🎙️ Upside Video Chat with Tyler Killinger, Head Athletic Trainer, Orlando City SC (MLS)

Today we have the honor of interviewing Tyler Killinger, the head athletic trainer at Orlando City SC, a top MLS team.

Tyler Killinger is the Head Athletic Trainer at Orlando City SC, where he oversees medical operations across the club’s MLS first team, Orlando City B and academy system—supporting approximately 200 to 250 athletes from the U10 level through the professional ranks. His journey into athletic training began in high school, where he assisted his school’s athletic trainer and discovered an early interest in sports medicine.

Picture: Tyler Killinger

After earning his undergraduate degree in athletic training from the University of Central Florida, Killinger interned with Orlando City during the club’s inaugural MLS season in 2015. He later completed a master’s degree in exercise science at the University of New Mexico before returning to Orlando City full-time in 2019 to work with its second team. In 2020, he joined the first-team staff during the MLS is Back Tournament and, two years later, was promoted to Head Athletic Trainer—a role that allows him to continue developing alongside his hometown club.

You can watch the video interview below by clicking on the Youtube link. You can also listen to the audio interview by clicking on the link at the top of the page:

You can read the full transcript of the podcast interview with Tyler located at the top of this blog post.

Here are the quotes from the interview with Tyler:

1. His journey to Orlando City SC

“I was introduced to sports medicine pretty early because I had the opportunity to help my high school athletic trainer. I knew from a young age where I wanted to be, and with soccer being my preferred sport, I tried to set myself up to work in a role like this.”

“During my senior year at the University of Central Florida in 2015, I had the opportunity to intern with Orlando City during its inaugural MLS season. It was an incredible opportunity—not only to work around a professional soccer club, but to be part of its first year in MLS.”

“I joined the club full-time in 2019 with Orlando City B. In 2020, I was invited to work with the MLS team inside the bubble, which was my first experience working as a certified athletic trainer in MLS. Two years later, I had the opportunity to become Head Athletic Trainer.”

“Each step I have taken prepared me for the next one. Today, I oversee the medical operations for our MLS team, second team and academy—approximately 200 to 250 athletes, from the U10 level through the first team.”

“It has been a lot of fun to develop alongside the club that represents my hometown. I cannot express how fortunate I feel to be able to do this in my own backyard.”

2. How the athletic-training profession has evolved

“The biggest change in professional and elite sports is that we are moving away from being only reactive and trying to become as proactive as possible.”

“The focus used to be primarily on rehabilitation and getting players back. That remains important, but now we are also asking: How do we keep them on the field in the first place?”

“The best ability is availability. You have to give the athletes and the team the opportunity to compete at a high level.”

“In a professional club, we have athletic trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, sports scientists, nutritionists, sports psychologists, massage therapists, interns and associates. We no longer have to be the ‘jack of all trades.’ We can develop as specialists because we are surrounded by other experts.”

“At Orlando City, we lean into the professionals around us and examine the athlete from different perspectives. That collaboration helps us optimize both performance and recovery.”

3. What a typical day looks like

“During the summer in Orlando, we arrive between 6:00 and 6:30 in the morning because the players have to be on the field early. We begin by bringing the staff together and making sure we are prepared for the day ahead.”

“We meet first as athletic trainers, then with the health and performance department, and finally with the coaching staff. Communication is incredibly important in the professional setting.”

“The players arrive around 7:00, begin activation around 7:20 or 7:30, and are on the field by 8:00. We try to finish by 9:30 or 10:00 because of the heat.”

“People view training in this weather as a useful adaptation, and it is. But the other side is that the players have to train in it every day and then recover from it. That places a significant demand on their bodies.”

“Once training ends, we are in full-court press for recovery. At the same time, our rehabilitation staff are completing full sessions with injured players. We try to keep those players on the same schedule and connected with the group because the psychological component of recovery is also extremely important.”

4. Technology in elite soccer

“Technology has pushed the profession forward, but it has also challenged us. We are not necessarily trying to reinvent the wheel—we are trying to refine the recovery process and make it more individualized for every athlete.”

