The Strength Game

Zach Fears is the Assistant AD for Sports Performance at Southeastern Oklahoma State. Prior to arriving at SEOSU in 2019 he served as the head coach at Lincoln University in Missouri since 2017. Fears got his start coaching first as the director of sports performance in the private sector at Sterling Sports Performance in Pella, Iowa before getting into collegiate sports working at North Carolina State University. He then spent two years as a graduate assistant at Winona State, one as an assistant at Abilene Christian and 2014-2016 as the top assistant coach at Missouri Southern State University.  In addition to his current coaching responsibilities, Fears is completing his Doctorate in Strategic Leadership. Fears himself is an avid lifter with dedicated time under the bar. He was a competitive Olympic weightlifter for 10 years and still enjoys training daily. 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

Shane Sutherland is a track and field coach as well as teacher at Walhalla High School in Walhalla, South Carolina. Prior to Walhalla, Sutherland previously served as a both the track and field as well as cross country coach and teacher at Stratford High School in Goose Creek, SC. From 2002-2019 he not only led training for both teams on the field and in the classroom as an economics, history and geography teacher but also ran the strength training program in the fall for all off-season teams. Sutherland got his start throwing himself as a member of the Charleston Southern University track & field team. A two-time All-Conference athlete in the weight throw he was also honored as a member of the Big South Conference Men’s Indoor Track & Field All-Decade Team. From the collegiate ring he transitioned to Scottish Highland Games, first starting in 2001. Since his inception into the sport he’s competed in over 200 games both nationally and internationally in multiple classes, going pro in 2017. He’s held multiple world records and has earned such accolades as finishing 2nd at the 2021 Master World Championships, and Amateur North American Champion in 2016, 4x captain of the South Team (2010, 2013, 2015, 2016), captain of team USA in 2014, and East Coast Champion in 2013. Now following his professional career, he looks to continue competing in the Lightweight Master’s Division. 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

Cameron Dietz is currently an Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach at Utah Valley University where he oversees training for the baseball, softball, wrestling, men’s soccer, men’s golf and women’s golf programs. Prior to arriving at UVU he was a post-graduate intern at the University of North Texas and a graduate assistant coach for two years at the University of Northern Colorado. Dietz got his start coaching as an intern at the University of Delaware before volunteering at his alma mater, the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs before moving into a coaching role at Elizabeth high school in Colorado. He currently lives in Orem, UT with his wife Kelsey and two dogs Jax and Olive.A former baseball player at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Dietz continues to stay active in his spare time training throughout the demanding collegiate athletics year-round season. 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

Jon McNemar is a Sports Performance Coach at Duke University. He joined the Blue Devils in July of 2021 and works directly with the field hockey, track & field sprints-jumps groups, as well as men’s tennis team. McNemar previously worked at Jacksonville University where in 2015 he worked his way from intern to graduate assistant before being promoted to a full-time assistant strength coach in 2018. He also spent part of the 2018 season as an intern with the Florida State University football program. McNemar was an offensive lineman and four-year letter winner on the Fairmont State University football team. He was awarded the “Iron Falcon Award” which is given to the strongest and most dedicated offensive/defensive lineman in the weight room. His dedication to training following his football career saw him compete in push-pull competitions and still continues to train 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.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 Messina is the Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Boston Red Sox. Messina was promoted to the Major League level in 2021 after serving strength coaching roles with Red Sox affiliate teams in the AAA, Arizona Fall League, and Eastern League team level. He joined the Red Sox organization in 2016 after serving as a minor league strength coach with the Bristol Pirates of the Appalachian League of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. Messina got his start coaching as a graduate assistant at Salisbury University in addition to completing an internship position at TCU working with their football and baseball programs. Messina is also the host of the Professional Baseball Strength and Conditioning Coaches Society (PBSCCS) podcast which provides recognition for those who have experienced the unique demands of professional baseball performance enhancement. Messina is a former baseball player himself. A catcher, he played at SUNY Fredonia before moving into the coaching side. He continues to stay active in training following his collegiate playing career and is always finding ways to train at home, at work, or on the road during the grueling professional baseball season schedule. 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

