FRED CANTOR, M. Ed., CSCS, *D Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, University Of Maryland Baltimore County

Fred Cantor, M.ED., CSCS *D, serves as the University of Maryland, Baltimore County's (UMBC) full time Head Strength and Conditioning Coach. Now in his 7th year, Coach Cantor works year-round with 18 Retriever programs on all aspects of strength training and conditioning.

UMBC (NCAA Division I) recently transitioned from the Northeast Conference (NEC) to the America East Conference (AEC). While competing in the Northeast Conference, UMBC experienced unprecedented success. Retrievers' teams won 32 NEC Championships and made 22 appearances in NCAA Championship competition. In all five years of league play, UMBC was awarded the Commissioner's Cup, symbolic of the conference's top overall program. In 2003 UMBC produced their first national champion, as Cleopatra Borel won the shot put at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships. In 2004 Ms. Borel finished 10th in the world at the Athens Olympics. Now in their 4th year competing in the America East Conference, UMBC has won multiple championships. After struggling in their first year, UMBC improved their finish 5 positions in the most recent Commissioner's Cup and became the conference's most improved program.

Coach Cantor came to UMBC from Lafayette College where he served as Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Leopards' 22 sport varsity program from 1996 to 2000. From 1989-1996 the Pennsylvania native enjoyed over-lapping stints as Head Strength Coach and Assistant Football Coach at Springfield (PA) HS, Head Strength Coach at Father Judge (PA) HS and Assistant to the Head Strength Coach for the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles. Coach Cantor is a frequent lecturer throughout the nation.

Coach Cantor earned his B.A. degree in Political Science from Temple University in 1981 and later earned a Master's Degree in Education from LaSalle University in 1998. He was conferred as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association in 1992 and has since earned the honors of Certification with Distinction (*D). He is a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (1982) and the American Football Coaches Association (1992).


TODD HAMER, M.S., Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Robert Morris University, www.hamerstrength.com

Todd was the head strength and conditioning coach at George Mason University from 2004 until February 2007 and was responsible for designing and implementing programs for women's basketball, women's lacrosse, baseball, women's soccer, softball, and women's track. Todd received a bachelors of science from Penn State and a masters degree from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).

Prior to coming to Mason, Todd was the head strength and conditioning coach for the Red Foxes at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York, from October 2002 until April 2004. He worked with all 23 varsity sports and was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Marist College Fitness Center. Before taking the position at Marist, he was the assistant strength and conditioning coach at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. In August 2001, he worked as a graduate assistant for Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, completing his studies in August 2002. At VCU, he worked with the soccer, field hockey, track and field, and volleyball teams in all aspects of their strength and conditioning programs. He also assisted in the designing of a new 5,500 square foot weight room.

At UNC, Todd worked as a research assistant for a study on juvenile diabetes. At both Pitt and Penn State, he worked with the Panthers volleyball and football teams and the Nittany Lions football team, respectively. Todd is a competitive powerlifter and competed in the International Powerlifting Association National Championships in 2002. He continues to compete and won the 2001 USAPL Virginia State Championship. In addition, he is a competitive member of the International Power Lifting Association. His best lifts are 545 lbs for squat, 375 lbs for bench, and 500 lbs for deadlift.


DR. STEVE HORWITZ, D.C., CCSP, CSCS, USAW, Maryland State Director, National Strength and Conditioning Association, www.marylandsportsinjurycenter.com

The Consumers' Research Council of America named Dr. Horwitz to the 2006 edition of "Guide to America's Top Chiropractors". Dr. Horwitz is a certified Chiropractic Sports Physician, Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a USA Weightlifting Club Coach. He is also a certified ART® and Graston Technique practitioner.

Dr. Horwitz was selected by the United States Olympic Committee as the sole chiropractor for the 1996 United States Olympic Team and has traveled internationally with U.S.A. Track and Field. In 1996, Maryland Governor Parris Glendening appointed Dr. Horwitz to the Maryland Council on Physical Fitness and from 2002 to 2004 Dr. Horwitz served as the council's Chairman. In 2004, he was selected as the Maryland State Director for the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

He is a recipient of the Maryland Chiropractic Association's Outstanding Achievement Award and Washingtonian magazine has chosen him as one of the area's top sports medicine doctors. Dr. Horwitz is the author of the books YOU CAN BE FIT!, Golf Fitness Made Easy!, and Rotator Cuff Relief . An athlete himself, Dr. Horwitz won his height class in the 1986 AAU Collegiate Mr. America bodybuilding contest. In 2000 he won the 198lb. masters division of the 100% RAW Powerlifting meet and deadlifted over triple his bodyweight.


JASON RIDDELL, M.S., SCCC, CSCS, USAW, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, American University

Jason Riddell is Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at American University where he is responsible for the implementation of all resistance training, speed mechanics and conditioning programs for the varsity sports at AU. Prior to coming to AU Jason worked as Assistant Director of Sports Performance with Velocity Sports Performance in Baltimore, MD and then Alexandria, VA from 2003-2005. There he worked with all caliber of athlete including professional (NFL, NBA) collegiate and high school athletes. Before that he worked as strength and conditioning coach for the Los Angeles Angels during the 2003 season with their minor league affiliate the Provo Angels in Provo, UT.

