he graduated from wayzata high school as a member of the national honor society and was a four time state champion and record holder in the hurdles. while at the university of minnesota he established a number of records and earned all big ten honors in the high hurdles. he volunteered as area director of the wayzata/plymouth youth football association, and as board member of the lake minnetonka athletic association and as vice chair of the plymouth planning commission before becoming state senator of sd43.