Jack Groppel
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Jack Groppel

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Jack Groppel, PhD, is a Senior Advisor & Executive Coach for Evolve Leadership and a pioneer in the field of human performance whose career has spanned sport science, coaching, global business, and personal transformation. Known for blending groundbreaking research with real-world application, Groppel became one of the most influential voices in sport science and performance training. He served as one of the youngest NCAA head tennis coaches at just 25, conducted cutting-edge biomechanics research, and went on to work with world-class athletes, including the Chicago White Sox, and Nike—developing and validating the training of hundreds of world-class athletes. As the founding chair of the USTA Sports Science Committee, he helped develop the standard for Olympic and professional sports performance programs worldwide.

Beyond the court and laboratory, Groppel became a sought-after advisor to Fortune 500 companies, amassing more than seven million miles of global travel and sharing stages with leaders such as Christopher Reeve, Margaret Thatcher, Paul Harvey, and Mikhail Gorbachev. He cofounded and scaled the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute (1992–2019), building an international reputation for applying sport science to leadership and workplace performance. His books, including The Corporate Athlete, have become classics in performance training and leadership.

Groppel’s expertise is backed by a BS in agricultural science, an MS in physical education, and a PhD in exercise physiology. He has served as a tenured professor, published widely in peer-reviewed journals, spoken at three U.S. congressional briefings, and addressed the United Nations on the role of physical activity in preventing chronic disease. A Hall of Fame coach, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois in 2025 and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Global Professional Tennis Coaches Association in 2023.

Born in Carrollton, Illinois, and raised with humble Midwestern roots, Groppel found his life transformed in 2008 when he adopted his son, Shen, from China. Together, they summited Mount Kilimanjaro in 2017, a symbolic journey that reshaped his understanding of legacy and fulfillment. Today, Groppel lives his mission to help others find meaning beyond achievement—investing in relationships, faith, and purpose as the true measures of a life well lived.

When he’s not speaking or coaching, Groppel enjoys playing tennis, hiking, and being in nature.
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  • Mountains Within cover art
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    • Mountains Within

    • A Life of Achievement, a Quest for Meaning, and the Mountain That Changed Everything
    • By: Jack Groppel
    • Narrated by: Jack Groppel
    • Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins
    • Release date: 05-01-26
    • Language: English
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