Mike Bayat
 

Hi there, I am Coach Mike. My wife Victoria and I have an amazing daughter, Florencia.
We live in Lancaster, where my extended family also resides and participates in athletics.
I moved to Lancaster when I was twelve, where I was fortunate to participate in athletics
(football, track, swimming, hockey). While going into my junior year, I tore my ACL, but was
blessed to have worked with a performance minded rehabilitation staff which allowed me to
recover swiftly. While I already was seeing the benefits of a robust strength and conditioning
program, this shifted my mindset to be geared towards the science and art of sports performance.
After a successful high school senior year, I attended Ohio University for a bachelor's
degree in exercise physiology. My junior and senior year I was an intern for the Strength and
Conditioning program, being given an increasing role throughout the duration of my time.
After graduation, I decided to continue to hone my craft by interning with the Strength and
Conditioning program with University of North Carolina Chapel Hill for football. I was
fortunate to be able to learn from an amazing staff. I then continued with an internship with
Strength and Conditioning for football at The Ohio State University.
Shortly into my internship with The Ohio State University, I was contacted to take on my first
full time role as Head strength and Conditioning Coach for Football at Kentucky Christian
University. This was an amazing opportunity to develop my philosophy of training.
The following year, I decided to expand my experience by returning to the Raleigh-
Durham area to work at a private athletic development site, The Iron Pit. This expanded my
experience from primarily collegiate to everything from adolescent to adult professionals.
During this time the staff team I was fortunate to be part of continued to grow & develop in
experience and craft.
In 2013, I decided to continue my academic career and professional development by
joining the University of Akron for Olympic Sports while completing my master’s degree for
Exercise Physiology. During this time, I was fortunate to participate in a multitude of different
sports teams, being allowed to contribute to the successful growth of the program. These
programs included Men’s Soccer, Basketball, Golf, as well as Women’s Soccer, Basketball,
Softball, Volleyball, as well as Swimming and Diving. I was selected in 2015 for the role of
Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning for Olympic Sports.
Then in 2018, my life changed, my amazing wife and I had Florencia. Life changed
quickly in terms of my profession as well, an opportunity to work in the tactical sector presented
itself. While torn to leave my Akron Family, I welcomed the opportunity and challenge to join
the rollout of the Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) program with the U.S. Army at Fort Drum.
Beginning in 2018 through 2021, I worked with multiple battalion and brigade elements, from
Light Infantry to General aviation. The challenges and experiences were enriching, and I
cherished this time.

In 2021, our family became the centerpiece of focus, leading us to return to Ohio. I
placed emphasis on adolescent physical development, joining the Sports Performance team with
Nationwide Children’s Hospital, leading the Athletic Development Program at Watkin’s High
School. During this time, I was fortunate to assist in the Football, Volleyball, Track and Field,
Rugby, Soccer, baseball, and Softball programs.
These decades of experience have fostered a strong sense of growth mindset, a continuing
culture of success, and an emphasis on best practices for athletics. Additionally, the emphasis on
the development of team culture and relationships. I am ecstatic to be given the opportunity to
grow alongside Coach Ryan and Simon’s families, building memories for a lifetime while
assisting others to achieve their best outcomes.