SPIRE at NextUp ’26: Developing the Whole Athlete

What does it take to develop the whole athlete? For SPIRE Academy, the answer starts with understanding the individual.

That approach was part of the conversation when LeagueApps gathered more than 400 youth sports leaders in New York City on October 14 for NextUp ’26. Bobby Kaleal, SPIRE’s Senior Director of Performance, joined the breakout panel “Beyond the Game: Developing the Whole Athlete” alongside Cedar Stars Academy’s Anthony Nixon, Athlete To Athlete co-founder Anthony Waller, PlayerData CEO Jess Brodsky and longtime West Point hockey coach Brian Riley.

SPIRE brought a perspective rooted in its integration of academics, athletics and human performance. Its Geneva, Ohio campus brings together an international high school serving grades 9–12, gap year and youth camp programs, and the Ohio Human Performance Institute, a youth research institute based on campus.

During the discussion, Bobby emphasized that supporting student-athletes means looking beyond their performance in competition.

“My job is mentally, physically, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually on some levels, to help these student athletes reach their potential,” he told the audience. “I don't care about the sport. I care about the individual and their abilities. So, we assess everyone on every level, and we do it only to find their strengths and their weaknesses.”

At SPIRE, assessments across performance, mindset and nutrition help inform individualized development plans. Objective data tools and wearable technology help staff identify areas for growth and translate those findings into practical steps.

“If you're weak in your balance, we give you balance drills that are going to go into your overall program,” Bobby explained.

He also encouraged youth sports leaders to be intentional about collecting data. Understanding what they want to learn—and how they will use it—should come first. From there, the responsibility is to “implement it, communicate it, educate on it.”

That philosophy extends beyond the weight room. Bobby emphasized the importance of aligning coaches and teachers around a consistent approach, with the education and tools to carry it throughout the student experience.

“It's the concept and the philosophy that we've built together that then has to flow through the air, that everyone needs to feel and that families get to see and experience.”

For SPIRE student-athletes and their families, developing the whole athlete means connecting assessment with action, tailoring support to the individual and building a culture that reinforces that work each day.

Watch the full panel on the LeagueApps YouTube channel: NextUp ’26: Developing the Whole Athlete.