Eric Sparks
Eric Sparks

Bio

Eric Sparks joined the Benedictine Athletic Performance staff in August of 2023 after serving as an Assistant Strength and Performance Coach at The University of Houston (UH) in 2022-23. Sparks serves as Raven Athletics as the Assistant Director of Sports Performance. 

While at UH, Sparks was directly responsible for strength and conditioning programs for Women’s Soccer, Swimming and Diving, and Tennis.  In this role he worked directly with UH athletes using principles of Olympic weightlifting, strength training, plyometrics, linear speed development, change of direction, agility, flexibility, mobility, and energy system development.  He also used GPS technology to track daily athlete training load and interpreted the data to advise sports coaches.

Sparks joined UH following a five-year stint as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at The University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV).  At UTRGV, Sparks was directly responsible for strength and conditioning programs for Women’s Basketball, Men’s and Women’s Track and Field and Cross-Country, Volleyball, Men’s Tennis, and Women’s Tennis.  Aside from this, Sparks developed, designed, and administered a semester-long internship curriculum to developing coaches on staff.  He also worked to implement Velocity-Based Training and monitor Key Performance Indicators using the PUSH Training System.

Sparks got his first break as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Missouri Southern State University (MSSU) where he coordinated the scheduling, design, and implementation of strength and conditioning programs for women's soccer, men's golf, and men's and women's track & field. He also assisted with the implementation of programs for football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, and softball.

Sparks joined MSSU after working at The University of Missouri – Kansas City (UMKC) as a volunteer during the summer of 2016. Sparks joined UMKC after completing an internship at Clemson University with their Department of Olympic Sports Strength and Conditioning in the fall of 2015.  Sparks began his athletic performance career as an intern at Southern Illinois University (SIU) from 2013-15.

Sparks is designated as Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified (SCCC) from the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association.  He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) as well as a Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach (RSCC) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association.  He holds a Level 1 Sports Performance Coach from USA Weightlifting, as well as a Functional Mobility Specialist (FRCms) with Functional Anatomy Seminars.

Sparks was a swimmer for the Towson University Men's swimming & diving team from 2008-10 and again at Southern Illinois University in 2013-14 where he specialized in the sprint freestyle events.

Originally from Topeka, Kan., Sparks earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Kansas in 2013 and his Master of Science in Education in Kinesiology from Southern Illinois University in 2016.