Mike, a graduate of Occidental College, spent three years playing football for the SCIAC Champion Tigers, graduating with his Bachelor’s degree in 2005. During 2005 Mike spent six months playing professionally in Europe for the Gefle Red Devils of Sweden. He also served as the defensive coordinator for the organization’s prep team, as well as the head strength and conditioning coach.

Upon his return home, Mike went back to Occidental College to complete his Master’s degree and earn his secondary school teaching credential, which he completed in the spring of 2006. In December of 2006, Mike represented Team USA against Team Canada in a football showdown between the two countries. Between 2005 and 2009, Mike spent five seasons as the strength and conditioning and secondary coach for the Occidental College football team.

In September of 2008, Mike took over as the middle school strength and conditioning coach at Harvard-Westlake School. For eight years, Mike aided in the school’s creation of a vertically integrated strength program. Within this program, students where taught how to build a technical weightlifting base, starting in the seventh grade, that was developed upon over time. Through technical efficiency learned at a young age, students vertically integrated to the high school program where strength was developed further. This program received much acclaim by major strength and conditioning associations, such as the NSCA.

Mike has published a book titled: “Building the Beast: A Comprehensive Guide to Adolescent Strength and Conditioning.” In addition to this work with adolescents, Mike also was the head strength and conditioning coach for the varsity water polo and track teams. By the completion of his tenure at Harvard-Westlake, Mike was a part of two national and three CIF Championship teams. Mike was also inducted into the Harvard-Westlake water polo hall of fame.

Over the past several years Mike has coached eight athletes, all of whom have fared very well at the national level in weightlifting: Lindsey Valenzuela (2009 American Open Championships), Crystal Riggs (2012: 13th and 15th in the American Open Championships, and 2015-2016 USA Nationals), Katie Crowe-Tromello (2012-2013 American Open Championships), Chrissy Barron (2015 American Open Championships), Nathan Doud (2015 American Open Championships), Deanna Douglas (2015-2016 University Nationals), Danielle Marino (2015-2016 University Nationals), and Evan Hardman (2016 University Nationals).

In CrossFit he has coached multiple CrossFit Games and CrossFit Regional level athletes, such as Bill and James Grundler (2015-2016 Reebok CrossFit Games), Alison Locke (2015 Reebok CrossFit Games), Dan Wells (2015 Reebok CrossFit Games), Greg Smiley (2013 Reebok CrossFit Games), Chelsey Grigsby (2015-2016 California Regionals), Katie Crowe (2011-2015 Southern California and California Regionals), Jessica Goeser (2012-2016 Southern California and California Regionals), Lindsey Deitsch (2014-2016 Southern California and California Regionals), and Daimino Stewart (2014-2016 Southern California and California Regionals), to name a few. He has coached his gym’s team, Team Precision, to six straight CrossFit Regional appearances.