Total Dedication

“Our daughter, Christine, was 15 and in the spring of her freshman year when she tore her ACL. She was practicing with her club volleyball team and landed awkwardly. We had just entered a world that we knew little or nothing about. Her mom and I were both college athletes but knew little about ACLs. The first thing we immediately realized was that we had to find her the best surgeon that we could. He or she had to be someone who had done a lot of ACL repairs. We chose to use Dr. George Caldwell. We then quickly discovered that we had to make our 2nd and most important decision, which was where to rehab Christine's knee. Dr. Caldwell said hands down without a doubt that Ed Smith and his team at Athletes Advantage was the place to go. We knew from our very first meeting with Ed that we were in the right place. Ed's knowledge, expertise, and experience were obvious right away. Ed explained how his rehab process works and what would be required of us as well as where he would be taking us. He explained that rehab is a marathon and not a sprint and that if done correctly, we would all work together and have a great outcome. Boy was he right. We had a fantastic outcome. Christine committed in the spring of 2015 to attend the University of Alabama in 2017 on a full volleyball scholarship. This would not have happened without Ed's passion and total dedication to helping kids achieve their dreams and goals. It's truly inspiring the work that he and all of his team at Athletes Advantage do on a daily basis. As a parent, I also really enjoyed how Ed and Preston also have some great life lessons to teach along the way. I strongly recommend Ed Smith and Athletes Advantage for any type of rehab.”

Forever Grateful

“On January 6, 2012, my husband, McLain Ward, sustained a traumatic injury while competing in the Grand Prix at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida. He fell off and was taken out of the competition ring by ambulance. At the hospital, we found out that he had a compound, comminuted fracture of the left patella. Basically, his kneecap was smashed into 22 pieces and was coming out of the skin. This was certainly not a life threatening injury, but for a professional athlete, certainly a career threatening injury. That night he had emergency surgery, it was all a whirlwind, but thankfully the surgery went well. My husband is an extremely intense and driven person to say the least, especially in his career, and 2012 was an Olympic year and as far as we were concerned he WOULD be competing there! We had two people instrumental in McLain’s recovery, Dr. Craig Ferrell and Ed Smith. We needed to find the right person for physical therapy and luckily we heard from basically everyone that Ed Smith at Athletes Advantage was the person we needed to see. So I barged into his office and begged him to take my husband on as a patient. Ed was the person who put more time into my husband’s recovery than anybody. His commitment and expertise were what made it possible for my husband to compete at the 2012 Olympic Games. Ed was able to instill a confidence in all of us that our goal was in fact possible. His years of experience and overwhelming dedication were remarkable. We will forever be grateful to the time, care and knowledge that he gave to us in that time.”

Expert Knowledge

“I was referred to Mr. Ed Smith by my doctor after tearing both ACLs in high school sports. To say I was devastated not to be able to play sports at that time was an understatement, but Ed single-handedly brought me back even stronger to compete in sports again. Ed not only prepared me physically but mentally to be able to compete at my highest potential. While many athletes never recover from even one ACL injury, I was able to come back twice even stronger because of one person: Ed Smith. His expert knowledge and years of experience in treating sports injuries combined with his enthusiasm and dedication to each patient made me look forward to attending each challenging therapy session.”

Unmatched

“I truly enjoyed my off-season workouts at Athletes Advantage. Ed and his team are incredibly knowledgeable and create a great atmosphere for training that is unmatched in this area. I was never more prepared for a season to start than I was the years I trained at Athletes Advantage, and as hard and challenging as the training sessions were, I was always eager to return for the next workout because of the passion and enthusiasm that Ed and his team displayed each day.”

Mental and Physical

“Athletes Advantage has been a big part of my success as a professional athlete. They have helped me to prepare for the long baseball season, both mentally and physically. Over the years, I have reaped the rewards of the work that I put in during the off-season. These workouts have helped me to stay healthy on the field as well as keeping my body feeling strong through out the season. In 2009, I had significant head injury that I sustained during the season. Doctors and many others said I would have difficulties with every day activities. They also said that returning to the field to pitch again was highly unlikely. Ed Smith took the task of recuperating me back to health and to get me back on the playing field. Though it was a battle at times, Ed and his staff’s positive attitude regarding my situation kept me motivated to return back to playing form. Thanks to Athletes Advantage, I was back playing well before my expected return and was in the best shape of my life. Ed and staff will push their athletes farther than anyone could on their own. Having spent several off-seasons training on my own, I can definitely say that working with Ed and his staff has truly put me at an advantage going into every Spring Training!”

Exceeds Any Expectation

“Ed Smith was the greatest person I could have ever met after my injury to my rotator cuff, which required surgery. Ed really cares about his patients and their recovery. The rehabilitation process was the toughest challenge I ever had in my life. He exceeds any expectation you would have for a physical therapist or strength and conditioning instructor. His knowledge of these areas is unmatched, which gives the patients/athletes that work with him a true advantage for improvement and recovery. I am very thankful that I had his guidance through this process. I know many people who have had the same surgery as I did and none of them had the same positive results or recovery as me. Today, I have the same strength as I did before my injury, which is a direct result of working with Ed. When observing Ed, you can see his dedication to his athletes and patients. He has a heart of gold and is a man of great integrity and character. Thank you Ed Smith for making an impact in my and many lives in many ways!”

