Rick Perry was hired in January 2010 as Central Michigan's director of strength and conditioning.

Perry coordinates the strength and conditioning efforts for all 16 CMU varsity athletics programs while having direct oversight of the football program.

Perry had served on the strength and conditioning staff at Notre Dame from 2006-10, including as assistant director since 2008. He assisted with the strength program for the Fighting Irish football program and also oversaw the baseball, men’s soccer and men’s lacrosse teams.

Prior to Notre Dame, Perry spent seven years as the head strength and conditioning coach at Missouri State, where he coordinated the strength and conditioning programs for 21 varsity sports. Perry also spent two years as a graduate assistant at Kansas, where he worked with the football, men’s basketball and swimming and diving programs.

Perry also has experience as a football coach, having served as the defensive tackles coach and assistant defensive line coach at Idaho State in 1995 and the defensive line coach and strength and conditioning coach at Buena Vista in 1994. He also served as a volunteer assistant coach at his alma mater, Missouri State, in 1993.

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 played the final two campaigns (1990-92) at Missouri State. He signed as a free agent with the Detroit Lions in 1993.

Perry received a master’s of science degree in education with a specialization in sport administration and nutrition from Kansas in 1998.

He is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa). In 2002, he was a nominee for the NSCA Strength and Conditioning Professional of the Year award.

Perry and his wife, Lori, are the parents of two daughters: Sophie and Abbie.