Vikings Strength and Conditioning Coach Tom Kanavy enters his 6th season with the Vikings and his 17th NFL campaign in 2011. His track record of success in the NFL is proven with 6 Division titles since 2000 between the Vikings and Eagles and 7 playoff appearances from 2000-09.
Kanavy joined the Vikings’ staff in 2006 and among his first responsibilities was to transform the Vikings strength and conditioning facilities. The willingness of ownership to provide the tools to succeed allowed for the addition of the best in strength and conditioning equipment and a staff with valuable NFL experience.
Vikings Strength and Conditioning Coach Tom Kanavy enters his 6th season with the Vikings and his 17th NFL campaign in 2011. His track record of success in the NFL is proven with 6 Division titles since 2000 between the Vikings and Eagles and 7 playoff appearances from 2000-09.
Kanavy joined the Vikings’ staff in 2006 and among his first responsibilities was to transform the Vikings strength and conditioning facilities. The willingness of ownership to provide the tools to succeed allowed for the addition of the best in strength and conditioning equipment and a staff with valuable NFL experience.
Kanavy oversees the planning and implementation of all aspects of the Vikings’ program, which is tailored to each individual player in order to prevent injury and to improve body composition, flexibility, speed, strength, power and stamina. A unique combination of free weights, machines and metabolic and resisted conditioning is used to address the training needs of veteran players, as well as the physical development of the younger players. Kanavy has also enlisted the services of Carrie Peterson, a registered dietician from the University of Minnesota faculty, in order to optimize team nutrition.
Kanavy came to Minnesota from the Philadelphia Eagles where he helped in the dramatic turnaround of the franchise while serving as assistant strength and conditioning coach.
Kanavy received a bachelor’s degree in exercise and sport science from Penn State University in 1993 and earned his master’s in sport management from Temple University in 1996.
Kanavy began his professional career working as a strength and conditioning intern at the University of Miami (FL) with the football program. He returned to his alma mater, Penn State, from 1993-95 working as a strength and conditioning assistant with the Nittany Lions football program. In 1994, in only their 2nd season as members of the Big Ten Conference, the squad notched a 12-0 season to win the Big Ten title and brought a Rose Bowl championship to Happy Valley after a 38-20 win over Oregon.
From Penn State, Kanavy joined the Eagles in head coach Ray Rhodes’ debut in 1995. The new staff notched a 10-6 regular season, qualified for the playoffs in the first season and went 1-1 in post-season play. In 1999 the Eagles hired Andy Reid as head coach and from 2000-05 the team won 4 NFC East titles, qualified for the playoffs in 5 of 6 seasons and represented the NFC in Super Bowl XXXIX. Kanavy worked on the same staff with Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier, who was defensive backs coach in Philadelphia for four seasons (1999-2002).
A native of Archibald, PA, Kanavy and wife, Kim, reside in suburban Minneapolis with their daughters, Caroline and Kristen.
