“I have four kids. They do everything from dance to soccer, so I have a front-row seat to the world of youth activities. There’s a lot of fragmentation between training and development standards, and an overemphasis on competition. It’s burning kids and parents out. The industry needs a standard bearer. By creating a pathway for training and development—from the first organized activity to the first collegiate practice, and emphasizing physical and mental health and wellness—we can create a new paradigm for youth sports and be that standard bearer.”

So offers SPIRE Academy’s CEO, Steve Sanders. His journey from Army helicopter pilot to CEO of one of the world’s elite multisport college preparatory schools included stops along the way working for 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, Disney on Ice, Marvel Universe Live and Jurassic World Live Tour.

Q: How did you find yourself the CEO of an international sports boarding academy? Is this something you’ve always wanted to do?

A: I’ve always had a passion for sports and education, and sports academies are the perfect hybrid. When I got out of the Army, I had an opportunity to work for a marketing and technology agency that serviced IMG Academy, and that was really where it all started. The more I dug into the business, the more I realized it was something I cared deeply about. Sports academies are one of the few places you can have multigenerational impact and influence. Getting an opportunity to work with a team responsible for laying the foundation of that is a real honor.

Q: Did you play sports growing up? What was that like? Did you look up to any athletes in particular?

Growing up, I played pretty much every sport for at least one season. I’m terrible at soccer and basketball but did well in football and hockey. I eventually chose hockey fulltime after my dad got sick of driving me to practice, games and tournaments for different sports year-round.

My all-time favorite athlete is Deion Sanders. Growing up in the Atlanta area, he was a huge influence. And as a kid who played multiple sports, watching him play for the Falcons and the Braves was iconic. Plus, by making my own number 21, I ended up with a lot of Deion jerseys.

Q: What attracted you to SPIRE in particular? What was your first visit like?

A: The first time I came to SPIRE was in December 2019, right after Jonathan acquired it. I was in awe of the campus. I saw endless opportunity. It felt like a playground, where we could do this here, that there, etc. In other words, the SPIRE campus was a big blank slate for sports and education. Five years later, we’ve accomplished so much but I feel like we’re just getting started. 

Q: How did your experience in the military prepare you for a role like this?

A: Aviation units in the Army are not dissimilar from sports academies. They’re both large, complex organizations. To operate each efficiently, you need a diverse team with multiple skillsets and expertise you can trust. My experience has taught me that the single most important thing you can do is build a great team that’s empowered to do what’s required to win.

Q: What are your goals for the 2024-25 academic year? 

A: For 2024-25, we need to do the following: lead the industry in our academic offering; develop a winning culture on and off the court; and innovate with emerging technologies to enhance the student experience. Sports academies are getting an unfortunate reputation for prioritizing athletics over academics, and we have an opportunity to change that here at SPIRE.

Q: What’s next for SPIRE in terms of growth, innovation and service to the greater Cleveland area? What about on the global scale?

The drive to win is at the core of every student athlete and staff member here at SPIRE. It’s about pride in yourself and pride in your organization. We have to continue to harness that drive as an organization and use it to propel us to the next level in everything we do.

Sports-tech and sports-med are in an interesting place right now. For decades, there’s been an emphasis on the pro and college levels, but these organizations are starting to look deeper into the pipeline to understand how young athletes get to those upper levels. SPIRE is positioned to partner with these organizations to provide a differentiated experience for our student athletes. And to do all of this effectively, we’ll have to look beyond our own walls and tap into strategic partnerships in the Cleveland area and beyond. And there’s a lot there for us to tap into.

Q: What does “success” look like to you? What about “happiness?”

I’m going to change “success” to “winning” because that’s our culture here at SPIRE.

Winning is knowing that our student athletes are well equipped to lead in the next chapters of their lives. Placing student athletes in Division I programs is a product of what we do, but winning is also our student athletes being named captains, becoming industry executives and shaping the future—whatever that looks like for them. To do that effectively we have to lead by example and with the right principles.

Winning is taking part in youth sports with my own kids. I’m currently coaching my kids’ U12 hockey team and practicing every sport or activity with them in the yard. This is when I’m at my happiest. The ability to get to be a dad and make an impact in the industry that I professionally enjoy is something that few people get an opportunity to do. Sports teaches so much more than athletic skills, it’s about working as a team, believing in yourself, and finding that drive and motivation to achieve something that takes hard work. Seeing my kids and other young athletes do this for themselves is something I love to be a part of.

Q: What are you listening to these days? Any musicians in particular? Have you read any good books lately, or seen any great films?

A: My Spotify Wrapped for 2024 came out and Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs and Post Malone are my top artists, so I guess I’m listening to a lot of country music these days. But I enjoy all types of music. It’s rare you find me without some music playing in the background.

As for reading, I used to hate it because I thought I had poor comprehension. My brain is always thinking about 10,000 things. But as I’ve gotten older I’ve realized how important reading is for professional development. Now I try to read at least one book a month, and it’s usually about something I’m focused on professionally.

Q: What does your ideal Friday night look like?

A: Friday night in our house is movie night, so the whole family piles on the couch. I make popcorn, and we usually watch something from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Iron Man and The Avengers are in steady rotation.

Q: Where would you like to vacation and why?

When I was growing up, my family went out west to ski and snowboard every year, and I haven’t done that in about 15 years, so that’s the next vacation we’re planning. I love waking up early, riding the gondola to the top of the mountain and snowboarding on fresh powder.