ABOUT THE TEAM
MISSION STATEMENT
To provide unparalleled opportunities to post-collegiate athletes through coaching, training partners, and Physiological Profile Testing as well as competitive financial support. Our initial focus will be to support those on a mission to qualify for the 2020 Olympic trials or Olympic team in running events for their respective countries.
Powered By System Based Training™
System Based Training™ uses proven principles of physiology and biochemistry to provide training plans which optimize performance. Shannon Grady, a highly respected and experienced sports physiologist with extensive field experience, created SBT physiological profile testing to show the athlete and coach which physiological systems are limiting performance goals. Over the past 15 years, SBT has helped over 15,000 athletes achieve their goals, including World Champions, National Collegiate Champions, and World Record Holders.
Team Standards and Expectations
More information on our tier standards and expectations for joining elite training group can be found HERE.
Follow this LINK to contact coaches.
Team Headquarters
Serenity Ranch
Chester Springs, PA
Training Group Locations
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Philadelphia Suburbs
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Baltimore/D.C. Area
Satellite Training & Coaching Locations:
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Cleveland, Ohio
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South Florida
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Jacksonville, Floria
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Auckland, New Zealand
Coaches
Shannon Grady
Head Coach & Exercise Physiologist
Ryan Comstock
Amy Horst
Chris Tarello
Shannon Grady, M.S. Exercise Physiologist
Head Coach (Philadelphia Area)
Shannon Grady is Founder & CEO of GO! Athletics, a sports performance optimization company. She is the global leader in application of lactate dynamics for human performance optimization. She is a nationally recognized expert in the field of applied Physiology and Exercise Science. In over fifteen years as an industry leader in sports performance optimization, Shannon has worked with over 9,000 athletes, including Olympic, professional, collegiate, and high school athletes in over 15 sports; including Olympic, World Champions/Medalists and NCAA Champions.
Shannon’s career began in 1999, as a Sports Physiologist for the United States Olympic Committee(USOC), where she provided physiological testing and feedback to athletes and coaches representing nearly all U.S Olympic and National Teams. It quickly became evident to Shannon that there was a significant gap between the testing results and the application of that data. Shannon isolated the need to create an innovative approach to designing and implementing a comprehensive training model based on the dynamic nature of physiology; thus the evolution of System Based Training™.
Shannon’s expertise in the field of physiology both as a practitioner and as an academic, has resulted in her becoming a sought-after consultant, presenter, lecturer, and researcher at premier organizations. Shannon has worked directly with the following teams/organizations as a sports physiologist, training advisor or coach; United States Olympic Committee, US Rowing, USA Track and Field, University of Florida M & W XC/Track, W Soccer, University of Tennessee M & W XC/Track, University of Connecticut M & W XC/Track, University of Southern California M & W XC/Track, Villanova University M & W XC/Track & Soccer, Duke University W Cross Country/Track, University of Central Florida W XC/Track, Philadelphia Wings Men’s Professional Lacrosse, Philadelphia Charge Women’s Professional Soccer, FILA Discovery USA- Running, MMA/UFC, Jordan Futbol Association- Women’s National team, Fresno State University M & W XC/Track, Boise State University M & W XC/Track, Monmouth University M & W XC/Track, University of Wisconsin M & W XC/Track, Xavier University M & W XC/Track, Loyola University M & W XC/Track, Penn AC Rowing Club, Malta Rowing Club, Undine Rowing Club, Athletics New Zealand, Skate New Zealand, New Zealand Sailing and numerous high school cross country, track, swimming and rowing programs.
