Chad Bari enters his first season with the Minnesota Vikings in 2025 as an assistant performance coach after spending more than a decade (2013-24) at Wake Forest University as part of the football program's sports performance staff. In his role, Bari assists with all aspects of the weight training, speed training and the team's return to play program.
Bari, who originally joined the Demon Deacons as an assistant director of sports performance in December of 2013, was promoted to director of sports performance for the football program in January of 2021. As the director, Bari designed, implemented and coached the football team's strength and conditioning program, emphasizing performance optimization and injury prevention. He also worked closely with the sports medicine staff to establish return to play protocols.
During his tenure at Wake Forest, the Demon Deacons appeared in a program-record seven consecutive bowl games from 2016-22. The team also captured the Atlantic Division title in 2021 and earned the program's first top-10 national ranking in back-to-back seasons (2021-22).
Bari graduated from Youngstown State University with his Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and Human Performance in 2012. He finished his degree with an internship at Bowling Green State University, working in the strength and conditioning department. He was then hired full time as an assistant strength and conditioning coach in May of 2012, leading the strength and conditioning programs for baseball, softball, men's and women's soccer, swimming, tennis, track & field and men's golf.
Before entering collegiate athletics, Bari was a trainer at Jump Stretch Inc., in Youngstown, Ohio, where he designed and implemented strength training and mobility programs for high school, collegiate and professional athletes to improve performance, flexibility and prevent injuries.
Bari and his wife, Rachael, have two children, Stella and Margot.