“We allow the data to support our decisions, but we try to avoid allowing it to replace clinical decision-making.”

“We have GPS metrics, training loads, force-plate testing, wellness scores, sleep scores and biomarkers. All that information contributes to the conversation, but we also cannot move away from simply talking with the athlete.”

“The numbers may say one thing while the athlete feels something different. You need both components and must be able to bring them together.”

“As we introduce more technology and collect more data, that data needs to have a purpose. It cannot simply be another data point floating around.”

“Every data point requires time and energy. The more data you collect, the more time you must dedicate to it—and you do not want that to take time away from the athlete.”

“The biomarkers we examine each week through Orreco have been extremely valuable. We are not making clinical decisions strictly from that information, but it has helped us identify trends, anticipate certain situations and understand which recovery modalities individual athletes respond to best.”

5. Philosophy on injury reduction and player availability

“As much as we wish we could, we cannot prevent every injury. Soccer is too unpredictable, and there are too many factors surrounding the athlete. You are never going to eliminate every risk.”

“We have been able to perform injury-prevention work at a high level for a long time. The real question is: How do we make it specific to each athlete?”

“You need to understand the game, the demands of the position and the demands of the individual athlete. Then you must work with that athlete to manage the risk and reward.”

“We would love every athlete to be 100 percent for every competition, but that is not going to happen. The question becomes: How do we work with and manage fatigue?”

“Recovery does not begin after the training session. It begins with pre-training routines, sleep, hydration and how the athlete and the club manage cumulative fatigue.”

“The difference between teams can ultimately be recovery. If we can prepare players properly for the following day, we can reduce their injury risk.”

“Building trust and confidence with athletes cannot be understated. I want players to communicate how they feel—not because I want to remove them from training or a match, but because I want to put them in the best position to be successful.”

“It comes down to understanding the risk, communicating it clearly to every stakeholder and equipping the coach with the best available information to make an informed decision.”

6. The future of athletic training

“AI has an opportunity to help us better understand and use all the data coming into professional sports. Its biggest potential benefit, when applied appropriately, will be individualization.”

“A center back and a winger should not be doing exactly the same thing because their match demands are very different.”

“We need systems that can bring together the many pieces of data we have—not only into one centralized location, but into an analysis that explains what we are looking at and why it matters.”

“The best piece of technology may provide the best data, but that data is only as good as the team and how it uses it.”

“Athletes have a capacity. They only want to answer so many questions and wear so many devices. The first question must be: What is actually important to your club and your staff?”

“If we always played it safe, none of the players would ever be on the field. The moment they step onto the field, there is risk. Our role is to support the athlete and the club while helping everyone manage that risk.”

“I see clinicians becoming more specialized. One person may focus more on rehabilitation, another on field-based return to play, another on manual therapy and another on clinical assessment. Bringing those different areas of expertise together creates a more complete staff around the athlete.”

7. What makes Antoine Griezmann such a great player?

“I think people expect a groundbreaking explanation, but it comes down to the details. It is the little things: having routines, being professional every second of the day and prioritizing yourself and your recovery.”

“Griezmann has demonstrated that throughout his career, and he is bringing that accountability and professionalism into our facility—both on and off the field.”

“It is the mentality of being the best athlete possible while also being a good person. He is a great guy and a great personality to have in the locker room.”

“You do not reach that level by doing nothing. These players work extremely hard every single day.”

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🏎️ Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix 2026: History, Economics, Technology and the Drivers to Watch

Introduction

Formula 1 returns to Circuit Zandvoort this weekend for one of the most anticipated—and emotional—events of the 2026 season.

The Dutch Grand Prix has become known for its orange grandstands, beachside location and extraordinary support for Max Verstappen. However, the 2026 edition carries additional significance: it is currently scheduled to be the final Formula 1 race at Zandvoort following the championship’s return to the Netherlands in 2021.

It will also be Zandvoort’s first and only Sprint weekend. The Sprint and Grand Prix qualifying take place Saturday, followed by the 72-lap Grand Prix on Sunday at 9 a.m. Eastern.

