SPIRE Academy Announces New Leadership to Drive Growth and Innovation

With decades of experience building sports academies, new CEO Steve Sanders and Chairman Ted Meekma aim to position SPIRE as the next premier sports destination for today's student-athlete

GENEVA, Ohio, Dec. 13, 2024 /CNW/ - SPIRE Academy, a premier multisport academy, has appointed Steve Sanders as Chief Executive Officer and Ted Meekma as Chairman, effective November 1, 2024. With decades of combined experience shaping and growing leading sports academies across the US, both leaders bring the necessary industry expertise to SPIRE and are dedicated to positioning it as the next premier sports destination for today's student-athlete.

Steve Sanders, a veteran of the sports industry with several leadership roles across marketing, commercial development and technology, has already played a transformative role at SPIRE in his previous role, helping to drive a 65 percent increase in student enrollment and a 45 percent growth in camp participation. "We're building a world-class academy focused on athletic excellence and holistic development," said Sanders. "With a clear understanding of what works best for today's athlete, we're launching exciting growth initiatives for 2025 and beyond, setting us up for long-term success that benefits our student-athletes and the broader Ohio community."

Ted Meekma, a pioneer of the multisport academy model and a founding figure at IMG Academy, has dedicated his career to shaping successful sports training and educational programs. "SPIRE is uniquely positioned to redefine the standard for multisport academies," said Meekma. "We've proven our value over the past few years of growth and success, and now it's time to elevate SPIRE to even greater heights, creating an academy that will sustain success for the long run."

Bob Kain, former IMG President and Co-CEO: "I worked closely with Ted Meekma for more than 20 years. There is no one in the world with more experience in, more knowledge of, and more passion for the business of sports training, programming, marketing and facility development."

Ray Lewis, NFL Hall of Famer and SPIRE partner: "SPIRE's growth over the past five years is incredibly impressive. The organization's ability to build goal oriented, resilient student athletes ensures that the next generation understands the commitment required for success. As a partner invested in SPIRE's growth, I'm excited to see Steve take the leadership reins and lead the team through the next stage of evolution, competing for meaningful market share while ensuring our student athletes are prepared to lead on and off the courts. His drive for innovation will bring a great differentiator to the market and provide an unparalleled experience to the youth sports industry."

SPIRE attracts over 1 million annual campus visits, offering world-class facilities, premier athletic competition, high-quality academics, and career pathways for student-athletes. As the youth sports industry evolves with rising interest in NIL opportunities, women's athletics, and equity in high school and collegiate sports, SPIRE is poised to lead with unmatched resources and a focus on health and growth beyond the field.

About Steve Sanders:

Steve's background includes roles at ATLARGE and Atlas Networks, where he led the strategy team behind the marketing and technology implementation for IMG Academy, FC Barca US Academy, Evert Tennis Academy, Six Flags, Monster Jam, Disney on Ice, Supercross, Marvel Universe Live and Jurassic World Live Tour. Steve's experience in the sports industry also includes time with sports technology startups, where he has led product development, marketing and technical implementation teams.

A former Captain in the U.S. Army, Steve's roles ranged from reconnaissance helicopter pilot to strategic planning. In his last assignment, Steve served as Deputy Director of Aviation for the Middle East overseeing strategic contingency planning, training exercises and operations planning in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. Prior to that, he served as an instructor and founding team member of the U.S. Army AMEDD Direct Commissioning Course.

About Ted Meekma:

Ted Meekma's career parallels the evolution of the sports 'camp' business into the sports 'academy' industry. He was founding coach at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy when it opened in 1978, earned his law degree in 1983, and then became the NBTA Executive Director. In 1987, he negotiated the sale of NBTA to sports management giant IMG. For the next 21 years, Ted played a crucial role in the development of IMG Academy, the world's #1 multi-sport, training/education, camp/academy business. When he left the Academy after 30 years, it was as Sr. VP IMG/Director IMG Academies.

About SPIRE Academy

SPIRE Academy is a comprehensive academic, athletic, personal skills and college-and-career development boarding school located in a world-class event and wellness complex in Ohio's Harpersfied Township.

Constructed on 750 acres under 850,000 square feet of roof, SPIRE Academy (spireacademy.com) has five divisions: (1) SPIRE Academy & Camps, an accredited college-preparatory international boarding school and multi-sport/specialty training and development academy for grades 9-12 and post-grads; (2) SPIRE Leagues, Clubs & Professional Teams, including SPIRE Academy affiliated leagues and club programs; (3) SPIRE Events, a facility and associated team that host local, national and international tournaments and events with the NCAA, the Big East, Big Ten, Atlantic 10 conferences, the Olympics and world championship qualifiers; (4) SPIRE Institute, the research and development arm of SPIRE Academy, studying performance improvement across multiple disciplines through corporate affiliations and university relationships; and finally (5) SPIRE Fit, a membership-based fitness, swim, personal training and health center open to the community.

Sports currently featured at SPIRE Academy include men's and women's basketball, esports, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, track and field, volleyball and wrestling.

SOURCE SPIRE Academy

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