John Nies (born February 13, 1967) was a sixth round (154th overall) pick in the 1990 NFL draft out of

University of Arizona The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it ...

to the

Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...

, where he played for one year as a punter. Along with his younger brother Eric Nies (later of

MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...

's ''

The Real World ''The Real World'' (known as ''Real World'' from 2014 to 2017) is an American reality television series produced through MTV and Bunim/Murray Productions that most recently aired on Facebook Watch after airing on MTV from 1992 to 2017. It wa ...

'' fame), John Nies subsequently became a

fashion model A model is a person with a role either to display commercial products (notably fashion clothing in fashion shows) or to serve as an artist's model. Modelling ("modeling" in American English) entails using one's body to represent someone ...

, actor and host of numerous

ESPN ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Commu ...

programs. John was inspired to start "The Power Center" after a paradigm shifting experience with a Kung Fu Grandmaster and founded The Power Center in early 2000. Finally bringing his passion to life in an intense personal and group fitness training facility. His trademark training style "East West Chi" is a fusion of

Eastern Eastern or Easterns may refer to: Transportation Airlines *China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai * Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways *Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 192 ...

health and wellness philosophies and more contemporary

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

training techniques that serve as a model for living a fully integrated life mentally, physically and spiritually. John is the owner of The Power Center in

Red Bank, New Jersey Red Bank is a borough in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Incorporated in 1908, the community is on the Navesink River, the area's original transportation route to the ocean and other ports. Red Bank is in the New York metro ...

, a group fitness and personal training facility. At his fitness center and through speaking engagements John Nies focuses on prevention of illness, sport-specific training program for

athletes An athlete is most commonly a person who competes in one or more sports involving physical strength, speed, power, or endurance. Sometimes, the word "athlete" is used to refer specifically to sport of athletics competitors, i.e. including trac ...

, the cultivation of personal discipline, as well as helping clients overcome

substance abuse Substance misuse, also known as drug misuse or, in older vernacular, substance abuse, is the use of a drug in amounts or by methods that are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder, differing definition ...

food addiction A food addiction or eating addiction is any behavioral addiction characterized primarily by the compulsive consumption of Palatability, palatable and Hyperpalatable food, hyperpalatable food items, and potentially also sugar-sweetened beverages (S ...

insomnia Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder where people have difficulty sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep for as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low ene ...

, depression, fear and

anxiety Anxiety is an emotion characterised by an unpleasant state of inner wikt:turmoil, turmoil and includes feelings of dread over Anticipation, anticipated events. Anxiety is different from fear in that fear is defined as the emotional response ...

, low energy levels, and other related complaints related to physical and

mental health Mental health is often mistakenly equated with the absence of mental illness. However, mental health refers to a person's overall emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It influences how individuals think, feel, and behave, and how t ...

. Nies is a fitness ambassador with Lululemon, a contributor to the newly published book, "Beauty Pearls for Chemo Girls", as an expert on fitness and the power of using your mind and visualization as a tool for healing during chemotherapy for cancer patients. In addition, he is part of the Hollywood Heroes campaign as a spokesperson for Kids Kicking Cancer, a

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

dedicated to helping children with

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...

through mind-body training in the

martial arts Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defence; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; ...

Family

John and Eric Nies are the sons of Jack Nies "one of the longest running

referee A referee is an official, in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. The official tasked with this job may be known by a variety of other title ...

s in

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

history", and Anna May, a pre-school teacher. Nies was raised in

Ocean Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey Ocean Township is a Township (New Jersey), township situated on the Jersey Shore in east central Monmouth County, New Jersey, Monmouth County, within the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township is a bedroom suburb of New York City. Ocean Townshi ...

. He attended

Red Bank Catholic High School Red Bank Catholic High School is a four-year private coeducational Roman Catholic high school, located in Red Bank in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades, operating under the super ...

but hazing from older students led him to transfer to

Ocean Township High School Ocean Township High School (OTHS) is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in the Oakhurst section of Ocean Township, in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, operating as the lone secondary school in the Ocean To ...

.Anderson, Teja
"People On The Move - John Nies"
, LivingMedia, June 27, 2010. Accessed November 1, 2017. "John Nies grew up in Ocean Township with his two sisters Kim and Tara and younger brother Eric (yes, the guy from MTV’s The Real World), his parents, mother Anna May, a pre-school teacher and father Jack who was one of the longest running referees in NBA history. John Attended Ocean Township High School after his experiences in private school were not so pleasant. 'I went to RBC for two semesters and I got abused and hazed on the bus.'" Nies has two sons Mikey and Jack, who also play football. Also he has two daughters named Juliet and Nicole.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nies, John 1967 births Living people Arizona Wildcats football players Buffalo Bills players Ocean Township High School alumni Players of American football from Jersey City, New Jersey Sportspeople from Ocean Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey Red Bank Catholic High School alumni Players of American football from Monmouth County, New Jersey Male models from New Jersey