Chet Fuhrman

Chet Fuhrman
Personal information
Born:1951 (age 72–73)
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Career information
High school:John Harris (PA)
College:Central Oklahoma
Career history
As a coach:
As an administrator:
Career highlights and awards

Earl Chester "Chet" Fuhrman is a strength and conditioning coach who has worked at the professional level with the National Football League (NFL)'s Pittsburgh Steelers. He was the strength and tight ends coach for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League (UFL). He has also worked at the collegiate level and high school levels.

Early life

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Fuhrman was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he attended John Harris High School (renamed Harrisburg High School in 1971).[1] In high school, he participated in football and track and developed an interest in weight training.[2] He matriculated at the University of Central Oklahoma where he earned a degree in physical education in 1973.[2]

Coaching career

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Fuhrman began his career as a strength coach and assistant American football coach at his alma mater Harrisburg High School and then at Steelton-Highspire High School in his native Pennsylvania.[2]

In 1979, he took a position as the assistant strength and conditioning coach at Pennsylvania State University (Penn State). Two years later, Fuhrman left Penn State to become the first head strength and conditioning coach at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah.[2] He returned to Penn State the following year when the head strength and conditioning coach position opened up there. He spent the next eleven years at Penn State where he coached such athletes as Steve Wisniewski, Blair Thomas, Mike Munchak and Andre Collins[3][4]

When Bill Cowher replaced Chuck Noll as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers he brought in Fuhrman to replace Jon Kolb as the team's conditioning coordinator.[1] In 2005, Fuhman was voted by his peers in the league as the NFL Strength Coach of the Year.[1] The Steelers won the Super Bowl in the same season

Fuhrman remained with the Steelers during Cowher's full tenure of fifteen seasons. He was not retained by new head coach Mike Tomlin in 2007.[5]

In 2009 Fuhrman became the athletic director at Avonworth School District which is just northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[6] He resigned from the position less than a year later.[7]

In May 2011, Furhman was hired as assistant coach for the UFL's Virginia Destroyers (formerly the Florida Tuskers) under head coach and general manager Marty Schottenheimer. He was responsible for coaching the team's tight ends as well as performing as the strength coach but retired after a single year of coaching.[8]

Furhman was a ninth grade football coaches at North Allegheny School District (Pittsburgh) in the 2015 season. He also is a substitute teacher at the North Allegheny schools.

Personal life

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Fuhrman and his wife, Lisa, have three children — Erica, Michael, and Maria. He also has one grandchild — Giovanni Steele.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Pittsburgh Steelers bio". Steelers.com. Retrieved March 23, 2010.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ a b c d "Fuhrman new strength coach". The Daily Collegian (Penn State). March 15, 1982. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 23, 2010.
  3. ^ Faggen, Peter (September 7, 1991). "Beyond the gridiron: Chet Fuhrman". The Daily Collegian (Penn State). Archived from the original on June 21, 2007. Retrieved March 23, 2010.
  4. ^ Brown, Scott (July 27, 1992). "Fuhrman flexes as Steeler strength coach". The Daily Collegian (Penn State). Archived from the original on July 21, 2001. Retrieved March 23, 2010.
  5. ^ "NFL Notebook: Steelers replace strength coach". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. February 1, 2007. Retrieved March 23, 2010.
  6. ^ "Avonworth Names A.D." The Citizen. August 7, 2009. Archived from the original on March 4, 2012. Retrieved March 23, 2010.
  7. ^ "A.D. Resigns". The Citizen. April 9, 2010. Archived from the original on March 18, 2012. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
  8. ^ "UFL Destroyers complete coaching staff". Daily Press (Virginia). May 23, 2011. Retrieved May 25, 2011.[permanent dead link]