Aaron Wood is the Director of Strength & Conditioning at Belhaven University where he oversees all 15 teams. Prior to arriving at Belhaven in 2019, Wood served as a strength coach at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, TX for a season overseeing both the football and baseball programs. He spent time working with both ice hockey programs at the University of Minnesota following three years in the private sector at Elkin Sports Performance in Richmond, VA working with athletes of all levels from high school to professional. Aaron got his start coaching at his alma mater, Liberty University, as an intern coach in 2014. Wood has competed in push-pull competitions and continues to stay deeply invested in his own training through powerlifting, triphasic, and conjugate styles all to find the best approach to impact the student-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

Justin Blatnik is the Head Strength Coach and Owner of the Strength Empire Gym in Indian Trail, NC as well as Firefighter for the Charlotte Fire Department. Prior to opening Strength Empire in 2017, Blatnik was a self-employed strength coach and personal trainer, working with clients out of his garage since 2015. In addition to coaching at his own training facility, he’s worked as a personal trainer at Appalachian State Universities Rec facility and a commercial gym as well as been an intern at both Marvin Ridge High School and with the Carolina Panthers. Blatnik is the definition of a strength sport enthusiast. After playing football for a season at Saint Vincent College he began focusing his efforts competing in Powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, and Highland Games. He has also tried his hand competing in MAS Wrestling, grip strength, and Highlander competitions. Blatnik continues to compete nationally in Highland Games all while being an active duty firefighter and has placed as high as 4th and 3rd place as a lightweight competitor at Nationals and Worlds, respectively. 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

Chris Norman is the Head Coach of Training and Chief Operating Officer of Capital SUP in Annapolis, MD where he has been in those roles since 2014. In addition to his position at Capital SUP, Norman is a physical education teacher at St. Mary’s elementary school. He has also spent time in the private sector, high school level, as well as college setting prior to working in the youth school system. Most recently he served as the assistant JV coach at Broadneck High School for the men’s lacrosse team for two season and was a performance coach and team training specialist at the Under Armour Performance Center in Baltimore, MD for two years before arriving at St. Mary’s in 2019. Norman was a graduate assistant coach at Salisbury University after first starting his coaching career as a performance coach at Parisi Speed School in Edgewater, MD. A former lacrosse player at York College of Pennsylvania, Norman continued his love for the water training and racing in standup paddle board following college. Norman turned professional in 2012 and has been continuing to compete on the local and national race circuit since 2010. 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

Tom Evans is an assistant strength & conditioning coach at the University of Delaware. He oversees the training for the women’s lacrosse and men’s lacrosse teams in addition to assisting with the football program. Prior to arriving at UDel in 2017, Evans was an assistant strength coach at Elkin Sports Performance in Richmond, VA. In addition to Evans coaching experience, he has an extensive athletic background in both team and strength sports. He’s gone from offensive lineman at the University of Richmond to earning a spot on the Green Bay Packers for the 2017 pre-season. Following his football career he began competing in strongman and earned his professional strongman status this year after finishing 2nd overall at Strongman Corporation’s National Championship in the Super Heavyweight class. 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

Brandon Bullett is the head coach and owner of Bullett Performance Training gym in Clovis, CA. Brandon opened Bullet Performance Training in 2016 while also working as an assistant coach for the Fresno Monsters hockey team in addition to leading their strength & conditioning program. Since opening Brandon has also worked with local high schools Memorial, Kerman, and Buchanan’s baseball teams. Prior to starting the semi-private training facility, Brandon was a strength & conditioning Coach at Game Time Training and has completed strength & conditioning certifications under Mike Boyle as well as been a mentee to Eric Cressey. Brandon played junior college baseball before shifting all focus to hockey where he played at Syracuse University before moving to the west coast to play in the Western States Hockey League. After winning the Thorne Cup with the Phoenix Polar Bears, he was drafted into professional hockey and finished his playing career with the Mississippi RiverKings of the Southern Professional Hockey League in 2012. Following his professional career he still continues to train hard while coaching and running his business in addition to playing rec hockey and picking up golfing.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