Supply chain instructor brings Olympic coaching to the classroom

If you ask Jeff Brand about his teaching philosophy, he will tell you it's a lot like coaching. He would know: the instructor of practice in supply chain and systems intelligence in Marquette's College of Business Administration has coached four Olympians - including one of the breakout stars of the Milano Cortina Games, two-time gold medalist speedskater Jordan Stolz.

A lifelong athlete, Brand stepped into the world of speed skating in the early '90s. After a knee injury interrupted his long-distance running regimen, he turned to in-line skating as a low-impact alternative. When Wisconsin winters proved inconducive to this new pursuit, Brand pivoted to in-line skating's cold-weather cousin.

Serendipitously, Milwaukee was then home to a 400-meter outdoor speed skating track, one of only two in the country.

"I went there in my 30s and struggled to learn on the outdoor track," Brand says. "I kept at it, though, and was determined to get better. I signed up for classes, and during my second year I bought skates and joined a club that offered training and coaching. An indoor track was opened in 1992, and from then until 2002 I skated competitively in time trials. I skated in an event every weekend and was determined to quality for the Olympic trials."

Nearing 40, Brand knew his window to qualify was narrowing. At the same time, his club lost its head coach and faced closure if a replacement wasn't found. Brand stepped up, took the role and began leading skating lessons. Even with his strong technical knowledge, he knew his athletes would need a more strategic training program.

Brand enrolled in speed skating coaching classes. He advanced through three levels, tackling robust curricula that took as many years to complete. With a science-backed program including everything from cross-training to dryland workouts, Brand was equipped to coach at the highest level, and his athletes' success would soon turn heads across the speed skating community - particularly the young Olympic hopeful Stolz.

"Our skaters did very well and won often," Brand says. "Before Jordan joined our club, I had coached three Olympians to the national program. When Jordan and his sister, Hannah, were looking to join a club, two options existed around Milwaukee at the time. Their father interviewed both programs, and they decided to join my program at the Badger Speed Skating Club. Jordan and Hannah both learned their technique from me."

Right away, Brand could see 6-year-old Jordan Stolz possessed athletic ability beyond his years. Skating past his more experienced counterparts, there was no competition for him within his age group. Because pairing Jordan with older skaters posed an injury risk, Brand held separate practices for Stolz with workouts and time intervals tailored to his standout ability.

"It wasn't long before Jordan was dominating competitions," Brand says.

Stolz's success on the world stage, including the three events for which he qualified at the 2026 Winter Olympics, stands on the foundation Brand built. Naturally, Brand wouldn't miss seeing his protégé in Milan for the world.

"Jordan earned two gold medals in the 1,000- and 500-meter races, and a silver in the 1,500-meter event," Brand says. "Afterward, I asked Jordan what he learned: he learned humility and that you can't expect to always win. Learning how to deal with disappointment is just as important as preparing for success.

"I instill this same mentality into my students - when they're struggling, we'll talk through the situation, discuss habits that will help, address any questions they have and follow up to make sure they're on the right track."

The same classes that equipped Brand to be a coach helped him become a better college instructor. "The coaching classes taught me how to prepare. You need to be a forward-thinker when going into a whole semester," Brand says. "Going into classes, I'm extremely prepared, enthusiastic and excited to present. I'm teaching world-class techniques at a high level and using my industry experience to do it."

Whether Brand is cheering on his athletes on the track or instructing students in the classroom, his core principles remain: be prepared, have enthusiasm and approach each experience as a learning opportunity.