Choosing Mount Union
I chose to attend Mount Union for college because it had an excellent education program and it allowed me to continue my dream of playing football.
Active Student
I played football throughout my entire time at Mount Union and was part of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).
Favorite Professor
Dr. Beth Canfield-Simbro, assistant professor of human performance and sport business, was my favorite professor at Mount Union. She had such a wonderful personality and truly cared about each and every student she had in class!
Favorite Memories
Some of my best memories at Mount Union came from my freshmen year – living in the dorms and sharing that first year experience with some of my best friends! I still stay connected to the people I met at Mount Union and we all try to get together at least once or twice a year. It usually involves a night of reminiscing all the great stories from "the good old days!"
First Job
After graduating from Mount Union, I accepted a health and physical education teaching position at Mentor High School. During my two years in this position, I ran the schools strength and conditioning program and coached football and wrestling.
Rehabilitation
My family was going through a hard time after my brothers were in a tragic hiking accident. They both suffered life threatening head injuries, and I was recovering from knee reconstructive surgery. CrossFit became a form of rehab, not just physically, but mentally for all of us.
Turning CrossFit into a Career
My senior football season was cut short after I suffered another knee injury, and I set a goal for myself to make it to the CrossFit Games shortly after my surgery. My dad is a certified coach and he’s the one who got me started. I decided to compete in CrossFit in 2012, and once I started training and really understanding the sport and how it could help change people’s lives, I sat down with my family and we developed a plan to make it happen. Since then, I’ve placed fourth in 2012 and 2013 and fifth in 2014 in the Reebok CrossFit Games.
Love for CrossFit
My girlfriend Christin Handley ’11 just started CrossFit this past year and loves it! My entire family also loves CrossFit and my younger twin brothers have dreams of competing in the future. My sister Shayna, a junior health and physical education major at Mount Union and member of the women's basketball team, made an incredible recovery by rehabbing with CrossFit. She tore her ACL during her freshman year and has worked very hard to make a comeback. She played a big part in running all of our kids’ classes this past summer at CrossFit Mentality. It truly has become a family lifelong lifestyle for us.
Future Aspirations
I want to win the CrossFit Games and continue to inspire people to do things they didn't think were possible. I also want to build my name as a coach by helping my twin brothers with their CrossFit journey.
Not Just For Elite Athletes
I wish people knew that CrossFit isn't just for elite athletes and it's the perfect training regimen for any determined individual, regardless of experience level. Every movement is scalable.