In January, the Lakeshore Foundation opened its newest addition, the Sports Science and Performance Center (SSPC), with one goal in mind: to create greater disability equity in the sports industry.
The SSPC offers a variety of services to help each athlete reach their goals. This begins with their Sports Performance Assessments, which includes body measurements and advanced body composition scans, metabolic testing, cardiorespiratory tests, power assessments and sport-specific assessments.
Lakeshore’s SSPC also offers strength and conditioning packages, with both in-person and remote options. Additionally, they provide personalized nutrition plans and mental performance packages that focus on building a pre-performance routine, concentration and confidence.
According to Terry Schrimscher, the Associate Director of Communications, SSPC serves anyone looking to reach the next level in athletic training.
“It’s tailor-made training for athletes who come in — and they come in from all over the world,” Schrimscher said.
Recently, Schrimscher said a man who was both an X Games and paralympic athlete came all the way from Minnesota, to train at their facility.
“People with disabilities who are training to be athletes, or just wanting to be healthy and active, don’t always have access to the best equipment or get a lot of the advances in science and technology last,” Schrimscher said.
“We built this lab with people with disabilities in mind. It’s built around custom training that’s the best available on the market, but it’s open to everyone. So now, every athlete, whether they’re disabled or non-disabled, has access to the same equipment and equal access to it.”
Liz Baker, Team USA paralympian and seven-time world paratriathlon event medalist, visited the new facility earlier this year. She was there to help her friend, seven-time paratriathlon world champion Aaron Scheidies.
Scheidies was working on filming a TRX video for the blind and visually impaired at the SSPC. Since Baker is a visually impaired athlete herself, her teenage son drove her to Birmingham.
While at the SSPC, Baker underwent strength testing, balance testing, resting metabolism tests and a Dexa Scan. For athletes with an impairment trying to compete at the highest level, Baker said “there’s nothing like it.”
“Their new sports performance section has all of the bells and whistles and the latest technology to help you reach your goals,” she said.
Later, Baker also had a “lunch and learn” in the nutrition lab.
“[It’s] probably the coolest nutrition lab I’ve been in and I’ve been to all of the USOPC centers,” she said. “This one stands out.”
While Baker and Scheidies worked, Baker’s son received testing, too.
“My son doesn’t have a visual impairment; He’s non-disabled and he plays soccer, and those tests for him were amazing,” Baker said.
Baker encouraged parents of non-disabled children to bring their kids to the facility and support what the SSPC is doing, which in turn could open up new avenues for the SSPC to fund athletes.
“When you’re talking about being a visually impaired athlete, and racing internationally, if you can’t reach the criteria to make the national team, you’re funding it all for yourself,” Baker said.
“So, [for] places like the SSPC to be able to make that an opportunity for you and you still get all that testing … it’s really an asset.”
The Lakeshore Foundations’ SSPC is located at 4000 Ridgeway Drive in Birmingham. They are open weekdays from 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, go online to lakeshore.org/sports-science-performance-center.
