ANN ARBOR, Mich – University of Michigan head football coach Rich Rodriguez announced Sunday (Jan. 6) the hiring of the strength and conditioning staff for Wolverine football. The six-person staff that worked with Rodriguez at West Virginia is led by director Mike Barwis, assistants Chris Allen, Parker Whiteman and Kentaro Tamura and graduate assistants Dennis Murray and Jesse Miller.
“I am pleased to have our strength and conditioning staff join me at Michigan,” said Rodriguez. “They have been an integral part of our success on the field and I know they will help us attain our desired success at Michigan.”
Following is biographical information on the full-time Strength and Conditioning Staff:
Mike Barwis
Director of Strength and Conditioning
Barwis worked at West Virginia for 14 years and coordinated every facet of the department’s athletic sports conditioning program during that time. His primary responsibility has been working with the Mountaineers football and men’s basketball programs after working with 10 Olympic sports during his tenure.
Barwis has coached 14 National Strength and Conditioning (NSCA) All-Americans since 1999, and was one of 12 coaches to receive the 2002 Bronze Award from the NSCA certification commission. He has trained professional, Olympic, national and international competitors and medalists in wrestling, track and field, soccer, football, basketball, baseball, motor cross, cycling and rifle during his career.
A Philadelphia, Pa., native, Barwis earned his undergraduate degree in exercise physiology from WVU in 1996 and his master’s in athletic coaching in 1998. He has also completed course work in the area of anatomy, physiology, histology and biomechanics at Temple, and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists by the NSCA.
Barwis and his wife, Autumn, have one son, Ray. Autumn was the associate strength and conditioning coach for West Virginia’s varsity sports.
Chris Allen
Director of Skill Development
Allen spent the past five seasons as a member of the West Virginia strength and conditioning program. He spent two years working in Internet technology support in Atlanta, Ga., prior to joining the WVU staff. A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Allen graduated in 2000 with degrees in accounting and MIS. He has been working on a master’s degree in athletic coaching education.
Parker Whiteman
Assistant Strength Coach
Whiteman was appointed a full-time assistant strength coach at WVU in 2007 after working as a graduate assistant during the 2006 season. Prior to joining the Mountaineers staff, Whiteman spent two years as an assistant strength coach with the Baltimore Ravens and worked as a performance coach for Velocity Sports Performance. He received his bachelor’s degree in physical education and health from Shepherd (W.Va.) University, where he played football in 2006. Whiteman completed his master’s degree in exercise science from McDaniel College.
Kentaro Tamura
Assistant Strength Coach
Tamura was hired as a full-time assistant strength coach in 2007, working with the Mountaineers’ football, men’s soccer and rifle. He served as an intern and graduate assistant at WVU for three years. A native of Kanagawa, Japan, Tamura received his bachelor’s degree from Nihon University in economics and earned his master’s in exercise physiology from West Virginia. He is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and holds CPR and AED certifications. Tamura and his wife, Hiroko, have a daughter, Yuna.
