While most wrestling fans are watching Raw and Smackdown on Monday and Friday nights, it's not out of the question to say that Clayton Tomczyk is responsible for many of those WWE wrestlers being on our TV screens.
A 2011 Lapeer East High School graduate, Tomczyk has been with the WWE for the last year, working as a sports physical therapist at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla.
"Some of my job duties include rehabbing wrestlers that have had surgery, managing acute injuries from those training at the Performance Center, providing medical coverage at TV shows, tryouts and live events, and performing rehab and return to wrestling for wrestlers with concussions.
"I did not grow up a wrestling fan, but the opportunity to work for WWE has been surreal."
Tomczyk said he found the WWE job posting after completing his sports residency.
"I was looking for a job in professional sports at the time and then I came across this job and decided to apply," explained Tomczyk. "It was a three-stage interview process. First, they narrowed down the applications to a few applicants based on resumes. Second, I was interviewed by the medical director and head ringside physician. Third, there was an in-person interview at the Performance Center in Orlando."
What's it like to literally rub shoulders with the wrestlers? Tomczyk said it's really no big deal.
"The wrestlers are just normal people off the screen and great people to talk to," he said. "I love working with the staff and wrestlers at WWE and have developed some great friendships."
In addition to Lapeer East, Tomczyk attended Maple Grove Elementary and Zemmer Middle School.
"The two teachers in Lapeer Schools that had the biggest positive influence on me were Chad Kenny and Ted Tomczyk," said Tomczyk. "I wouldn't be where I am today without them.
"When I look back at high school, I really loved my experience with the boys high school soccer program. I have plenty of memories and friendships during my time with the soccer program that I wouldn't trade for anything."
After high school, Tomczyk went on to Siena Heights University where he played soccer and earned his Bachelor's Degree in Biology. He then got accepted to University of Michigan-Flint where he received his Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2018.
Tomczyk then had the opportunity to work locally for a few years as a physical therapist while also coaching club soccer in Lapeer. In 2021, he was accepted into a post-professional sports residency in Greenville, S.C., where he got the opportunity to work with collegiate athletes and a semi-pro women's soccer team, the Greenville Liberty.
"This led me to my opportunity working with the WWE," said Tomczyk.
Away from work, Tomczyk takes pride in his family. He's married to Mahsa Kiani and the couple has a golden doodle named Luna. His parents are Ted and Laurie Tomczyk and his sisters, Nicole Tomczyk and Kristen Tomczyk, are also proud graduates of Lapeer Community Schools and also have their Doctorates in Physical Therapy.
As for the future, Tomczyk wants to keep making an impact in his field.
"My professional goals are to remain in a high-performance team environment where the goal is to provide the highest quality of care," Tomczyk said. "I see myself working at WWE for a long time because it is a world-class organization and an environment where I can continue to learn and grow."