Shannon has presented or lectured for the following organizations; UF Running Medicine Conference; UF & Shands Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Institute, USTFCCCA Track and Field Academy (Developed and presented course for Master’s Endorsement in Middle Distances), United States Olympic Committee. Coaches Education Program: Track & Field and Rowing, Running Works Day of Distance Clinic, US All-Star Track and Field Conference, University of Miami Department of Kinesiology (Graduate Courses), University of Florida College of Health and Human Performance (Undergraduate Courses), Applied Biochemistry (Researcher) American Heart Association, Applied Biochemistry (Researcher) American Lung Association, American College of Sports Medicine (Clinical Exercise Assessment)
Shannon graduated from the University of Florida with a B.S and M.S in Exercise Physiology/Biochemistry. Shannon is an NCAA All-American, former professional runner, and 6-time Team USA Triathlon with 4 Top-10 ITU World Championship finishes.
Chris Tarello
Assistant Coach (New Jersey Area)
Chris Tarello is in his 11th season as a member of the Monmouth coaching staff after serving as head cross country and track & field coach at Lincoln Sudbury Regional High school in Sudbury, Mass. He holds a USATF Level 2 Coaching certification. Tarello serves as the Hawks' middle distance coach during the indoor and outdoor seasons in addition to being an assistant cross country coach.
Between 2013 and 2018, Tarello was responsible for coaching Dylan Capwell, who was an NCAA runner-up during the 800 meters in 1:46.70 in 2015. Capwell is a six-time All-American, a U.S. Championships qualifier, and the NY Armory Collegiate Record Holder (topping US Olympian Robbie Andrews' mark).
Tarello also coached walk-on Tionna Garner to an NCAA appearance where Garner ran 2:06.10 in the women's 800 meter run. Garner also won an ECAC title during the 500m in 1:10.31. That mark ranks as the 60th fastest time ever run in the world.
From 2009 to 2012, Tarello was responsible for developing Ford Palmer, a current professional athlete sponsored by Hoka One One. A former middle linebacker and 800m runner for Absagami high school, Tarello transformed Palmer in less then three years into a 4:00 miler and NCAA qualifier at Monmouth.
Among his accomplishments are IC4A Champions at 800m, 1000m, 4x800m, and DMR. Tarello has also coached ECAC Champions at 500m, and 4x800m, in addition to multiple NEC, and MAAC Champions, IC4A and ECAC Qualifiers, and conference records at 800, 1500, Mile, and 4x800.
Under Tarello's tutelage, Monmouth athletes have broken all the school records in the middle distance events and hold every spot on the MU’s All Time List.
While at Sudbury, he was named Dual County League Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2007, while bringing home Boston Globe Coach of the Year honors in 2007. Tarello coached the cross country squad to an eighth place finish at the Nike Team Nationals in 2007 with Sudbury also earning the Northeast Regional Championship and the Massachusetts state championship in the same year. He also guided a number of athletes to championship performances and all-state honors in track & field including a pair of All-American 4x800 relay teams. Since 1999, he has been the principal counselor at the Running Works Inc. clinics and camps. Tarello also enjoyed a great deal of success coaching at Cherokee (N.J.) High School, Shawnee (N.J.) High School, and Sacred Heart (N.J.) High School.
Originally from Medford NJ, Tarello graduated from Shawnee High School.
While a member of Rider University's cross country and track teams, Tarello was a Northeast Conference Champion in the 500m, 800m and 4x400 relay team. He was an IC4A All-East selection eight times during his career with the Broncs. Tarello graduated in 1997 with a degree in education.
Tarello currently lives in Brick, New Jersey with his wife Cindy, who also coaches high school track and cross country. The couple has two daughters, twins Ryan and Mia.
Amy Horst
Assistant Coach (Baltimore/D.C. Area)
Amy Horst joined the Loyola staff as the head track and field coach in 2010-11, and she was named the head cross country coach for the 2015-16 season. Horst came to Loyola after serving as an assistant coach for the cross country and track and field programs at Marquette University.
During her time at Loyola, Horst has coached one NCAA National Championship cross country participant, three All-NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional cross country honorees and six All-ECAC Indoor Track and Field performers. Since she took over the track and field program, Horst's student-athletes have set 37 school records (19 indoor, 18 outdoor) and reset many multiple times.
In 2018, the Greyhounds had the distinction of having three relays (the 4x400m, 4x800m and distance medley) qualify for the ECAC Championships and advance to the finals in each event.