Riddell started as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of Richmond working with Football, Basketball, Baseball, Field Hockey, Lacrosse and Tennis. Riddell received his MS in Exercise Physiology from the University of South Carolina in 2002 while working as a GA strength and conditioning coach with men’s and women’s basketball. He received his BS in 1999 with a major in Biology and minor in Education from the State University of New York at Cortland.


JIM RONEY, M. Ed., CSCS, USAW, USATF, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Douglas Freeman High School

Jim Roney is currently the head stength and conditioning coach at Douglas Freeman High School outside of Richmond, Virginia. He began his strength and conditioning career as a strength coach at the University of Richmond where he was promoted to the first head strength coach for basketball. Roney left Richmond to take the position of strength and conditioning coach at Arizona State University (ASU). Following his work at ASU, he returned to Richmond to take a position at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). After one year at VCU, he moved into his current position at Douglas Freeman High School

Roney played collegiate football at the University of Massachusetts. After graduating he played professional football in Europe and then went on to coach at Springfield college, where he received his master's degree. He has competed in events ranging from 10 mile runs to century bike rides and has achieved elite status as a competitive powerlifter. His best lifts are 650 lbs. squat, 385 lbs. bench press, and 585 lbs. deadlift at 165 lbs. bodyweight.


ROBERT TAYLOR, Jr., CSCS, CCS, CSES, NSCA-CPT, NSPA-CPT, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Loyola College in Maryland, http://loyolagreyhounds.cstv.com/Strength.html


Coach Taylor begins his fourth season as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Loyola College in Maryland. Rob is a graduate of Lock Haven University, where he was a three year starter for the baseball team. He has worked with professional organizations such as the Anaheim Angels, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tampa Bay Mutiny. Rob has also been the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at UNC Greensboro. He left to pursue a graduate degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Delaware, while working as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach. Rob has also worked with athletic department at Cincinnati, Princeton, and Villanova. At each of these institutions he has helped numerous athletes reach their dream of becoming professional athletes. Rob's athletes have gone on to be drafted by the NFL, MLB, NBA, MLS, and MLL.

Last year, Rob was a strength and conditioning consultant for the 2006 Women's Lacrosse World Cup Champion's Team Australia. Rob is certified through numerous national and international organizations. He holds the CSCS and NSCA-CPT distinction through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He is also recognized by the National Strength Professionals Association as a Certified Conditioning Specialist and NSPA-CPT. Rob is a Certified Speed and Explosion Specialist through the National Association of Speed and Explosion. In May, Rob will be taking the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association's Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach examination. Coach Taylor can be seen presenting for all of these organizations as well as through presentations sponsored by Polar, Inc.


RETT WARREN, CSCS, USATF Level 1 Coach, USAW , Strength and Conditioning Coach, United States Naval Academy www.WarrenStrength.com

Rett Warren is in his seventh year as a strength and conditioning coach at the U. S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, where he assist with the overall physical conditioning of the athletes on the Varsity Football Team (4 consecutive Bowl appearances). He is also solely responsible for physical development of the athletes on the Men's Varsity Water Polo Team ('06 NCAA Final 4); the Women's Varsity Soccer Team ('07 NCAA 2nd round); and the varsity Track & Field, Cross Country, Volleyball, and Tennis teams.

Warren also runs an Olympic Weightlifting Club at the Academy. In this role, he has qualified athletes in more than 15 national competitions, including a third-place finish at the Collegiate Nationals and one Collegiate National Champion; a third-place finish in the Under 23 National Championships; and a fifth-place finish at USA National Championships (the most competitive meet in the U.S. outside of the Olympic trials).

Rett was raised in Laurel, MD, were he was a captain of the Laurel High Football Team, then the defending state champions. He attended Montgomery Junior College in Rockville, MD, where he played football and was the captain of the special teams. He then transferred to Salisbury (MD) University and played two years of football, and ran track. As a track athlete, he primarily competed in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay teams.

Following graduation, Rett has held strength and conditioning positions at the University of Pennsylvania; the College of William and Mary; the University of South Florida; UCLA; the University of Maryland; and the NFL Baltimore Ravens. While in California, Rett won the AAU Powerlifting California state title, and the AAU Raw State Bench Press title in 1998 at the infamous Venice Beach. In 1999, he wrote and published Big Bench, a training manual for upper body strength. Big Bench, a training manual for upper body strength. See also Navy Strength.
Email: RWarren@USNA.edu


JESSE WEBBER, M.S., CSCS, USAW, Sports Performance Coach, Axis Sport Performance

Jesse Webber is currently a Sport Performance Coach at Axis Sport Performance in Columbia, MD. Prior to this he has was the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Georgetown University and held assistant positions at University of Maryland and Towson University. Jesse received his B.S. in Exercise Physiology from Ohio University and his M.S. in Exercise Science from the University of Memphis. He is certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and USA Weightlifting. Jesse has worked with a variety of athletes of all ages and skill levels. He has personal trained professional athletes and worked with the Nashville Predators training camp.