The 4.259-kilometer circuit features narrow corners, rapid elevation changes and dramatic banking, making it one of the most technically demanding venues on the calendar.

The history of the Dutch Grand Prix

Circuit Zandvoort opened in 1948 as part of the postwar expansion of European motorsport. Its original configuration combined permanent racetrack sections with roads running through the coastal sand dunes west of Amsterdam.

The first Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix took place in 1952, when Alberto Ascari led a Ferrari sweep of the first three positions. Zandvoort subsequently hosted Formula 1—with occasional interruptions—until 1985.

The circuit became known as a fast, unforgiving and highly technical test. Its flowing layout rewarded driver confidence, precision and rhythm, while its narrow dimensions left little room for mistakes.

Formula 1 did not return to Zandvoort until 2021, following a 36-year absence extended by the cancellation of the planned 2020 return during the COVID-19 pandemic. The revival coincided with Verstappen’s emergence as a Dutch sporting icon, creating enormous domestic demand for a Formula 1 race.

The renovated circuit preserved its old-school character while adding modern safety and infrastructure improvements. Its most distinctive feature is its banking: the Hugenholtz corner and final Arie Luyendijk corner allow drivers to carry substantial speed while placing unusual lateral and vertical forces on the cars and tires.

Since 2021, the race has become one of Formula 1’s most recognizable spectacles. Packed grandstands, orange celebrations, music and the proximity to Amsterdam helped transform it from a race into a national sporting festival.

That modern chapter reaches an important moment in 2026. The organizers have branded the event the “Final Lap,” with Saturday and Sunday completely sold out. Dutch Grand Prix organizers

Historic moments at the Dutch Grand Prix

Across its two Formula 1 eras, Zandvoort has produced several moments that remain part of the sport’s history.

James Hunt’s first Formula 1 victory—1975

James Hunt secured his maiden Formula 1 victory at Zandvoort in 1975 while driving for the small and unconventional Hesketh team.

Hunt made an early switch from wet tires to slicks as the circuit dried and then resisted sustained pressure from Ferrari’s Niki Lauda. After 75 laps, they were separated by approximately one second.

The victory demonstrated Hunt’s talent and gave Hesketh one of the most celebrated underdog wins in Formula 1 history.

Gilles Villeneuve’s three-wheel lap—1979

One of Zandvoort’s most unforgettable images came in 1979. After suffering a tire failure, Ferrari’s Gilles Villeneuve continued driving back toward the pits with only three functioning wheels.

The attempt did not save his race, but it became an enduring illustration of Villeneuve’s determination and fearless driving style.

A championship collision—1983

The 1983 Dutch Grand Prix delivered a decisive confrontation between championship rivals Alain Prost and Nelson Piquet.

While attempting to pass Piquet for the lead at Tarzan corner, Prost locked his brakes and collided with the Brabham. Both drivers eventually retired, allowing Ferrari’s René Arnoux to win.

Piquet ultimately recovered from the setback and secured his second World Championship later that season.

Niki Lauda’s final victory—1985

The final Dutch Grand Prix before Formula 1’s long absence produced another historic result.

Starting 10th, Lauda worked his way through the field and then defended against McLaren teammate Alain Prost during the closing stages. Lauda crossed the line only 0.232 seconds ahead, securing the 25th and final Formula 1 victory of his career.

Formula 1 would not race at Zandvoort again for 36 years.

Verstappen wins on the race’s return—2021

When Formula 1 returned in 2021, Max Verstappen delivered the result the home crowd wanted.

The Dutch driver converted pole position into victory as the circuit’s grandstands became a sea of orange. He repeated the achievement in 2022 and 2023, winning the first three Dutch Grands Prix following Zandvoort’s return.

His 2023 victory was especially significant because it equaled Sebastian Vettel’s record of nine consecutive Formula 1 wins. Verstappen broke that record at the following race in Italy.

Lawson’s unexpected debut—2023

Zandvoort also provided Liam Lawson with an unexpected Formula 1 debut in 2023. Daniel Ricciardo broke a bone in his hand during Friday practice, forcing Lawson to step into the car with extremely limited preparation.

