My Story

Beginnings

Born in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, I grew up with a passion for friendly competition that shaped my dynamic life. At age 5, I was already tearing through fields on a mini bike, racing neighbors and local kids on a track carved out in my family’s field.

Bowling

From ages 6 to 10, I dominated the local YABA bowling league, starting in 1982, where I clinched three YABA Junior Singles Championships, two YABA Junior Team Championships, and earned numerous achievement awards, cementing my early reputation as a fierce and talented competitor.  But most of all, I became someone who also who loved to help elevate those around me.
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Martial Arts
My competitive spirit found new outlets in Taekwondo, where, despite only reaching green belt, I embraced the discipline and rigor. I recall my Sensi being intrigued as I famously cited pushups and workouts as my favorite part of class—a love for intense training that persists today.

Track & Field

My natural athleticism and my love for track and field sports shone through in high school. Opting out of team sports to focus on skateboarding, I still excelled in various open track meets, medaling in High Jump, Long Jump, 100-yard dash, Discus, and Shot Put, once sweeping five events in a single meet.

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Skateboarding
At 13, a fleeting glimpse of skateboarders in a California ditch sparked a decades-long obsession. Despite growing up in a town of 1400 people in rural Wisconsin, I dove into skateboarding, earning sponsorships from multiple shops and companies as an amateur skater. Inspired by Mark Wahlberg’s physique, I began bodyweight workouts to enhance my skating.  My dedication to competitive skateboarding spanned 20 years.

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Disc Golf

From 2000 to 2006, I toured as a competitively ranked advanced amateur PDGA disc golfer. I paused competitive play when I moved to an area without nearby courses.  I still love to throw a frisbee and play disc golf, but these days it's mostly fun competition between friends & family.

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Air Hockey

In 2008, my competitive drive reignited with professional air hockey.  After two years of training on my own table, I competed in the 2011 Air Hockey World Championship in Las Vegas, NV. Two years later I organized the 2013 and 2014 California State Championships. I started a nonprofit called PlayAirHockey.org which donated professional quality air hockey tables to Boys & Girls clubs in the Southern California area.  In 2015 I achieved a career-best 12th place finish (world ranking) at the AHPA World Championships. Air hockey still remains a cherished pursuit.
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American Ninja Warrior
In 2013, at peak physical condition with a 4.56-second 40-yard dash and multiple daily workouts, I discovered American Ninja Warrior (ANW). I was drawn to its resemblance to my childhood gym class obstacle courses.  I was selected for Season 6, completing the Quintuple Steps but falling on the Spinning Wheel. I transformed my backyard into the “Ninja Ranch,” and recruited a training team of 10 elite athletes. Five of whom, including myself, made it onto ANW Season 8—a remarkable 50% team success rate.  Ninja Ranch became the go-to training grounds on the West Coast with a lot of the ninjas you see on the show coming to train at my Ninja Ranch. I quickly became a trusted obstacle course and ninja fitness coach, responsible for training up many of the athletes you have seen on the show.  Despite serious wrist injuries, I also competed in Season 8, falling on the Ring Jump, and served as an obstacle tester for Seasons 9 and 10.  Along the way I also competed in various ANW style obstacle course competitions, most notably, winning the 2015 Southern California UNAA Finals qualifier.
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Setbacks
My journey hasn’t been without countless setbacks. I’ve battled knee, elbow, and hip injuries, broken bones, rolled ankles, wrists, herniated discs, neck and nerve issues, mobility challenges.  The list goes on, but the key was learning to heal through nutrition, movement, and mental resilience. My weight has fluctuated many times.  Sometimes on purpose, sometimes not.  After my son’s birth in 2018, I prioritized family over fitness, gaining weight before recommitting to lifelong health. Labor-intensive long days at my ranch brought many new injuries.  Now I'm on a mission to stay in shape for life, sharing my hard-earned wisdom on recovery, discipline, and fitness with others.