Training a Champion: Alex Morgan
Alex Morgan needs no introduction. As a two-time World Cup Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist, and NWSL Golden Boot winner, she is one of the greatest female soccer players of all time. Reflecting on our journey, serendipity has often played a key role in our business. Back in 2015, Alex was playing for the Portland Thorns of the NWSL but was set to sign with the Orlando Pride as their marquee player. She was recovering from an injury, and the Portland team was searching for someone in Orlando to work with her.
The performance teams for the Portland Thorns and Timbers were managed by EXOS, one of the world’s largest performance companies. Nick Milonas, Director of Performance for the Timbers and a former SPECTRUM Performance Coach, recommended us when the Thorns were exploring options. At the same time, Nike was also seeking support for Alex, as she was one of their high-profile sponsored athletes. Through our partnership with Nike Training, our name surfaced again. Following discussions with the Thorns’ performance team and a call between Alex and our co-owner, Dan Schuck, she chose to start her training with SPECTRUM.
Training an athlete of Alex Morgan’s caliber involves multiple considerations and collaboration. Input on her training load, intensity, and time commitments came from the US Soccer Head of Performance, the Orlando Pride’s performance staff, and Alex herself. Balancing this with her international brand obligations—photo shoots and global marketing engagements—meant careful coordination.
Initially, our focus was her full recovery and return to peak fitness for the Pride’s inaugural season. Once her recovery was complete, the focus shifted toward refining the qualities that make her world-class: explosive speed and movement efficiency. Whether during the season or in strategic breaks, we conducted targeted sessions to sharpen her agility and power, ensuring she maintained her competitive edge on the field.
Our established relationship with Nike led to an exciting collaboration during this time. Nike was curating 20 featured workouts for their NTC app, each designed around their elite sponsored athletes. Dan Schuck was invited to design Alex’s workout for the platform, a project that culminated in a remarkable live event. Nike brought together a team of top trainers to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, where Dan joined forces with Nike Trainers to lead Alex Morgan’s workout in front of nearly 1,000 participants.
This moment highlighted not only Alex’s dedication to her craft but also SPECTRUM’s role in supporting athletes at the highest level—bringing innovation, expertise, and passion to the performance journey of one of soccer’s greatest icons.
Leave a Reply