Despite difficult conditions and the circuit’s demanding layout, Lawson finished 13th. His performance helped demonstrate his readiness for a larger Formula 1 opportunity.

McLaren ends Verstappen’s winning run—2024 and 2025

Lando Norris ended Verstappen’s run of home victories by winning the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix for McLaren.

Oscar Piastri followed with a commanding performance in 2025, taking pole, winning the race, leading every lap and recording the fastest lap. It was the first Grand Slam of his Formula 1 career and McLaren’s first since the 1998 Monaco Grand Prix.

Together, these moments demonstrate why Zandvoort occupies a special place in Formula 1 history. The circuit has hosted first victories, final victories, championship-defining collisions, unexpected debuts and defining performances from multiple generations of drivers.

The economics of the Dutch Grand Prix

Hosting a Formula 1 race creates several layers of economic value.

The promoter generates revenue through general-admission and grandstand tickets, premium hospitality, sponsorships, concessions, merchandise and entertainment. The surrounding economy benefits from hotels, restaurants, local transportation, retail activity and international tourism.

A Breda University of Applied Sciences impact study estimated that the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix attracted 157,000 unique paying spectators, who generated approximately 258,200 visits across the weekend. Friday attendance reached 97,700, while Saturday and Sunday each drew approximately 105,000 spectators.

The study estimated:

• €25.8 million in additional spending within Zandvoort

• €65.1 million across the wider Amsterdam metropolitan region

• €30.4 million in regional added economic value

• Employment activity equivalent to approximately 514 full-time jobs across the region

Around 20% of visitors stayed overnight in the metropolitan area, averaging 2.9 nights and spending approximately €104 per person per night.

These figures excluded several categories, including sponsor activations and spending from people who visited Zandvoort without attending the race. The complete commercial footprint may therefore have been larger. (Source: Breda University economic-impact study).

The event’s value also extends beyond direct spending. Global television coverage promotes Zandvoort and the Netherlands as tourism destinations. Sponsors use the weekend for client entertainment, product activation and international brand exposure. For Dutch companies, the Grand Prix has become an important business and networking platform.

The 2026 sellout demonstrates that consumer demand remains strong. Organizers have also reported considerable demand for hospitality packages and increasing interest from international visitors.

However, a sold-out race does not automatically guarantee long-term financial sustainability. Promoters must manage Formula 1 hosting fees, temporary grandstands, security, transportation, staffing, entertainment and circuit infrastructure.

Zandvoort’s limited physical footprint and coastal location can also make expansion and logistics more difficult.

This is an important distinction: an event can produce substantial benefits for its region while still operating within a challenging promoter-level financial model.

Viewership and Formula 1’s global growth

Publicly available figures do not provide a complete, verified global audience number specifically for the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix before the race takes place. However, the event is benefiting from Formula 1’s broader commercial momentum.

Formula 1 reported a global fanbase of approximately 827 million in 2025, representing 12% year-over-year growth. It also reported:

• 6.7 million spectators across the 2025 season

• 19 sold-out events out of 24

• A 21% increase in average U.S. live race viewership

• 2.3 billion engagements across Formula 1’s social platforms

• A fanbase in which 43% of fans are under 35

• A fanbase that is now 42% female

These figures show why individual Grand Prix weekends have become valuable global media properties rather than simply motor races.

The Dutch Grand Prix has additional audience advantages. It combines Verstappen’s home-country appeal, a visually distinctive circuit, a festival atmosphere and convenient access from Amsterdam.

The final scheduled edition and introduction of the Sprint should create additional attention across television, streaming, social media and digital content.

Drivers to watch this weekend

George Russell

Russell produced the best performance in Friday’s Sprint Qualifying, taking pole with a lap of 1:11.567. With overtaking difficult at Zandvoort, starting position and execution will be critical.

Mercedes appears to have placed its car in a competitive operating window, although the team acknowledged that its long-run pace and performance through the faster corners still require attention.

