s strongest man in 2014 and 15th in the Nation at the 105kg as well as countless feats of strength including flipping a 1,000lb tire, pulling a fully loaded fire truck, carrying a 900lb yoke and pressing a 200lb giant circus dumbbell, to name a few. Most recently, Michael has added Highland Games competitor to his long and growing list of athletic experience.Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus 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

Angelo Gingerelli has been a Strength Coach at Seton Hall since 2005 and oversees all aspects of training and conditioning for the Olympic Sports. Prior to arriving at Seton Hall, he spent the 2005 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization and was an assistant strength coach at NC State from 2001-2005. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant strength coach at Virginia Tech. In addition to his coaching duties, Gingerelli is an adjunct professor for several graduate and undergraduate level courses at Seton Hall. He is a published author with a number of articles as well as co-author of the book Finish Strong: Resistance Training for Endurance Athletes. Most recently, he was named the New Jersey State Director of the NSCA. Angelo first started in the coaching profession as most do, strength training. He competed for multiple years in both powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting before completely shifting focus in 2010 to road racing and soon after marathons, completing his first the following year. Since then he’s spent more than a decade exploring the benefits of strength training for endurance sports with his athletes as well as applying the principles in his own training. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus 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