Athletes who’ve inspired nations and shattered records—yes, even they—are reduced to awe when they step inside SPIRE Institute and Academy (SPIRE IA). These are the greats so you can imagine how the rest of us feel.
Seeing is believing, but what could possibly make a world-class athlete melt? Is it the Performance Training Center? Or the super-fast pool? Maybe it’s the grandeur of seeing every sport at full-size regulation glory?
It could be the sense of accomplishment that comes with completing a tour of the facilities; and don’t even think about squeezing it in without a full afternoon. We’re talking about a place with 750,000 square feet of sports facilities. Huge doesn’t even begin to describe it.
Maybe it’s what is inside?
- Two Myrtha pools designed with input from USA swimming. Both can be configured for ten lanes of 50-meter racing that can be converted to either 25-yard or 25-meter courses with pace clocks and a scoreboard.
- Underwater video stroke and swim power analysis equipment. Customized to achieve individual goals within a scientific progression, performance improvement programs for SPIRE’s athletes include 11 training and analysis sessions weekly and approximately 22-30 hours of training per week depending on the swimmer’s stroke/distance specialization.
- 25,000 sq. ft Performance Training Center focusing on physical conditioning (including dryland agility, power and speed training), mental skills training, and nutrition/hydration training in the SPIRE Fuel® cafeteria.
- Additional resources and support services for swimmers include unlimited pool and dryland training space, lactate testing, massage therapy, rehabilitation, and leadership training.
Plus:
- Arguably, the largest indoor track and field facility in the world
- Full-size indoor soccer/football/lacrosse fields
- 12 full-size indoor courts for volleyball and 6 for basketball
Or could it be what is outside?
- Full-size outdoor football, soccer and lacrosse fields
- Track and field facilities that boast a 9-lane, 400-meter Beynon track with 2 full 150-meter straight-aways as well as 2 high jump pits, 4 long jump pits and 2 pole pits
- Stadium seating for 9,500
Perhaps it’s not our size but our Olympic-grade quality? Every detail is designed to the highest athletic standards. Together, all the details add up to one spectacular training and competition hub.
Is it the brains?
Our accredited 9-12th grade college preparatory academic program provides students with the learning rigor to earn admission to any college or university in the country. The program is cross-discipline and built on a project based experiential model that meets the needs of multiple types of learners. This customized academic model is designed to meet students where they are…and not require them to adapt to preconceived teacher expectations. Our state-of-the-art facility will allow students in the classrooms and on bigger projection sites in the Common Area to connect live to learning destinations and people around the world.
Could it be the people on board?
From the get go, we’ve collaborated with sports federations, coaches, sports teams and iconic athletes like gold medalists Ryan Lochte, Caeleb Dressel, Elizabeth Dressel, Tim Mack, Tianna Bartoletta and Dwight Phillips to work with SPIRE Academy student athletes. Everyone wants to help build the kind of training they wish they had back when they were competing. They’ve shaped the facilities, training and curriculum. And it shows.
How about the sports?
Perhaps the sports themselves are the game changer. Where do you go to find swimming, track and field, basketball and esports academies? Most organizations just don’t have the goods—from a training, education and facilities standpoint—to support them year-round. We’re not most organizations.
Maybe it’s what is next?
SPIRE Institute is the real-world lab aspect of SPIRE. It exists at the forefront of innovative research and development to support student athletes, aspiring professionals and regional business interests across multiple disciplines. The potential for innovation, hands on R&D to be conducted at SPIRE is unlimited. Sport, sports medicine, rehabilitation, orthopedic, bio-mechanic, robotics, sport psychology, performance training, nutrition, communication and leadership training experts all have the ability to study/interact with/track our athletes, coaches and teachers for the good of the whole…and make a difference.
Could it be you?
This is a place for all athletes—seniors in high school and seniors in retirement, veterans in physical therapy and Olympians in training. Whether you’re a high school or collegiate athlete needing a training facility for a weekend or a year, SPIRE Academy is your place. Together, there’s no telling what we can do.
To help you reach your peak potential, SPIRE also offers Fall/Winter Camps, Spring Break camps, Summer Stroke camps, Summer Elite Training Camps, Weekend Training Sessions, Competition/Team Training and Masters Training programs.
Interested in learning more about what a future at SPIRE might look like for you? Call 440-466-1002 or email [email protected].
For more information on SPIRE Academy swimming programs, contact Director of Admissions Brian Oliver, [email protected] or visit the website www.spireinstitute.org/academy to download the Admissions Guide.
Swimming news is courtesy of SPIRE, a SwimSwam partner.