Lando Norris

Norris qualified second for the Sprint, only 0.041 seconds behind Russell. McLaren was expected to perform well at Zandvoort, and both cars demonstrated strong underlying pace.

Norris will be a serious contender if McLaren can convert its speed into clean starts, effective tire management and a strong qualifying position for Sunday.

Charles Leclerc

Leclerc finished Sprint Qualifying third, only 0.055 seconds away from pole. He described the lap as one of his strongest qualifying efforts of the season.

Ferrari also showed promising long-run speed during practice. If that performance carries into the race, Leclerc could challenge Mercedes and McLaren rather than simply compete for a podium.

Oscar Piastri

Piastri starts the Sprint fourth after leading the second segment of Sprint Qualifying. Although Norris ultimately finished ahead, Piastri’s pace indicates that both McLarens could contend throughout the weekend.

With four drivers separated by less than one tenth of a second at the front, small differences in setup, tire preparation and execution could decide the result.

Kimi Antonelli

Antonelli remains one of the weekend’s most important drivers because he entered Zandvoort as the championship leader.

He topped the only practice session but damaged his floor during Sprint Qualifying and still recovered to fifth. His combination of speed and occasional errors makes him a major storyline.

The question is whether he can manage the championship pressure while extracting the performance available from the Mercedes.

Max Verstappen

Regardless of his starting position or Friday performance, Verstappen remains the emotional center of the Dutch Grand Prix.

He qualified sixth for the Sprint after struggling with grip, traction and the car’s balance. Red Bull therefore has work to do before the Grand Prix. But Verstappen’s experience, home support and ability to capitalize on changing conditions mean he cannot be dismissed.

This final scheduled Zandvoort race also gives him an opportunity to deliver one more defining moment in front of his home crowd.

The impact of technology

Technology influences virtually every aspect of a modern Formula 1 weekend.

The new 2026 technical era

The Dutch Grand Prix takes place during the first season of Formula 1’s new technical regulations. These include redesigned hybrid power units and advanced sustainable fuels.

Teams are still learning how to optimize the relationship among electrical energy deployment, combustion performance, aerodynamics, tire behavior and race strategy.

Zandvoort provides a demanding test because energy efficiency must be balanced with the downforce and stability required through its banked and high-speed corners.

Simulation and digital twins

Before arriving at Zandvoort, teams run extensive simulations covering car setup, energy deployment, weather, tire degradation and potential race scenarios.

Driver-in-the-loop simulators allow drivers and engineers to test configurations without using limited track time. This is especially important during a Sprint weekend, when teams have only one practice session before competitive running begins.

The effectiveness of a team’s digital model can directly influence how quickly it identifies the correct setup.

Real-time data and decision-making

A Formula 1 car produces enormous volumes of telemetry. Engineers monitor tire temperatures, brake performance, aerodynamic balance, energy use, engine behavior and hundreds of other variables.

The objective is not simply to collect data. Teams must identify which signals matter and translate them into immediate decisions.

At Zandvoort, engineers will pay particular attention to:

• Tire preparation and degradation

• Floor damage from gravel excursions

• Wind direction and sudden changes in balance

• Energy deployment around the lap

• Brake and power-unit temperatures

• The probability and timing of safety-car periods

The opening sessions have already illustrated this challenge. Antonelli’s gravel excursion damaged the floor of his Mercedes and reduced downforce, while Verstappen reported both oversteer and understeer as Red Bull searched for a workable balance.

Aerodynamic development

Even during the season, teams continue introducing new wings, floors and smaller aerodynamic components.

McLaren brought a new rear wing and other updates to Zandvoort, while Alpine fitted an upgrade package to Pierre Gasly’s car that appeared to produce an immediate performance improvement.

These developments demonstrate how Formula 1 operates as a continuous engineering competition. A component worth only a few tenths of a second can move a driver several positions when the leading cars are separated by less than one tenth.

Tire technology and strategy

Pirelli reported that all three dry compounds could potentially be used during Sunday’s race. Surface abrasion, track temperature and the possibility of a safety car will influence whether teams select one-stop or multi-stop strategies.

