To find out how kids would benefit from training at the Athletic Performance Center, or APC, Active Alex visited APC in Raleigh....and stumbled onto two inspiring success stories.

While APC in Raleigh and Cary trains local high school and middle school athletes (as well as adults) who are looking to get stronger and improve skills for their particular sport, Pam and Melissa (Missy) Peters have been working out at APC for about a year because, “We thought APC might be good for them,” says their father, Mike Peters.

“I said ‘no,” says Missy, 13, about when her dad asked her to take the class. “I thought it was a bunch of kids younger than me and I had no idea what to expect!” Pam, 15, tells Alex she was hesitant to start because, “I wasn’t really into working out or sports.”

Pam had done some All-Star cheering and tumbling previously, and Missy is a dancer, but the sporting life wasn’t their choice. They were busy with piano, violin, flute, choir, babysitting... and like many teenage girls, running around to play outside was losing its appeal. “APC was our plan to teach them a healthy, active lifestyle,” say Mike who was a swimmer back in the day and still enjoys MMA workouts, and mom, Alma, who works out regularly.

The results are better than anyone expected! Not only do Pam and Missy love working out, which was the ultimate goal, they both walked onto their varsity track team this year and have achieved great success! In the long jump, Pam placed first in conference, broke the school record and placed fifth in the Independent School State Finals. She also placed second in conference in the triple jump. When asked if she is a natural, Pam and her father agree that this absolutely would NOT have happened without training at APC.

Missy, a rising 9th grader, ran varsity for the 100 meter event and was on the 4x100 relay team with Pam in the state finals where their team placed fifth. Missy says that, “APC training taught me that my talents are in the athletic world. I realized I could run fast and jump far. Now I can work every day improving my speed and strength.”

Dr. Jason “Doc” Davidson, Chiropractor and Strength and Conditioning Coach at APC who often trains the Total Athletic Training (TAT) class, tells us that Pam exploded on the track scene her freshman year. “She quickly realized she had skills other kids did not because of her training. Missy is strong, flexible and has great endurance which has benefited her on the track and in the dance studio. But they haven’t even come close to realizing their potential.”

“We love the challenge,” says Missy who joins the class about twice per week. Pam makes the TAT after-school workouts 3-5 times each week and enjoys the running, speed work, weight training and jumping drills. It’s a program geared for ages 10 and up, and usually has from 10-20 students including football and tennis players, and kids just like Pam and Missy whose parents thought it would be good for them!

Missy recommends APC to anyone because it will “show you that you can be good at anything if you train hard and try to improve.” Pam wishes it were a sport (“APCing?”)! And that’s what it’s all about – helping kids realize their own athletic potential for sports and for life.

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