Criminal Justice Alumnus Mike Sobczak '07 Opens Training for Warriors
Mike Sobczak ‘07 is a criminal justice alumnus, and owner/head coach at Training for Warriors in Plumstead, PA, which is a short drive from Doylestown. Sobczak had planned to join the police academy following graduation, but unfortunately, suffered a severe ACL injury which would eventually lead him down a different path; the Training for Warriors path. After almost an entire year of physical therapy Sobczak may have had a better knee, but unfortunately was coupled with 50+ extra pounds. He was searching for an answer to the weight loss when a friend handed him a book called “Training for Warriors,” a book written by Martin Rooney who years later would become great friends with Sobczak.
The Training For Warriors (TFW) system is a physical and mental training program originally created for fighters by Rooney more than 25 years ago. This training program utilizes ongoing evaluation and feedback to adapt specific strength and conditioning protocols to best fit a warrior’s needs. The system was adapted by all types of high level athletes from MMA fighters to NFL athletes.
During his physical training rehab, he was still taking police assessments. Sobczak pushed through and made it far in the PA trooper exam. However, he met his wife Krista, and knew he would be sent away for a long time. So, Mike had the idea to open his own training business to follow his true passion for training which ultimately led to his weight loss and keeping it off. Sobczak was active on campus through Rho Epsilon Kappa, A-Day, the Halloween Haunting, Lacrosse Club, and Track and Field. He explains that academically, the opportunities were plentiful, and his overall campus life experience was momentous.
“I think I owe more to my entire DelVal experience than just the education,” said Sobczak. “My education gave me incredible opportunities, field trips, insights, and wonderful advisors, but in my opinion, that was only 1/2 of the coin. Our penology class had the opportunity to go tour several different Penitentiary like Greaterford, Edna Man, and even Bucks County Corrections,” said Sobczak. “When I was part of the criminal justice club, we went on a trip to New York and stayed overnight to see how night court was, which was pretty amazing.”
He continued to immerse himself in the community that surrounded DelVal, by starting his own business in Doylestown, and despite the pandemic, continue to keep it open. In the span of almost 10 years, TFW has raised well over $10,000 for Pine2Pink and the Kin Wellness Center for breast cancer/cancer care. Mike serves on the Be Kind 5k committee. TFW supports the Travis Manion foundation each year by hosting their Manion WOD and 9/11 Heroes Run. TFW Doylestown has also raised well over $1,000 for our friends at Battleborne; a veteran owned and ran outreach support group/system. TFW Doylestown has been the Best Group Exercise in Central Bucks for 3 years in a row by the Bucks Happening List as well as finalists for 3 years in a row. With positive reactions from the community, Mike was asked to speak at DelVal a few years ago when the Pre-Vet club had a symposium event, and several other motivational speaking engagements at 5k’s and local high schools including West.
While a student at DelVal, Mike had two internships, one was for the Morris County Prosecutors office serving on the intelligence unit, and the other was for his hometown Police Department in Roxbury, NJ.
“I learned that teamwork is paramount in any organization and that a proper leader is one who will lead from the front; not bark orders from the back, explained Scobczak. “I learned that a leader is someone who is willing to get their hands dirty next to yours and if they demand something of you it's because they demand it of themselves. A good leader is someone that will lead a team with integrity, passion, and purpose.”
Mike Sobczak continues to give back to DelVal in several ways. He believes his degree in criminal justice equipped him with the ability to critically think under pressure, and recognize that the “right” decision/action is vastly different from the “right now” decision/action.
“Even though I didn’t go into my field I still have a myriad of lessons and skills that I need to draw upon every day. Every single aspect of what I did at DelVal was part of a bigger picture, I just didn’t know at the time I’d be learning how to lead, how to focus, and how to follow my heart,” said Sobczak. DelVal set me up for the rest of my life seeing as when I graduated I stayed in the area played Rugby for Doylestown and would later meet my now wife Krista (July will be our 10-year Anniversary) and have our two kids Luca (7) and Olivia (3).”
