The oldest of three sons of Mike and Kathy, McCann grew up in Olympia, Wash., where he quickly developed a passion for learning and sports.
An elementary school teacher, Kathy McCann set placemats depicting the U.S. state capitals on the dining room table. The brothers quizzed each other during dinner, rattling off cities such as Montpelier, Helena and Madison.
McCann teaches world history at TOHS, where his students are currently discovering the Age of Imperialism.
An avid reader, McCann’s poring over “Lincoln on Leadership.” He hopes to apply Abe Lincoln’s greatest traits to his own craft.
“I want to be a better leader,” he said.
Family is also important.
His father never missed a game even while on the road for business. Mike McCann flew across the country from the East Coast on a Friday morning to catch a Friday night football brouhaha.
The Lancer coach lives in Thousand Oaks with youngest brother, Dan, 21, a former football standout at Golden West College. Middle brother, Pat, 26, coaches wide receivers at Stonehill College near Boston.
Whenever he visits home, McCann and his father go fishing, reeling in steelhead from rivers and trout and kokanee from Washington’s glorious lakes.
Although the solitude and natural beauty of the Puget Sound are far away, McCann has found his peaceful nook in Thousand Oaks. Wildwood Park, with its running and hiking trails, is his personal Walden Pond.
McCann entered Whitworth University as a scrawny 155-pound wide receiver.
“I never lifted weights in high school,” he said.
By the middle of his third season at the Division III outfit in Spokane, Wash., McCann suited up at 230 pounds.
Instead of evading linebackers, he tried to go through them. Instead of nibbling broccoli, he’d eat and lift with Whitworth’s linemen.
McCann is quick to thank his strength and conditioning mentors, including former Whitworth coach Chris Casey and Robert dos Remedios at the College of the Canyons.
“My strength coach (Casey) inspired me to push myself in the weight room,” McCann said. “I became a student of weight lifting and nutrition.”
McCann spent 2005-08 at Alemany, working with the football, track, baseball, basketball and wrestling teams.
In 2008-09, McCann was a strength coach at the University of Idaho.
“When I got up there after a couple of months, I really missed working with high school athletes,” McCann said.
He worked with the Vandals football and men’s basketball teams and also prepared workouts for women’s teams in swimming, golf and tennis.
“It was a great learning expe- rience,” McCann said. He is now the head Strength Coach & Teacher at Westlake HS Football, QB Performance Coach, and a DotFit Athlete.
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