Kressler won his first title when he became US youth short track champion in 1975 . In 1977 he won national junior championships in both short track and speed skating. At the Junior World Championships in Grenoble in 1979 he was third in the small four-way battle after winning the 500 m and 3000 m races. At the all- around world championships in the same year, Kressler took 18th place. In 1980 Kressler qualified for the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid . Over 1000 m he finished eleventh, over 1500 m and 5000 m he was 18 each. He did not finish the race over 10,000 m after a fall. A few days later, Kressler was runner-up at the Junior World Championships in 1980, after finishing first over 500 m and third over 3000 m and 5000 m. After this event, Kressler retired from competitive sports at the age of 18.