Technology provides the forecast, but teams still need human judgment. A model cannot perfectly predict traffic, changing weather, accidents or how a particular driver will manage the tires under pressure.

Conclusion

The 2026 Dutch Grand Prix represents far more than another stop on the Formula 1 calendar.

It brings together the history of a circuit that first hosted Formula 1 in 1952, the commercial power of a globally expanding sport, the national enthusiasm surrounding Max Verstappen and a new generation of cars shaped by hybrid technology, sustainable fuels and advanced analytics.

Economically, the race has generated tens of millions of euros in regional spending while promoting Zandvoort and the Netherlands to an international audience. Commercially, its sellout crowds and hospitality demand show that the event remains highly attractive.

On the track, Russell, Norris, Leclerc, Piastri, Antonelli and Verstappen enter the weekend with different strengths and pressures. With the leading four separated by less than one tenth in Sprint Qualifying, technology and execution may matter as much as outright speed.

As Zandvoort prepares for its “Final Lap,” the weekend provides a fitting demonstration of what modern Formula 1 has become: a combination of history, elite human performance, engineering innovation, global entertainment and major economic impact.

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What to Watch this weekend on TV?

• Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix: Sprint Saturday at 6 a.m., qualifying at 10 a.m., and the Grand Prix Sunday at 9 a.m. from Zandvoort. Official F1 schedule

• Cincinnati Open tennis: ATP and WTA semifinals Saturday beginning at 11 a.m.; the men’s and women’s singles finals are Sunday beginning at 2 p.m.

• BMW Championship: The top 50 players in the FedExCup Playoffs compete at Bellerive Country Club. Final-round coverage begins Sunday at noon on Golf Channel and 2 p.m. on CBS.

• Premier League: Saturday’s main match is Tottenham at Brentford at 12:30 p.m. Sunday features Bournemouth at Manchester City at 9 a.m. and Liverpool at Newcastle at 11:30 a.m.

• European soccer: Bayern Munich faces Borussia Dortmund in the German Super Cup Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Real Madrid plays Espanyol Saturday at 3:25 p.m., while Barcelona visits Elche Sunday at 3:25 p.m.

• WNBA: Indiana plays New York Saturday at 7 p.m. The Fever then face Chicago Sunday at 7 p.m. Seattle visits Dallas Sunday at 4 p.m.

• NFL preseason: Saturday includes Giants–Dolphins at 4 p.m., Eagles–Patriots at 7 p.m., Chiefs–Buccaneers at 7:30 p.m. and Cowboys–Cardinals at 10 p.m. Seattle plays Tennessee Sunday at 8 p.m.

• Major League Baseball: Notable series include Blue Jays–Yankees, Giants–Red Sox, Cubs–Mariners and Pirates–Dodgers. Atlanta and Milwaukee play Sunday’s Little League Classic in Williamsport at 7 p.m.

• Motorsports: Sunday also includes the inaugural IndyCar Grand Prix of Washington at 1 p.m. and NASCAR’s Cup Series race at New Hampshire at 3 p.m.

• Little League World Series: Bracket games continue Saturday, with the U.S. and international championships taking place Sunday.

• Badminton World Championships: Semifinals are Saturday and the championship matches are Sunday in New Delhi.

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🏈 Upside Featured Article: No Baseline, No Benchmark - The Gap NFL Teams Can’t Afford

Title: No Baseline, No Benchmark - The Gap NFL Teams Can’t Afford

If you don’t know where an athlete started, how do you know they are ready to play?

The question sounds simple. Answering it is one of the harder problems in the NFL. Across five seasons from 2017 to 2022, researchers reviewing 1,275 regular and postseason games counted 4,378 injuries, a mean of 34.42 per 1,000 athlete-exposures per year (Angileri et al., Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 2023). Behind that number sit roster decisions, cap hits, and players who do not come back the same.

What happens when monitoring stops

2020 handed the league an accidental control condition. With the preseason cancelled, soft tissue injuries climbed: 88.57 per 1,000 athlete-exposures in 2020-21 against 58.17 in 2018-19, a rise of just over 50 percent. Hamstring, groin, calf, quadriceps and thigh injuries were all significantly higher. The authors attribute it to the missing preseason and the abrupt jump in workload that followed (Cureus, 2022).

