After serving 20 season as head coach, Mike Ferrell setpped down at the end of the 2011 season to become an assistant coach under his son Trevor. Ferrell also serves as the Director of Conference and Events.

Prior to Thunder Athletics, Ferrell spent four seasons at the University of Southern Indiana, where he led his team to four Great Lakes Valley Conference finals and national rankings in the top 20.

Ferrell took his team to either the district or conference playoffs finals 13 out of the 16 years that he coached for the Thunder. In 1992, he led the Thunder to a district and bi-district championship, and in 1994 and 1995, the Thunder team was the WHAC champion and the regional runner-up. In 1996, the Thunder soccer team won the regular season conference championship.

Coach Ferrell was named District Coach of the Year in 1990 and 1992, WHAC Coach of the Year in 1994, 1995, and 1996, and Regional Coach of the Year in 1994. In his 16 years of coaching at Trine University, Ferrell produced 52 All-District/All-Conference players, 19 All-Mideast players, five All-Americans, 15 Honorable Mention All-Americans, and six Academic All-Americans.

In 1979, Ferrell earned a bachelor of science degree in physical education from Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina. As a student at Campbell, Ferrell was a four-year member of the varsity soccer team and received the Most Valuable Player award in his senior season.

From 1979 to 1981, Ferrell served as an assistant coach to Jerry Yeagley, head men's soccer coach at Indiana University, one of the most successful coaches in NCAA soccer history.