Charlie Graves

Charlie is an operating executive who is commercially oriented, financially disciplined, customer-centric and completely focused on profitability and stakeholder value. As the CEO of Connor Sport Court, he led the evolution from a business with niche presence, stagnant sales and eroding margins, into a company with a new image and brand, global competitive presence, #1 industry ranking in the USA, and virtually unlimited path for continued growth and profitability. Previously, he was an Executive Vice President with shopping center owner/manager General Growth Properties (Fortune #604), responsible for developing new markets and revenue channels. Prior to joining GGP, Charlie started and managed a sports marketing and television Production Company called Inclyne Sports, which managed professional athletes and produced programming for CBS, NBC, ABC and ESPN. Charlie was a top-five, world-ranked swimmer and tri-athlete and holds a B.S. degree in business from Iowa State University. He lives in Park City, Utah with his wife and two active sons.

Steve Swanson

Steve serves as Chief Officer of Science and Technology for Athletic Republic. He is integral to the company’s ongoing research efforts, and since 1996, has worked as a biomechanist at The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital (TOSH), an official sport science provider for the U.S. Olympic Committee. Steve was a biomechanics consultant for Frappier Acceleration® Sports Training (from 1996-2000) and Director of Research and Development since 2000. Steve served as Chair of the Technology Section for the 6th International Olympic Committee’s World Congress on Sports Science and Medicine. He also served as a consultant to the NCAA’s Education and Outreach Division in the development of its online Injury Surveillance System.  Steve is currently working on his Ph.D. in biomechanics at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, with Dr. Graham Caldwell, studying sprinting biomechanics and musculoskeletal modeling in relation to the limitations of sprinting speed. Steve holds a B.S. degree in Biology and Chemistry from Concordia College, Moorhead, MN, and a M.S. degree in Exercise Science and Biomechanics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Steve is a professional member of the American College of Sports Medicine, International Society of Biomechanics, Canadian Society of Biomechanics and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He lives in Park City, Utah with his wife and children.

Steve White

Steve joined the team in early 2009 as Chief Financial Officer, bringing with him a diverse background in financial and accounting expertise.  Prior to joining Athletic Republic he served as Corporate Controller for Powdr Corp., an owner and operator of several ski and summer resorts, where he was instrumental in the company's consolidation and financial reporting functions.  Steve began his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP where he specialized in audit and compliance for a diverse client portfolio in California and Utah.  He received a degree in accounting from the University of Utah, and is licensed as a certified public accountant.  Steve enjoys outdoor sports including mountain biking, skiing, and running.  He currently lives in the mountains of Draper, Utah with his wife and five children.

Brad Gorder

Brad is the Vice-President of Sales for Athletic Republic. After completing Acceleration Training, he was impressed enough with Athletic Republic’s programs and results, he decided to join the company as a regional sales representative in 1993. His performance earned him a promotion to Sales Manager, then to Vice-President. Brad oversees franchise sales operations and new site developments. Brad earned a degree in marketing from Minot State University where he was a linebacker and two-year captain with the football team. Brad works out of the corporate office and lives in Fargo with his wife and daughter.

Tad O’Had

Tad was named Vice President of Hockey in March, 2008. His focus is managing all sales and operations functions of Athletic Republic’s hockey business. Tad’s business and training experience along with his lifelong involvement in the game of hockey as a player and a coach will help elevate Athletic Republic’s profile.

Tad came to Athletic Republic from BlueStreak Sports Training where he was Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations. At BlueStreak Tad trained athletes at three facilities in Stamford, CT, Hauppauge, NY and Chelsea Piers, NY. In 2006 Tad founded Hybrid Hockey, an interactive recruiting and exposure service for hockey players looking to advance their on-ice skills and play at the college level. Tad has extensive experience at all levels of the sport from playing to scouting to coaching, from the New England Prep League to the North American Hockey League.

Tad has trained and directed teams and hockey schools in Ontario, Alberta, Michigan, Minnesota, Long Island and Connecticut. In addition, Tad has worked with numerous players from the US Women’s Olympic Teams and the US National Training & Development Team. Tad has also worked closely with the USA Hockey selection committee for the Select Festivals.

Tad was named captain for two years on the Connecticut College men’s hockey team. He graduated from Connecticut College with a concentration in Sociology.

Tanya Porter 

Tanya is Vice President of Training and Technology for Athletic Republic, and her 20 plus years with the United States Olympic Committee provides our network of facilities with hands-on experience developing performance technology applications for an impressive array of sports.

Among Porter’s many accomplishments while at the USOC, the most notable included directing the Performance Technology discipline, with extensive integration in National Team programs for USA Softball, USA Hockey, USCKT-Whitewater Kayaking, USA Basketball, USA Water Polo, USA Curling, USA Skiing and USA Beach Volleyball. Her work with the USA Softball National Team scouting and video analysis project was a particular labor of love, given Tanya’s 17 years of participation in the sport as both a player and coach, including being a member of a Canadian national championship team.

Porter’s experience will allow Athletic Republic to expand our technology capabilities throughout the network. In particular, Porter will spend much of her time teaching network trainers how to better utilize the technology to help athletes improve their performance.

Porter has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Western Ontario, in London, Ontario, with a dual major in computer Science and Sport Sciences. She lives in Colorado Springs with her husband and two children.

Jen Davidson

With experience as an Acceleration athlete, Jen brings a unique perspective to the team both as a Level III certified trainer and now as a member of the corporate staff. Jen was first exposed to the Acceleration training model in 2000 as a member of the US Women’s Bobsled Team, and credits the SuperTreadmill and Sprint Cords with helping her collect a record 24 consecutive podium appearances on her way to achieving a #1 World Ranking in 2000 and 2001.  After winning a total of thirty-two World Cup medals, she hung up her bobsled spikes after the Olympic Games in 2002, and stepped to the left side of the treadmill as a Level III trainer in 2002 and 2003.

Jen is excited to rejoin the Athletic Republic network after working for several years as both the Sports Science Technical Coordinator for USA Track & Field and the Director of Training Services for Dartfish USA.  While at USATF, she provided sports science feedback to the National and Development Team athletes at the Olympic Training Center in San Diego.  Among her most notable accomplishments during her tenure with USATF was the integration of immediate video feedback at every major domestic track meet, as well as the Olympic Games in Athens. 

As our Business Acceleration Manager, Jen is the primary resource for new centers as they work through the start-up phases with Athletic Republic.  She has a M.S. degree from Utah State University in Health, Physical Education, and Exercise Science. She lives near Park City, Utah.