The athletes had not changed. What changed was the ramp-up they normally get, and the testing that would have shown who was ready for it.

Baselines are the comparison point

A baseline established in preseason does three jobs. It tracks change through the season, it gives you something to measure a training intervention against, and it sets targets for players working back from injury.

None of that is a new idea. The problem has always been that movement testing is slow, disruptive, and hard to repeat at the frequency that makes it useful.

When a player does get hurt, biomechanical baselines let staff compare current numbers against that athlete’s own starting point rather than a population average. That comparison only works if the baseline was captured, and captured consistently enough to mean something.

The league is already moving this way

The NFL reported a historic low in concussions for the 2024 season: 182 across preseason and regular season, down 17 percent on 2023 and the fewest since tracking began in 2015. Lower-extremity strains continued to fall as well. The league credits helmet improvements, Guardian Caps, rule enforcement, the training camp acclimation period, and its Digital Athlete analytics program.

Different tools are all going in the same one direction. Regular, repeatable measurement at the individual level is where performance and medical staff are heading.

The barrier has always been time

A 53-man roster puts real pressure on a preseason schedule, and testing that takes hours does not get done consistently.

OnTraq by Qualisys runs a full movement assessment across 8 protocols in about 1 minute 40 seconds per athlete, so a group of 20 moves through in roughly 30 minutes. No markers, no wearables, nothing to fit or charge.

Speed is what people notice first, and it is not what makes the data worth having. Every measure in the report carries the spread across repetitions alongside the mean, so you can see how tightly an athlete repeated the movement before you decide a change is real. Skelify sizes a skeleton to each athlete once instead of re-estimating it every session, which keeps the model between the camera and the number from drifting across a season.

That is what lets you say a difference between September and November belongs to the athlete rather than to the method.

More frequent testing means earlier signals. A movement shift that would go unnoticed between quarterly assessments becomes visible week to week, which is the difference between catching something early and managing it later.

Baselines only help you if you have them.

Want to connect with Qualisys team to learn more about OnTraq? Contact Luis at Luis.Justiniano@qualisys.com

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🏟️ 2026/2027 Upcoming Upside Events (VIP Dinners, Summits) in the US and Europe. Mark your Calendar.

Dear colleague,

Thank you for attending our 2025 Upside Events (VIP Dinners, Summits..) bringing together top executives from teams (NBA, NFL, MLS, MLB, NHL, NCAA, etc..), startups and VCs. We have been busy working behind the scene with our Upside team on a new series of Upside events in 2026 and 2027. We cannot wait to tell you more soon.

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Upside is proud to be helping Austin Peay State University put together its inaugural Health and Performance Summit—bringing together leaders in sports science, clinical care, tactical performance and human optimization.

📅 Saturday, October 17, 2026
📍 APSU Health Professions Building, Clarksville, Tennessee
👥 Approximately 100 industry professionals

The summit will feature nationally recognized experts, including Dr. Andy Barr, Spencer Posey (Garmin), Dr. Bill Burgos, experienced NBA S&C Coach, and LONU CEO, Paul Robbins, NBA Performance data scientist, Chris Dunaway, International Director of athleticism and Performance at the Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB).

Featured speakers:

• Dr. Andy Barr, Founder, Quantum Movement & experienced NBA & MLS, EPL Practitioner.

• Spencer Posey, Military & Human Performance Lead, Garmin

• Dr. Bill Burgos, experienced NBA S&C Coach (Magic, NY Knicks, Timberwolves), and LONU CEO.

• Chris Dunaway, International Director of athleticism and Performance, Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB)

• Paul Robbins, NBA Performance data scientist.

• Dr. Burgos is an experienced NBA strength and conditioning coach who has worked with organizations including the Orlando Magic, New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves. He has also worked in Minor League Baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates, serves as an adjunct professor at APSU and is CEO of LONU, a next-generation AI-powered nutrition platform.

