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Midwest BOOM Staff

J.R. Niklos - General Manager

  • High School All-American in Football & Track

  • 2 sport athlete at The Ohio State University

  • 3 time All-American at Western Illinois University

  • 6 year NFL Veteran with St. Louis Rams, Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, and Cleveland Browns

  • Has lead BOOM to 13 National Championships under his time as a General Manager

  • Coached High School football 2008-2021. Currently coaching at College Of Dupage

  • Current Director Of Sports Performance at Acceleration Sports Performance

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Michael Bertschinger - Assistant General Manager

  • Played football at Nebraska Wesleyan University

  • Director for BOOM's In-House programs

  • Director for BOOM's 10u, 12u, 14u, & 15u National Programs

  • Led BOOM to a 15u National Tournament Championship​

  • Offensive Coordinator for BOOM's Future Teams

  • Has led BOOM's In-House teams to 15 total championships

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Mike Niklos - Head Strength & Performance Coach

  • 3 time All-American at Robert University (PA)

  • Invited To Rookie Camp with Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Played Arena Football with Chicago Rush

  • Has won 4 7v7 National Championships and 18 Regional Championships as a Coordinator

  • Current Head Performance Coach at Acceleration Sports Performance

  • Has developed over 1000 athletes to be faster, quicker, and stronger in their sport(s)

 

Lonny Stare - Head 18u Offensive Coordinator

  • 2 sport athlete at Navy (baseball & football)

  • Played in the Dodgers & Giants baseball organization

  • 1st ever Naval Academy graduate to play pro baseball

  • Over 15 years coaching experience from Youth To High School

  • Has won 4 7v7 National Championships and 18 Regional Championships as a Coordinator

 

Storm Warner - Head 18u Defensive Coordinator

  • Played LB at The Ohio State University

  • Special Teams Captain at OSU

  • Has won 2 National 7v7 Championship and 7 Regional Championships as a Coordinator

  • Over 20 years coaching experience from Youth to High School

 

Elliott Ivory - Director Of Media, 15u Defensive Coordinator

  • Played football at Western Illinois University

  • Current owner and talent scout at GametimePros, working with the top High School, College, and Pro athletes in the country

  • Producer of the BOOM Highlight Mixtapes, which has drawn over 2 million total views

  • Has led the BOOM's 10u-15u teams to 7 National Championships

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Sam LeDeaux - 18u Offensive Coordinator

  • All-American WR at Knox College

  • Has won 2 National Championship and 5 Regional Championships as a Coordinator

  • Former Teacher, Assistant Principal, Principal, and Current District Level Administrator

  • High School Coach

 

Colin Baumgartner - 18u Defensive Coordinator

  • Played football at University Of Wisconsin Platteville

  • Has won 1 Regional Championship as a Coordinator

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Landon Cox - 18u Offensive Coordinator

  • All State WR at Thornton Fractional North

  • 3 year starter at Northern Illinois earning All-Mac honors his Senior year

  • Played with the Cincinnati Bengals & Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Current Director of Athletics and College Support at Beyond Sports Foundation

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Kendale Farlow - 18u Defensive Coordinator

  • Played High School football at Evanston Township where he finished as a Top 25 player in the state

  • Played college football at Northern Illinois

  • Played semi-pro football for the Leyden Lions

  • Current EFT DB coach with multiple years of youth football coaching experience

 

Gregg Kirkwood - 18u Offensive Coordinator

  • Currently coaches for Judson University (NAIA)

  • Has won multiple Pop Warner National Championships

  • Has won 3 Regional 7v7 Championship as a Coordinator

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Nathan "Champ" Bailey - 18u Defensive Coordinator

  • Played High School football at Neuqua Valley 

  • Played college football and ran track at North Central, as well as Concordia University

  • Has won 2 Regional League Championships as a Coordinator

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Stephaun Raines - BOOM 15u Head Coach

  • Former All-State WR/DB and 2 sport athlete in High School

  • Played football at Tennessee University

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Jeff Richardson - BOOM Linemen Team Manager

  • Former strength coach at Iowa State University

  • Head High School Strength Coach

  • Over 10 years coaching experience 

  • Current Director Of Sports Performance at Acceleration Sports Performance

 

Brad Kunz - Linemen Trench Warfare Coach

  • Played at the University Of Miami

  • Won a National Championship with Miami in 2001, considered one of the best college teams of all time

  • Played 4 years in the pros in the AFL, CFL, & Indoor Leagues

  • Current High School Football Head Coach

 

A.J. Lindeman - Linemen Trench Warfare Coach

  • Played Tackle at the University Of Toledo

  • Played for the Chicago Bears

 

Matt Biermann - BOOM St. Louis Head Coach

  • Played at the University Of Missouri

  • Has won 1 Regional 7v7 Tournament as a Coordinator

  • Current owner of Elite Sports Performance

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Spencer Davis - BOOM Quad Cities Head Coach

  • Head High School Football Coach for 4 years

  • Played Football at Augustana and the Arena Football League

  • Son, Drake Davis, plays QB for Northern Michigan

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Jason Krauch - 15u, 14u, 12u, & 10u Offensive Coordinator

  • Multiple years of experience coaching youth football

  • Won a 10u National Championship as a Coordinator in 2021

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Gus Ramos - Advisor

  • Has helped promote BOOM athletes since joining BOOM in 2015

  • Current reporter for NBC

  • Current director for the Adidas All-American Bowl​

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Elias Karras - Advisor, Recruiting Coordinator

  • Graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a Bachelors of Science in Natural Science and Nutrition

  • Owner of EFT Sports Performance Training

  • Honored by the United States Olympic Committee with a Special Recognition Award

  • Has received the Distinguished Achievement Award from the International Sports Sciences Association

  • Assists BOOM in college recruitment and exposure

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