Andy McDermott

Andy grew up in the Chicago area, and graduated from Northwestern University in 1998. As a soccer player, he was named All Big-Ten 3 years, Team Captain 3 years, and finished as the all-time assist record holder and NSCAA All Midwest Region. While playing seven seasons of professional soccer in Germany, Chicago, Indianapolis, and Charlotte, Andy spent time training in the martial arts, earning his Third-Degree Black Belt and was the head instructor of a tae kwon do school. After 9/11, he served on the Tactical Response Unit of the Phoenix Police Department for 9 years. Besides tactical ops and pro-active community policing, he also served as a certified translator in Spanish and in French, a Peer Counselor for PTSD and other trauma, and as Subject Matter Expert and Physical Training Instructor for all Arizona Law Enforcement Agencies. While there, he competed in the World Police and Fire Games and in 2012 won the Gold Medal at the U.S. National Championships in the event called Toughes