Rafael Horton - Football Coach - Troy University Athletics

Rafael Horton

Title:
Strength & Conditioning Coach
Email:
rhorton@troy.edu
Phone:
3682

Rafael Horton begins his fourth season as Troy’s football strength & conditioning coach after two years at the University of Kentucky.

Before Kentucky, Horton spent five years at Fort Valley State University. He served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach and linebacker coach for one year before being promoted to the strength and conditioning coordinator. As head of the department, he was responsible for supervising the strength and conditioning staff for all 11 varsity sports and cheerleading. He was also the university’s fitness instructor, developing fitness programs to help promote a healthier lifestyle for students, faculty and staff members.

In 2011, he created his own company, Grindtime Fitness and Performance, in which he provides personal training services. He has trained several professional athletes, including NFL players Jason Thompson (Green Bay Packers), Marquette King (Oakland Raiders), Dionte Dinkins (St. Louis Rams), Ricardo Lockette (San Francisco 49ers), Narda Williams (Detroit Lions) and Darnell Burks (New York Giants).

Horton has certifications with the United States Association of Weightlifting in sports performance, the National Academy of Sports Medicine as a performance enhancement specialist and the National Association of Speed and Explosion.

The Barnesville, Ga., native received his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Fort Valley State in 2010 and his master’s degree in exercise science from California University of Pennsylvania in 2011.