Dean Starkey and Brad Walker have teamed up to create an elite training center for the top pole-vaulters in the U.S. Currently, there are no facilities in the U.S. where elite pole-vaulters can get the facility, support structure and group training environment that is needed to maximize their success. Athletes that are training at the elite level typically have job situations that are not flexible or high paying enough to allow for optimal training or traveling to competitions.
Due to the high costs to maintain facility, equipment, coaching salary, therapist salary, travel and living expenses we wanted to create a self sustaining business around the center where the elite vaulters could help work the business in order to keep the facility running. Our answer to this challenge was to use what we already know how to do to help others. By offering Virtual Coaching, Group Training and Camps/Clincs, we are able to not only maintain our facility but also pay our vaulters a salary while offering the ultimate in flexibility for training and travel to competitions.Our plan is to build a 10K square foot building in the East Valley of Phoenix, Arizona.
This facility will be outfitted with the highest quality training equipment and decor to ensure maximal energy, motivation and atmosphere.The training group will consist of one coach and 5 of the top male and female vaulters in the country who choose to commit to our full time training program. Below is a little information on our current training group.
The Elite Vaulters–Nick Mossberg – 18’2 (5.55m); Kasey Burlingham – 17’8″ (5.40m); Annie Burlingham – 12’9″ (3.89m)= Dustin Deleo – 18’2 (5.53m); Jill Starkey – 14’1″ (4.30m) Masters World Champion; April Steiner Bennett – 15’2″ (4.60m)
Our Mission: Atlas Training Center is committed to elevating the status of the pole-vault in the United States by creating a world class facility and training environment conducive to helping athletes win Olympic medals and breaking world records. This facility includes full time coaching, state-of-the-art training equipment, a full time therapist and rehab tools.
At this point in time an environment like Atlas does not exist in the United States. The competitive level of pole-vaulting has been in decline for several years with diminishing hope for World Championship and Olympic medals. Multiple World Championship medalist and American record holder Brad Walker and World Championship medalist Dean Starkey have come together to create the environment that elite pole vaulting requires.
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