(Columbia, Missouri) The University of Missouri football team finished one of its most successful seasons in program history, and a former Atlantic High School and Luther College Graduate, Derek Stork, is a member of the Coaching Staff. The Tigers finished the season at 11-2, capped off with the 14-3 win over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.
Derek Stork was a four-sport athlete and 2012 Atlantic High School graduate. He was a member of a state football playoff team and a state medal winner in wrestling. After high school, he attended Iowa State University and later transferred to Luther College in Decorah to wrestle. While at Luther, he fell in love with the weight room and appreciated what it did for him as an athlete. Stork interned at the University of Iowa, worked at Auburn University, William Penn, and was hired full-time at Luther before following his mentor to Appalachian State University before accepting the University of Missouri Football Coaching staff job.
Stork is the Assistant Director of Athletic Performance, which involves the player’s speed development in the weight room and on the field.
Coach Stork is in his second year at Missouri, and watching the players succeed is “something you always dream about.”
Stork says the season could not have ended better with the signature win over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.
One of Coach Stork’s responsibilities is running the sports science part of the program. This supplies about three-fourths of the players with a GPS used to measure speed during practices and games.
The Head Coach and Offense and Defense Coordinators are the face of the team. However, the Strengthening and Conditioning Coaches are with these athletes almost five days a week, 48 weeks of the year.
I asked Derek if he ever stopped to think about being a member of the coaching staff of a Power Five football program. His answer…
Coach Stork mentioned that he can help young people interested in pursuing this field. Stork says to get a hold of him and will do what he can to help them.
Derek Stork is the son of Micki Harris of Atlantic and Keith Stork of Dexter. Derek’s wife (Taylor in the Photo) is also an Atlantic High School and Simpson College graduate. She is the daughter of Sheryl Barry of Atlantic and Jim Barry of Muscatine.
