North Carolina State University Athletics
Young Named Assistant Track & Field Coach
12/6/2011 12:00:00 AM | Track
Dec. 6, 2011
RALEIGH, N.C.– Dr. Michael Young, co-owner of the Triangle-based sports performance center Athletic Lab, has been hired as NC State’s assistant track and field coach, Wolfpack head coach Rollie Geiger announced on Tuesday.
"I’m excited to join a program with the tremendous facilities, coaching staff and record for success of NC State,” Young said. “I look forward to helping Wolfpack student-athletes and am honored by the opportunity to join Coach Geiger and his staff."
Young will work with NC State’s sprinters and hurdlers and serve as a technical advisor for other event areas.
“Michael has been part of six national championship teams as a college coach,” Geiger said. “He’s knowledgeable about all aspects of track and field events. He has a lot of ideas on how we can improve in all events.
“He’ll make our entire track and field program better.”
In 2002, Young started Human Performance Consulting and has served as the chief sport scientist and director of sports performance ever since. Athletic Lab was later started as the company's official training center. As the coach of the company's elite track and field team (HPC Elite), he has coached a USATF national champion, three USATF championship medalists, 11 USATF championship finalists, one World Masters champion and 17 USATF championship qualifiers.
Young also has coached athletes to the national or international level in skeleton, bobsled and Olympic weightlifting and has served as a consultant for organizations such as USA Track and Field, USA Speed Skating, the Cary Police Department, the North Carolina Justice Academy and the Chinese Track and Field Association.
He currently serves as the athletic development coach and sport science advisor for the Carolina Railhawks, a professional soccer team based in Cary, N.C.
Prior to opening Athletic Lab, Young coached track and field at three schools. He started as a graduate assistant jumps coach at Ohio University, where his athletes broke five school records. He later served as a graduate assistant jumps and multi-event coach at LSU, where he was on the staff of six national championship teams. Following his time at LSU, Young was an assistant track coach at Army, coaching cadets to nine school records, 24 conference championships, 12 NCAA regional appearances and six team Patriot League conference championships in just three years.
Young competed in the decathlon at Canisius College and Ohio University. He earned a bachelors degree in exercise physiology and a master’s degree in coaching science from Ohio University. He later went on to earn a doctorate of kinesiology from LSU.
He is a frequent lecturer, presenter and author on the topic of sports science and athletic development and holds a USATF Level 3 Certification in sprints and hurdles and a Level 2 Certification in jumps and throws.
