Rick Perry serves as Northwestern’s Assistant Director of Football Sports Performance. He previously was the director of strength and conditioning at Central Michigan, where he coordinated the training efforts for 16 varsity programs and had direct oversight over the Chippewas Football program.
Perry was on the Notre Dame strength and conditioning staff from 2006-2009, assisting the football program while overseeing the men’s soccer and lacrosse teams. Prior to his time in South Bend, he was the head strength and conditioning coach at Missouri State for seven years and spent two years as a graduate assistant at Kansas.
In 1994, Perry was the defensive line coach and strength and conditioning coach at Buena Vista. He was the defensive tackles coach and assistant defensive line coach at Idaho State in 1995.Â
Perry graduated from Missouri State with a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1995. He played football for two seasons (1988-89) at Garden Community College and two (1990-92) at Missouri State. He received a master of science in education with a specialization in sport administration and nutrition from Kansas in 1998. He was a 1993 free agent signee with the Detroit Lions.
He is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa), and in 2002 was a nominee for the NSCA Strength and Conditioning Professional of the Year award. In May 2013, Perry was named a recipient of the prestigious certification of Master Strength of Conditioning Coach (MSCC) by the CSCCa, the highest honor presented in the strength and conditioning coaching profession.
Perry was on the Notre Dame strength and conditioning staff from 2006-2009, assisting the football program while overseeing the men’s soccer and lacrosse teams. Prior to his time in South Bend, he was the head strength and conditioning coach at Missouri State for seven years and spent two years as a graduate assistant at Kansas.
In 1994, Perry was the defensive line coach and strength and conditioning coach at Buena Vista. He was the defensive tackles coach and assistant defensive line coach at Idaho State in 1995.Â
Perry graduated from Missouri State with a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1995. He played football for two seasons (1988-89) at Garden Community College and two (1990-92) at Missouri State. He received a master of science in education with a specialization in sport administration and nutrition from Kansas in 1998. He was a 1993 free agent signee with the Detroit Lions.
He is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa), and in 2002 was a nominee for the NSCA Strength and Conditioning Professional of the Year award. In May 2013, Perry was named a recipient of the prestigious certification of Master Strength of Conditioning Coach (MSCC) by the CSCCa, the highest honor presented in the strength and conditioning coaching profession.