Genuine Care

“I brought my oldest son, Tyler, to Athletes Advantage in early 2004 just after they opened the business. My son was interested in getting personalized training in order to prepare to play high school football as a freshman. Immediately, he loved working with Ed and his team and couldn’t wait to “go workout”. 11 years and three D-1 football scholarships later, we can’t think of a better place for our three boys to develop their bodies, skills, and minds. We are not the norm for sure, and not every kid that works out here is destined for a scholarship, but our sons learned so much about developing their strength, speed, mental approach, rest, and how to get the most out of their workout efforts. Athletes Advantage has been a haven for them. Not only have they grown physically but also mentally. I think half of what Ed and his team do is push people past what they feel their limits are and give them the confidence to go beyond their own mental limitations. That confidence shows on the playing field in a big way. On top of the physical/mental part of the workouts, they genuinely cared about our sons. They helped with injuries, the proper legal supplements they should take, and even with schoolwork, because they genuinely cared about their success on and off the field—whether it was just to be a good high school athlete or beyond. They aren’t in it just for the “superstars”, although they really helped develop my sons into “superstars”. There are a ton of gyms and personalized training facilities out there now. But, none that will have trainers who genuinely care about your kid or you as much as Athletes Advantage. I mean genuinely care about their welfare, development, and wellbeing both physically and mentally. They will push hard to achieve results—great results, but they will insure that things are done the right way with no shortcuts. The biggest compliment I could give anyone is that I trusted Ed and his team with my kids and their results were pretty amazing.”

No Question

“Upon receiving the news that my daughter ruptured her ACL playing soccer, her future as a player was uncertain. Sure, we heard about many others, we sympathized with their predicament, and we showed support during surgery and rehabilitation. It is a whole new ball game when it happens to your child. I researched, I interviewed other parents, I called in every favor I had, and that’s how I found Athletes Advantage and Ed Smith. From Day 1, they wrapped their arms around her and we never looked back. Ed has a way of getting into the teenage brain and knows how to interact to get the best possible results. He pushed her, gave her fantastic advice, knew when to reign her in, and guided her to become stronger and faster than ever before. She returned to the pitch prepared and game ready. Until it happened again. This time it was her other knee. There was absolutely no question who we wanted to rehabilitate her again. The second time around is both easier and more difficult in many ways. He knew exactly where her head was and dealt with her accordingly. Today, once again, she is strong, fast, determined and grateful. She is currently looking to play soccer in college. In fact, her experience has lead her to pursue a possible degree in Sports Therapy. I absolutely without a doubt recommend Ed Smith and Athletes Advantage to anyone looking for a Rehabilitation Therapist.”

Instrumental

“The "return to sport" training program developed and provided by Athletes Advantage was instrumental in helping Jessica restore the necessary strength, flexibility and agility enabling a return to playing soccer. With Preston's guidance and direction, Jessica was not only able to confidently return to the field stronger than before injury, she was also invited to join 3 travel soccer teams for the upcoming 2015-2016 season just 10 months after having ACL surgery. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to helping Jessica overcome the obstacles and hurdles following a major injury thus allowing her to continue the pursuit of her athletic goals and dreams.”

Engaging

“I was first introduced to the physical therapy section of Athletes Advantage roughly 10 years ago, they nursed me through numerous leg operations and finally a total hip replacement. The physical therapy staff has seen it all, and thereby gingerly fast tracking my recovery and allowing me to get back to my love of showing horses. I currently train with Preston Baez, who not only has a therapy background, but also is an amazing trainer. He drives athletes to peaks of physical fitness while grasping limits of previous injuries. He keeps me engaged by changing my program. I have the utmost confidence in the staff of Athletes Advantage and highly recommend them.”

Always Pushing

“I started training with Athletes Advantage in April of 2015. After recovering from a knee injury, I needed a place where I could fully regain my strength and abilities before returning to volleyball. My family and I had heard wonderful things about Athletes Advantage so we gave it a shot; thankfully! Ed Smith thoroughly evaluated me and shared a great deal of knowledge to get me off to a solid start. Preston Baez was training the group of Sports Transition athletes with whom I would train. He recognized our individual athletic abilities, so, instead of helping us discover and develop athleticism, he trained us to perfect it. In three months, the combination of group and private training with Preston really prepared me to get back playing and excelling. I was quicker and more explosive than I used to be, jumping higher, and, most importantly, subconsciously applying the physical fundamentals which he taught me. Always pushing you to excel is a personality trait most trainers have. The difference with Preston and the trainers at Athletes Advantage is they push you because they want you to excel.”

Like None Other

“I have been a member at Athletes Advantage and have trained with Preston Baez for several years. I am an equestrian by profession with a long list of old sports injuries and repairs. Preston's experience as an athlete himself combined with his education in exercise physiology and physical therapy, makes him the ideal personal trainer. I trust Preston to protect and strengthen my old injuries, while keeping me in condition to prevent new ones. He is always pleasant and professional with a laid back easy going demeanor. The atmosphere at Athletes Advantage is like none other. From professional athletes to children's sports teams and everything in between. The entire staff is always friendly and supportive. I felt welcome the first time I walked through their door.”

Motivating and Challenging

“Like most equestrians, I spend my winters in Wellington at the Winter Equestrian Festival. Athletes Advantage was recommended to me by a bunch of my friends, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there this past year! As an equestrian, I am a firm believer that when I feel fit and strong, I feel better on a horse. Coach Preston is great at motivating and challenging me. The workouts are creative, and demanding while still fun. I had incredible energy and my balance and flexibility were greatly improved. They understand my schedule is hectic and were extremely accommodating. For anyone looking to get in shape and feel great, I highly recommend it. I know I can't wait to get back! ”
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