Joe Schaffer is beginning his second full year as the Director of Sports Performance for Northern Colorado after serving as the Assistant Sports Performance Coach for one semester.  While overseeing the development of all 19 sports teams, he is directly responsible for the development of Football, Volleyball, Men's Basketball, Softball and the Track and Field throwers.

Prior to joining the Bears, Schaffer served as a graduate assistant for the Southern Illinois University Saluki's.  While there, he helped coach the football team, which won the Gateway Conference twice; and the men's basketball team, which achieved an NCAA berth twice and advanced to the Sweet 16 his second year.  While attending Southern Illinois University, he received his Masters degree in Physical Education with an emphasis in Sports Psychology. 

Joe is a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with them, as well as a member of the USA Weightlifting and earned his Sports Performance Coach certification in 2007 at the San Antonio Sports Specific Conference.  He is also a member of the Certified Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association and sat for the certification test this past May.

Joe and his wife Ruthanne have one child, Mikayla Rose, who was born in Sept. 2008.