High Demand Training is an athlete and fitness training program
Our Scout Readiness track prepares athletes for the next level. We train all ages to rise with discipline and impact.
MEET COACH ROD
Rodney “Coach Rod” Smith
Founder & Executive Director, High Demand Training
NFL Veteran | Community Mentor | Youth Development Leader
Rodney “Coach Rod” Smith is a quiet champion with a powerful story. He is a record-breaking Division I athlete, former NFL running back, and Type 1 diabetic warrior. He defied the odds through discipline, faith, and resilience. Despite two ACL injuries and lifelong health challenges, he rose to be ranked among the Top 25 running backs in the country out of high school, earning him a scholarship to the University of Minnesota, and a roster spot with the Carolina Panthers.
Rodney began his journey in Clayton County at Mundy’s Mill High School, where he earned All-State honors in football and baseball. At the University of Minnesota, he had a legendary career as a four-year starter. He's etched throughout the record book in Minnesota's long football history. Rodney is the current record holder for All-Purpose yards at the University of Minnesota, proving his versatility with 5,444 yards. He ranks 3rd all time in rushing yards, piling up 4,122 yards. He was also named Academic All-Big Ten, graduating with a degree in Youth Studies, cementing his commitment to both performance and purpose.
Now, as the Founder and Executive Director of High Demand Training, Coach Rod leads a movement rooted in faith, mental adaptability, physical discipline, and leadership development. Through group/private training, scout readiness, fitness coaching, and mentorship, he empowers our community to rise beyond their limits.
Coach Rod is a mentor and performance coach, supported by his father and lifelong role model. Coach Patrick Smith is a retired educator, coach and community leader who has shaped athletes for decades.
Under Coach Rod’s leadership, High Demand has impacted dozens of athletes and families through training, scholarships, partnerships, and clinics. Backed by the You Matter To Me Foundation (501c3), High Demand Training invites donors, schools, and sponsors to invest in a model that is relatable, scalable, and transformational.
“How you start as isn’t what you become. When you think in High Demand, you transform.”
Contact Coach Rod: coachrod@highdemand.net
Live in High Demand. Give in High Demand. Think in High Demand. Train in High Demand