Preparing for Life's Greatest Obstacles:
An Athletic Program Designed for At-Risk Youth
“As a kid I was always small and skinny. It always took me a long time to improve in sports like baseball, basketball, and football. In the 5th grade I entered a one-mile fun run for kids. The gun shot sounded, and I was off and running. I ran with all the other kids until about halfway, then suddenly I realized I could go faster, so I pushed myself and began to pull away from everyone. Me and another boy battled the rest of the way. When I saw the finish line, I gave everything I had and ended up winning. It was the first time that I can say I pushed myself to my physical limits. I loved the feeling of hurting and being able to push beyond the pain. I also must admit that I loved winning. They gave me a big ribbon for my efforts, and I couldn't wait to challenge myself again. That day I walked a little bit taller, and the way I viewed myself began to change. I soon found out I could run farther and faster than most kids, and I used that to my advantage to make teams and to stand out.
Growing up I wasn't very confident in myself and was not a good student. However, sports helped me develop skills in my mind, body, and soul that have carried with me throughout my life. These essential skills have not only helped improve my confidence, but they've also helped me stay connected to the people and things that matter most to me. Now I am dedicated to instilling these same skills and drive in the next generation so they can experience the same rewarding growth that I did.”
Our program is designed to empower at-risk and low-income children enrolled in K-12 public schools within the state of Arizona. This demographic primarily resides in areas within the Greater Phoenix Valley’s most vulnerable communities.
The ultimate goal of this program is to instill the confidence necessary for children to pursue any endeavor in their life that enhances their athletic ability, career, and leadership capabilities for all future situations they may encounter. This effort is in collaboration with some of the nation’s top athletes who are proficient in areas of mental wellness, physical health, and leadership training for youth seeking greater guidance.
ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE CENTER
Our 25,000 square foot training facility is designed to inspire, motivate, and assist young athletes in achieving their goals. This state-of-the-art facility includes some of society’s leading technology and recovery solutions to discover athletes’ needs, missing links in their performance, to measure the success of their training, and to enhance their physical well-being and mental resilience. A few components of our facility include:
80 yards of Turf for Speed, Agility, and Conditioning Training
2 Lanes of 75 meters Track Lanes for Speed and Indoor Track Work
16 Squat Racks with strength tools to increase an athlete’s strength
Dual Force Plates to Measure Power, Strength, and Force Production
Medical Grade Body Composition Analysis Technology
High-Speed Treadmill to Enhance Top End Speed
Velocity Base Training Technology to Quantify the Intent of Strength Training
Athlete Management System to analyze sports performance and wearable data to give the athletes and coaches information to make the right decisions
30-yard Sprint Ramp for power and speed development
Recovery/Training Room with Hot and Cold Pools
Laser Timing Gates to quantify the speed of the athlete
Dan O’Brien
Head of Performance Training Center at Legacy Park
PROGRAM LEADERSHIP
Millions of Americans proudly watched Dan O’Brien win the 1996 Olympic Gold Medal to become the first American winner in the sport since 1976. As an Olympic Gold Medalist in the decathlon, Dan O’Brien is officially considered the “World’s Greatest Athlete,” and his name is synonymous with athletic achievement and success both on and off the field. Adopted at the age of two, and raised in a home with seven other children of racially mixed backgrounds – Dan has overcome many adversities throughout his life. And with a great deal of self-determination and commitment, he has become one of the most successful and dominant athletes in the history of sports. He is an inspirational leader and motivational force for millions of people across the world. At the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Dan O’Brien overcame almost insurmountable odds. Four years prior, on Super Bowl Sunday early in 1992, Reebok introduced its unprecedented Dan & Dave campaign, a series of entertaining TV and print ads featuring Dan and rival Dave Johnson, debating who would take the title as the “World’s Greatest Athlete” in Barcelona .This publicity also provided for one of the most publicized failures in sports history when Dan “no-heighted” in the pole vault and failed to qualify for the 1992 Olympic team headed for Barcelona. All of Dan’s hard work had come to an end…or had it?
O’Brien has spent his entire life overcoming obstacles. After encouragement from family, friends and coaches, he set new goals and began the journey that eventually established him as the most prolific decathlete in history. Only months after the failure to make the 1992 Olympic team, he set a new World Record at the Deca Star Invitational in Talence, France – defeating the 1992 Olympic Gold Medalist Robert Zmelik. He didn’t stop there. He went on to win the 1993 and 1995 World Championships, the 1994 Goodwill Games, and three US Championships – all leading to the 1996 Olympic Gold Medal in Atlanta. Today Dan continues to give back to the sport that has given so much to him. He is the on-field emcee for every major USA Track & Field event, and he’s also heavily involved as both a host and celebrity athlete for USATF’s Win With Integrity program, a community outreach and mentoring program designed to help kids make good life decisions, set positive goals and adhere to a drug-free lifestyle. Dan also works very closely with the United States Olympic Committee as part of its Olympic Ambassador Program, mentoring current athletes in the areas of media training, preparation and peak performance.
Dan has become a highly sought motivational speaker, bringing his inspirational story to the employees and leaders of some of the biggest companies in the world, and over the years he has worked as both a color commentator and guest analyst for networks such as ESPN, CBS and NBC.
Hear what our parents are saying!
Enrollment Requirements
- Must be between the ages of 10 years and 17 years
- Must attend school or be home schooled within Maricopa County
- Must commit to at least 50% of all available sessions (the session calendar for 2022-23 is in the next section)
- Must complete the Legacy Cares’ pledge to be drug & alcohol abstinent until the age of 21
- Must respect all participants, coaches, trainers, and guest speakers involved in the program
Program Schedule
9AM – 11AM
- Saturday, November 5
- Saturday, December 3
- Saturday, January 7
- Saturday, February 4
- Saturday, March 4
- Saturday, April 8
PROGRAM APPLICATION
For additional questions, please contact us by email at info@legacycaresinc.com.