You Can Do it. It Will Be Easy. 

When I walk into Stadium Performance I am reminded of how successful it is. I just have to look at the “Wall of Fame” to see the logos of all of the teams, both college and professional, of SP athletes. However, what is not seen is the way SP changes the mentality of the athletes who choose to work out there. One can look at my family and see the incredible changes in my or my sister’s athletic ability, from the strength that we have gained to the footspeed we have increased, but what is not as visible are the ways that the SP has changed how we look at ourselves.

I was introduced to SP by a friend from my high school basketball team, and immediately loved everything about it. A month into my senior year basketball season I tore my ACL on my way up to take a winning shot in a game. Prior to my injury I had trained at SP for almost a year. Little did I know how the past year’s training would better prepare me for the injury. I tore one ligament in my knee when I could have torn more with the type of contact injury I sustained. The weeks following my injury were challenging, but I always found solace between the walls of the SP facility. Between those walls, I knew I was going to be okay not only because of the level of care I received, but also because of the confidence the trainers had in me.

I tried to stay positive throughout my recovery, but in the back of my mind I was afraid that I would always be defined by my injury or people would think what could have been. A turning point for me was a workout about 4 months post surgery. I was asked to do a set of slaloms on the 12inch box. The combination of the single leg jumping movement with the height of the box terrified me. I did not think that my knee was strong enough, and I was nervous because I did not want to re-injure myself. I clearly remember turning to Steve with a look of hesitation and nervousness. He smiled and said “You can do it. It will be easy.” And he was right. I was able to do the slaloms and many other exercises that I thought I wouldn’t be able to do so soon after surgery. This was possible primarily because of the knowledge the physical therapists and trainers have about injury rehabilitation, but also because of the confidence they had in my ability to complete the exercises. This workout, along with many other small accomplishments, showed me that I am not defined by my injury. I am an athlete who tore her ACL but came back even stronger. In fact, less than 8 months post surgery I started in my first collegiate game.

It’s hard to describe what Stadium Performance is because it is so much more than a place to go to increase strength, speed, and agility. For me, it is an environment and an atmosphere where people are pushed to achieve what they think is their best, and they realize they can do much more than they originally thought. There is a quote on the wall that says “You will never know how far you can go until you get there,” Stadium Performance. To me, this mantra defines what SP is.

Maya Davis, Middlebury College and SP athlete