About
NICK O'BRIEN
Nick O’Brien is a college strength and conditioning coach, national level strongman competitor and highland games athlete.
With over a decade of experience in the field, Nick has worked with hundreds of athletes at the Division I and III level, in addition to multiple professional athletes including MLB/MiLB, MLL/PLL/NLL, MLS/USL and National team players. Over his career he has coached Conference Champs, MLB, MLL, and NLL draft picks, International Team players, professional athletes, as well as 5 National Championships teams. He has a Master’s degree in Applied Health Physiology, Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and currently holds professional certifications through the NSCA and CSCCa as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and as Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified (SCCC) respectively.
With more than 10 years of experience in coaching and competing, Nick has traveled the country as an athlete, consultant and coach. Originally from Oceanside, CA, Nick currently resides in Jacksonville, FL.
S&C COACH
Nick is currently serving as an Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach at the University of North Florida. In this role he directly oversees comprehensive training for the Baseball, Beach Volleyball, and Women’s Soccer teams, in addition to directing the sports performance department’s internship program.
Throughout his career he has trained a multitude of different sports, at the Division I and Division III level as well as individual professional, National, and International level athletes. Coach O’Brien has served in various capacities at eight different collegiate universities as well as the private sector, prior to his current position.
In addition to his current role, Nick trains and consults with various professional athletes throughout the year. This includes MLB/MiLB, MLL/PLL, MLS/USL, fellow strongman and highland games athletes, military personal, and future Olympians.
ATHLETE
Nick is a lead-from-the-front style coach and that is personified in his own personal training and competition background. He competes Nationally at both Strongman and Highland Games which he’s been training in since 2011 and 2017 respectively.
Growing up regularly moving around the country, he became accustom to constantly trying new sports and joining new teams before settling on two (hockey and soccer) after attending two different high schools in two different states (NC and MD). Keeping with that narrative, Nick picked up another new sport, lacrosse, while attending college but due to a severe injury leading into his freshman year, took a year off before returning to play four years at the NCLL level.
In addition to still actively training and competing in both strongman and highland games, he plays for the local Central California Lacrosse Club team and is beginning to take classes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Nick’s broad athletic background, training and under the bar experience brings a unique perspective and coaching philosophy to the athletes and teams he has the opportunity to work alongside of.
LEADER & MENTOR
Throughout his career Nick has had the privilege of working with a number of elite level teams including 5 National Championship teams and 3 National Runners-up. In addition to those teams, under his direction teams have comprised of 22 NCAA Tournament appearances, 19 Conference Championships and 4 Bowl wins.
Additionally, he’s worked with high caliber athletes including 25 MLB Draft picks, 6 PLL/MLL Draft picks, 9 NLL Draft picks and 4 current professional athletes and 3 current National team players in both professional soccer and lacrosse. He’s worked for countless number of All-Conference players and over 80 All-Americans.
Coach O’Brien has not just developed players, he has also mentored numerous Strength and Conditioning Coaches that have gone on to great success in the profession. In his current role, he leads the instruction of the strength & conditioning departments’ internship program and curriculum as an approved coach through the CSCCa mentorship program.
Nick is the host of The Strength Game Podcast in addition to being a speaker and consultant for various webinars, podcasts and sports performance clinics/conferences. He has also served as a Squad Leader (coach) for veterans for the 501(c) Catch A Lift Fund as well as an event volunteer for the Semper Fi Fund working alongside other veterans outreach programs.
ARMY OFFICER
The military has always been a large part of Nick’s world, having been surrounded by it throughout his life. Coming from a long tradition of service members in his family and growing up in a military household constantly on the move, made the decision relatively easy for him to follow suit.
He enlisted in the military in 2022 and was commissioned as an Officer in the United States Army in March of 2023 following his graduation from Army Officer Candidate School (OCS) at For Benning, GA (class 004-23). Second Lieutenant O’Brien currently serves as a Platoon Leader for the 381st Engineer Support Company. “Dig Deep”
OUTSIDE S&C
Not everything happens on the field or in the weight room. When Nick isn’t coaching he can be found training and competing himself, longboarding, traveling or spending time with friends and family.
