Guest Highlight: Mickey Marotti
7
APRIL, 2020
We’re wrapping up our 4-part College Football Playoff Championship Series with last, but certainly not least, Coach Mickey Marotti. Coach Marotti is currently the assistant athletic director for Sports performance at The Ohio State University.
Not only does he oversee the football program he oversees all training for all sports at Ohio State. He’s served as a strength and conditioning coach at several programs for over 33 years. He is a 3-time National Champion and has been a part of several Conference Championships.
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting Coach Marotti you know that he’s not short on energy or personality. I can’t remember the first time I met Coach Marotti but I do remember the most significant time we ran into each other. He was at the University of Florida when he gave me a call to ask if he could come visit our staff at the University of Missouri. Truth be told, I was a little confused but I quickly learned that Coach Marotti would not stop at anything to listen, learn, and apply information.
If you’ve been in this business as long as some of the most successful coaches in the strength and conditioning and performance industry, then you know you have to be able to adapt. I have learned from coaches like Coach Marotti that you have to constantly be pursuing excellence.
Soon after Coach Urban Meyer and Coach Marotti arrived at Ohio State I took a visit along with our sports nutritionist Jana Heitmeyer. I don’t claim to be a profit, but after we returned back to Missouri I remember telling our leaders that Ohio State will be in, or will win, a national championship within three years. And that is exactly what they did!
I witnessed a level of attention to detail and willingness to think and coach outside the box that I didn’t know was possible. Coach Marotti is responsible for implementing and overseeing so many facets of the program that his title cannot capture his role and influence. If you ever have a chance to sit down and visit with Coach Marotti I encourage you to do so and make sure you bring a pen and a pad.