E.J. Henderson
NFL Veteran & Co-Owner,
Minnesota Vikings
E.J. Henderson co-founded The GameSpeed Sports Academy along with Mark Ellis in April of 2007. E.J. has a true compassion for working with youth and nurturing their physical development. E.J established the
E.J. Henderson Youth Foundation in April of 2007 utilizing the philosophy that supportive guidance, mentoring and proper physical training contribute to the physical, mental and emotional wellness of youth.
Active in the Twin Cities community through the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board ... Earned a degree in criminology and criminal justice in spring 2002 ... Avid movie fan and enjoys playing basketball in his free time ... Attended same high school as Baltimore Oriole legend Cal Ripken, Jr ... Younger brother, Erin, is on the Maryland football team ...
A Regular starter during the 2004 and '05 seasons, leading the team in tackles in 2004 and ranking 2nd in 2005 ... Has averaged 113 tackles per season since moving into a starting role ... Moved to WLB in 2005 after Vikings acquired veteran MLB Sam Cowart ... Stepped into starting MLB spot in 2004 in his 2nd season ... Made presence felt immediately as a rookie on special teams, going on to lead team with 27 tackles ... Selected with the 40th overall choice in the 2003 NFL Draft ... Was the 3rd LB taken in the draft after Oregon State's Nick Barnett (29th-Green Bay) and Georgia's Boss Bailey (34th-Detroit) ... First player the Vikings have drafted from the University of Maryland ... Winner of the 2002 Butkus Award, presented to the top collegiate LB.
Mark Ellis
Former NFL Strength Coach & Co-Owner
Mark Ellis, co-owner, served two seasons with the Vikings as the team's assistant strength and conditioning coach. Prior to joining the Vikings full-time, Ellis served as a speed and agility consultant for the Vikings during training camp in 2003. Mark's most recent consulting project has mark working with World Class Sprinters running for the Nike Track Club in Kansas City, KS.
Mark attended Temple University in Philadelphia, PA on a football scholarship in 1990 and graduated from Temple University with a BS in Sport / Recreation Management and Leisure Studies in 1993. Since graduation he has attended seminars to obtain a certification as a Specialist in Sports Conditioning (SSC), Personal Trainer (CPT), and Youth Fitness Trainer (YFT) from the International Sports & Science Association (ISSA) and obtained Senior Instructor status (SAQI) from Texas SAQ, an athletic enhancement program instituted by Trinity Mother Francis Hospital and Tyler Junior College.
In 1995, Ellis coached linebackers at Fort Scott Community College (KS). He coached defensive backs at Navarro College (TX) in 1994, where he tutored Ramos McDonald, who was a 3rd-round pick of the Vikings in 1998 and played in Minnesota from 1998-99. Prior to that Ellis coached defensive backs at Cheney State (PA) and Lackawanna Junior College (PA) and was a student assistant coach at Temple. Mark also coached football in the Odessa Permian and Odessa High systems prior moving into the athletic performance enhancement business.
