198, and still I finished second. I told Joe
Weider that I wasn’t going to mess with
the drugs and that I’d come back in a year
with 10 more pounds of muscle and win
everything. That was 1982 and I won my
first Mr. America (light-heavyweight class)
in San Jose, Cal., and subsequently the
Mr. Universe in Singapore in 1983 at 198
pounds. I was called The Prophet of Muscle
Mass by Muscle and Fitness Magazine for
predicting my results a year in advance.”
And that’s when his story gets
interesting.
“How did I get to Winkler?” he laughed.
“Well, outside the norm, I guess. It either
involved money or a woman. Right?
“About 30 years ago I met a lady
who was a student at Life University in
Marietta, Ga., the chiropractic college.
We became very close and I was training
in both Kung Fu and bodybuilding, and
I’d started my undergrad program at the
time. After winning the Mr. America in San
Jose, CA. I was invited to go to Singapore
for the Mr. Universe competition and
then go to Guam for the World Kung Fu
Championships. I told her I’d be right back
after the competitions. And as it turned
out, I never came back to Georgia, instead
I moved to Laguna Beach, Cal., for 30 years.
“During the NPC Mr. America, I met IFBB
pro bodybuilder Jesse Lujan, soon to be
a three-term United States senator, from
Guam and one thing led to another, we
became close friends, and my career path
changed.”
It took awhile to come back to the
U.S. but when he did, his career path
had changed, he went back to his roots
24 / sportslife
– speed, power and tenacity. As a
former New Jersey 100-metre sprint
champion, he decided to work with
professional athletes improving their
speed, power, and mental approach
to sport.
He became one of the finest speed
coaches in America, a sprints and
hurdles coach with the U.S. track
team, an accomplished endurance
track coach and eventually one
of the most sought after private
coaches and trainers in the U.S.
“I saw this email.
“It said, ‘Do you
remember me? Can
you come to Winkler?’
‘Where is Winkler? I
asked’ Needless to say,
I didn’t go to Japan,
and now, well, here
I am five years later.
Last September, we
were married”
“I’d spent a couple of years on the
professional tennis tour training two
women, Sloane Stephens and Coco
Vandeweghe,” he said. “I wasn’t their tennis
coach, but their speed and conditioning
coach. We went to all the tournaments:
Indian Wells, Italian Open, French Open,
Australian Open, U.S. Open, and a few
years ago, I returned from Wimbledon
and went back to California before we
were scheduled to go to Japan for the
Asian WTA tour when I saw this email.
“It said, ‘Do you remember me? Can
you come to Winkler?’ ‘Where
is Winkler? I asked’ Needless
to say, I didn’t go to Japan,
and now, well, here I am five
years later. Last September,
Former Mr. America and Mr. Universe Bodybuild
ing
Champion/IFBB Professional
we were married and she runs Heartland
Chiropractic Clinic in Winkler, and I help
out and do my thing.”
He’s worked with the Winkler Flyers and
other young Manitoba athletes and offers
a full range of services from beginners to
the pros.
“I utilize a hands-on
approach with every
athlete to ensure their
road to success,”
“I utilize a hands-on approach with
every athlete to ensure their road to
success,” he said. “I am not a salesman. I do
not try to sell the athlete into a workout.
What I really sell is productivity, success,
results and achievement.” l