Modern facilities attract Olympic athletes to Charlotte

CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – “Like it, Summer 2010.”

Even though the playlist is all over the place, Karlie Kisha likes to make a plan and execute it.

“There’s a whole random playlist out there right now,” Karlie joked.

Her passion was planned long before she entered this world.

“I was born during the hockey season, which is in the fall. My mom had me and a few days later I was in the field while she was coaching,” Karlie said.

Now Karlie is on Team USA for women’s hockey.

“This seems weird, but I’ll let it happen,” Karlie joked as she worked out.

Her training plan, like the music, is a bit unusual.

Team USA hockey player donates equipment to Charlotte club

“I’ve never used it before and it’s done great things for us,” Karlie said.

“It’s the equipment, the hardware, the software, really at all levels that we’re breaking new ground,” says David Koerner, co-owner of the United States Performance Center in Charlotte.

Twelve years ago, David joined Ike Belk and the two started the United States Performance Center. They set an Olympic goal to combine technology with the best athletes in the world.

“Not many people have known about us over the years because we laid this foundation,” Ike said.

Over the years, they developed various algorithms and equipment that measure how the brain sends signals to different parts of the body.

“It takes us to a completely different world where no one is in,” Ike said.

Their technology allows them to see the smallest details, such as reaction time and speed. Every training session and exercise is tracked. They then develop training, nutrition and recovery programs specifically tailored to each athlete.

“We can point to one area or look at the whole body as one,” says David.

Sixteen different national governing bodies train at the American performance center. The U.S. women’s hockey team just made it to the Paris Olympics after bowing out in 2020. All the women on the team are Olympians for the first time.

“It makes me very emotional. I have an extra layer of emotions about all of this,” Karlie said.

Karlie still has a challenge ahead of her.

“Yesterday Hannah pulled a stitch, that was fun,” Karlie joked to her teammates.

She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in April.

“It adds another level of gratitude,” Karlie said.

She doesn’t know when her radiation treatment will begin, but right now her eyes are on Paris.

“I am so grateful for the women I get to play with every day,” Karlie said.

Because Karlie likes a plan, here us plan.

In Paris and beyond, on the field and in life, we will cheer on the team and cheer on Karlie.