• Dr Andy Barr is the president of Quantum Movement, a leading biomechanics and movement analysis and training software for practitioners.  Andy has worked in the NBA and professional soccer for 25 years. He has worked for teams such as New York Knicks (NBA), NY Liberty (WNBA), the Brooklyn Nets (NBA), Manchester City (Premier League), Chelsea (Premier League), and NYFC (MLS).

• Chris Dunaway is the International Director of Athleticism and Performance for the Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB), where he supports the development, preparation and physical performance of athletes across the organization. He brings extensive professional baseball experience, having previously held strength-and-conditioning roles with the Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates. His expertise spans performance programming, nutrition, injury rehabilitation and the development of systems that help athletes perform consistently at the highest level

• Spencer Posey is Garmin’s Military and Human Performance Lead, where he connects wearable technology and performance data with the needs of defense, sport and high-performance organizations. A U.S. Army veteran with 15 years of experience, he has served as an infantry sergeant, contributed to the Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness program and led large interdisciplinary teams. His work focuses on using biometric insights to improve readiness, recovery and physical performance across military and civilian populations.

• Paul Robbins is an NBA performance data scientist who specializes in transforming complex player-tracking data into practical insights for coaches and performance teams. His work examines workload, movement intensity, fatigue and recovery to support smarter training and athlete-management decisions throughout the demanding NBA season. Combining expertise in exercise science, coaching and analytics, Paul helps teams translate numbers into actionable strategies that improve performance while protecting player health.

Attendees will gain practical insights across:
• Strength and conditioning
• Resilience and recovery
• Tactical and athletic performance
• Rehabilitation and sports medicine
• Wellness and human-performance innovation

The summit is designed for strength and conditioning coaches, athletic trainers, clinicians, rehabilitation specialists, collegiate performance staff, gym owners and military professionals—including those connected to the U.S. Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness initiatives at Fort Campbell.

With its intentionally intimate format, the event will offer meaningful opportunities to learn, exchange ideas and build relationships with practitioners, industry leaders and decision-makers.

We also have a limited number of exhibitor spots available for startups seeking to showcase their products, services and technologies to this highly targeted audience. We are talking to many vendors so we can’t guarantee that we will have any more spots available, so if you are interested in exhibiting or speaking, please send me or Dr. Tim Leszczak a private message as soon as possible.

Click on the button below and visit the event website to view the agenda and select “Register Now” to reserve your place.

For sponsorship information, contact Dr. Tim Leszczak, Chair of the APSU Department of Health and Human Performance, at Leszczakt@apsu.edu.
More speakers will be announced soon. Thank you!

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📅 What’s Next for Upside

Join us at our upcoming events:

🗓️ 2026 Austin Peay State University Health & Performance Summit
October 17, 2026 | Nashville, Tennessee
This summit will bring together leaders (e.g. NY Knicks/NBA, LA Dodgers/MLB..) in health, performance, sports science, and related fields, military/government.

🗓️ 2026 Upside VIP Dinner - Pro Soccer
December 17–18, 2026 | Atlanta, Georgia
Building on last year's event, (see the recap here on our 2025 VIP dinner) which brought together 50+ MLS practitioners (Performance Directors, Heads of Athletic Therapy, Directors of Rehabilitation, Sports Scientists, etc.) representing 20+ MLS clubs.

🗓️ Upside Tech Summit—France
1H2027 | France
We are planning to host the summit at a major stadium. The event will bring together leading organizations from Ligue 1, the Premier League, La Liga, international rugby, basketball, the NBA, MLS, the NFL, and other elite sports.

We are working on organizing additional Upside events (VIP Dinners..) with major leagues and teams in the US and Europe in 2026 and 2027.

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Want to Speak or Sponsor an Upside Event?

If you’re interested in speaking or sponsoring one of our future Upside events, please contact us at: julien@upsideglobal.co

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We hope to see you there! If you are interested in attending, speaking, exhibiting, or sponsoring at any of our Upside events in 2026 and 2027, feel free to email us at julien@upsideglobal.co

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me.

Best,

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