07/26/2026
In 1998, I began my journey in Olympic weightlifting. What started as a passion has grown into nearly three decades of lifting, coaching, and sharing the techniques and principles that make this sport so meaningful.
Over the past 28 years, I’ve watched Olympic weightlifting evolve in many ways—some for the better, and some that have challenged what I believe this sport should represent. Through it all, one thing has never changed for me: coaching has never been about recognition, status, or personal fame. It has always been about the athlete.
As coaches, our place is on the side of the platform supporting, teaching, and believing in our athletes while they stand in the spotlight they have earned through their hard work and dedication. Their success is the true measure of our work.
At TFP, our mission has always been to develop athletes from the ground up—not only on the platform but as people. We believe in building strong foundations, earning trust, and investing in long-term growth. We don’t believe in taking shortcuts or poaching athletes. We believe in creating an environment where athletes choose to stay because they know they are valued, challenged, and genuinely cared for.
Like every coach, I’ve made mistakes throughout my career. Some of those mistakes have affected people, and I take responsibility for them. Those experiences have humbled me, taught me valuable lessons, and made me a better coach and a better person. Growth isn’t just something I ask of my athletes—it’s something I continue to expect from myself every day.
As I look back on this journey, I’m grateful for every athlete, coach, mentor, and lesson that has shaped me. My commitment remains the same today as it was when I first stepped into this sport: to serve the athlete with integrity, to teach with honesty, and to leave this sport better than I found it. Photo cred: Taryn Jo and Cass Ritter FL Weighlifting Federation
