Coach Ray

Ray has dedicated his life to the Iron Game for nearly 6 decades. It all started at the age of 9yo with a pair of ankle weights that his older cousin gave him to curl and press them...After a few workouts with them he was hooked. Ray developed a hunger for more...He begged his parents to buy him a set of weights. After months of asking, his parents finally bought him his first weight set. Ray would train morning, noon & night. The iron became his sanctuary & saved his life. Ray was hungry & thirsty for more knowledge and would read every book & magazine that he could get his hands on. Ray’s confidence grew & after a couple of years he decided to play competitive sports.  

Over Ray’s athletic career, his competitive sports have included powerlifting, weightlifting, feats of strength, bodybuilding, football, wrestling, track & field, swimming, baseball, martial arts, and MAS Wrestling. 

Ray played Little League & Pony League baseball as a youngster. Once he started high school, Ray became a three sport athlete competing in football, wrestling, track & field. He varsity lettered in all 3 sports at Argo Community High School (1968-1972). ​

In college, that’s where Ray really got the iron bug. His strength was developing to where he wanted to compete in powerlifting.  

Support of Athletes, Coaches, and Meet Directors  

Active member of the AAU Strength Sports Long Term Athletic Development (LTAD) Program, inaugurated in 2017. Committee Member/Instructor. Developed a curriculum for certification of trainers/coaches.  

Business owner, manager, and trainer of his MAXT Sports Academy and Team MAXT Strength Sports in Murrieta CA, bringing in dozens of athletes into AAU Strength Sports (including MAS) in the past few years. Ray has strongly encouraged his athletes to participate in all the AAU Strength Sports, and most of them have done so. 

Holds special Saturday open workouts specifically for athletes of his Team MAXT Strength Sports doing strongman training for AAU Strength Sports meets, but open to all athletes of varied interests. 

Has hosted & volunteered thousands of hours for numerous sports camps over a few decades for speed and strength training—for all sports, all ages, and all levels of ability. Worked with high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools for in developing and monitoring physical fitness programs.  

Has worked with coaches of Pop Warner and Junior All-American football teams, high schools colleges & pros training their athletes....Strength & Conditioning Coach for Rancho Christian High School. - Temecula, CA. & Lakewood  High School  - Lakewood,  CA. 

Personal trainer/strength & speed trainer for over 47 years. 

Over Ray’s athletic career, his competitive sports have included powerlifting, weightlifting, feats of strength, bodybuilding, football, wrestling, track & field, swimming, baseball, and martial arts. 

Ray has competed in numerous powerlifting, weightlifting  & strongman competitions from 1974-1983. 2012-Present Ray has set over 52 AAU FOS World & National records in the 220 & 275lb classes.  

AAU STRENGTH SPORTS CAREER, POST-COLLEGE:

AAU Powerlifting, 1972-1976. Lifetime PR’s are: 330 kg Squat, 227.5 kg Bench Press, and  ●330 kg Deadlift. 

AAU Weightlifting, 1978-1981, & again in 2016. Lifetime PR’s are: 165 kg Snatch, and 185 kg C&J.

From 1981-1982 AAU Mr. Southern Illinois  

1982 AAU Novice Mr. Chicagoland -5th Place Tall Class 

1982 AAU Novice Mr. Illinois- 4th Place Tall Class 

1983 AAU Mr. Jr. Illinois- 3rd Place Tall Class (qualified for Jr. Mr. America 

1983 Midwest Bodybuilding Championships 3rd Place Tall Class (qualified for Mr. America) 1984 Natural Mr. Illinois 5th Place Tall Class 

Service to AAU Strength Sports

AAU Powerlifting International Referee. AAU Weightlifting Referee. AAU Feats of Strength (FOS) Referee. AAU Bodybuilding Referee. Volunteers as a Referee at several AAU Powerlifting, Weightlifting, and Bodybuilding meets annually in Southern California, Nevada.and Arizona. 

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AAU Strength Sports Executive Committee member since 2014.

AAU FOS National Chairman, Nov. 2017-present 

AAU 2018 Brother Bennett Award recipient.

AAU 2020 Strength Sports HALL OF FAME recipient.  

AAU FOS Assistant National Chairman, 2012-Nov. 2017. 

Meet director for the annual AAU FOS North American and World Championships, and several local AAU FOS meets for the past eight years. Typically hauls 10,000+  lb of his own equipment to meets. Competed in several AAU FOS meets in 2017-2018. 

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Brought strongman events to AAU Feats of Strength meets in 2014, starting with Fit Expo Southern California., Prescott AZ, and in San Diego CA. His efforts and inspiration have attracted many strongman athletes and those who have not previously competed in sanctioned athletic events. This came at a time when participation of the original FOS reps and fitness types of events was waning,  but he continued to grow overall participation, attracting strongman directors and their stables of athletes from various parts of the country to the AAU FOS North Americans and AAU FOS Worlds—particularly from Phoenix/Flagstaff, San Diego, and New Mexico. 

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Created and maintained (2015-present) special all-around awards for all AAU Strength Sports to be presented at the annual World Championships meet--to encourage all athletes to branch out and experience many strength sports rather than just one: (1) The Beast Trophies for best all-around individuals, and (2) The Grand World Team Championship plaques awarded to the best all-around teams. 

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Developed a unique basis for evaluating individual event and overall meet performances of athletes of all weight classes and age groups: He freed referees from administrative work and facilitated more exciting competitions by identifying three levels of predetermined superior performance standards (i.e., “DNA Lifts”, “Mondolifts”, and “Megalifts” in the 50+ different FOS events), maintaining up-to-the-minute standings on leaderboards, and enhancing the competitive experience for athletes.