In her inaugural season in the Patriot League, Horst helped guide both the men's and women's cross country teams to ninth-place finishes at the Patriot League Championships in Easton, Pa. That same year, Kiera Harrison qualified for All-Region honors at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic, and went on to earn an at-large bid to the 2013 NCAA Cross Country Championships. Harrison was the first-ever Greyhound to compete at an NCAA Division I Championship in any sport as an individual.
Horst went on to guide the Greyhounds to their first appearance at the Patriot League Track and Field Championships. Both of Loyola's indoor and outdoor teams finished ninth in the inaugural season. Under Horst's direction, two Greyhounds earned weekly Patriot League honors, two were named All-League and another pair garnered a spot on the league's All-Academic Team.
Before moving to the Patriot League, Horst and the Greyhounds were highly competitive in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. She guided 19 student athletes to All-MAAC honors and 80 were named to the MAAC Honor Roll.
In Horst's first season, she led the Greyhounds to a program-best fifth-place finish at the 2011 MAAC Indoor Track & Field Championships. Loyola also finished fifth at the outdoor championships, and Horst had seven indoor athletes and seven outdoor athletes break school records.
That same year, Horst led the women's cross country team to its highest ever regional finish (10th).
Academically, the Greyhounds recorded the fifth-best GPA in NCAA Division I for the 2010-11 academic year and earned USTFCCCA All-Academic status.
Horst brings experience as both a coach and a student-athlete to Loyola, having participated and coached at Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) prior to her stint at Marquette.
As a volunteer assistant at Marquette, Horst helped coach the Golden Eagles track and field and cross country squads that sent eight student-athletes to the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships West Regional. Horst arrived at Marquette after several years coaching at her alma mater.
While at MSOE, Horst worked with the track and field program as an assistant coach specializing in distance runners. The program enjoyed consistent success under Horst's tutelage from 2005 to 2009.
With Horst's assistance, the men's track and field team became indoor and outdoor Northern Athletic Conference champions in 2007, fielding 13 All-NAC student-athletes and six conference champions in the school's first year as a NAC member institution.
In Horst's last year as an assistant track and field coach, the Raiders produced an NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships qualifier and won eight individual conference championships and earned 13 All-NAC student-athlete honors. In addition to her time as assistant cross country coach,
Horst worked with the cross country program as an assistant coach before moving to associate coach in 2007 through 2008. Her coaching helped one Raider to qualify for the NCAA National Championship and guided the men's team to a conference championship. The teams also featured 21 all-conference selections, five Academic All-Americans and a 2008 all-region student-athlete.
Horst returned to the Milwaukee School of Engineering to serve as an assistant cross country coach after competing at MSOE as a student-athlete and receiving a bachelor's of science degree in biomedical engineering in 2002. She also received a master's of science degree in healthcare technologies management from Marquette in 2004, and isreceived her M.B.A. from the Sellinger School of Business at Loyola University Maryland. Horst holds two coaching certifications from USA Track & Field in endurance and sprints, hurdles and relays, and one USTFCCCA Jumping Event Specialist certification. She is currently the USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Women's Regional Representative for cross country, and a graduate of the NCAA Women's Coaches Academy.
Ryan Comstock
Assistant Coach (Philadelphia Area)
Ryan Comstock recently concluded his three year stint at the helm of West Chester University men’s and women’s cross country program as well as assisting with the the middle and distance runners during track season. Before working with the Golden Rams, Comstock coached Conestoga High School’s boy’s and girls’ cross country programs as well as the winter and spring track & field teams from 2002 to 2016.
At West Chester, Comstock developed Josh Coakley in becoming the first athlete in PSAC history to earn conference titles in cross country, the indoor 3k and 5k and the outdoor 10k and 5k all while in the same school year. Coakley also was the programs first male NCAA cross country championship qualifier in over 15 years while earning the PSAC cross country Athlete of the Year Award. Competing two years at WCU, Diana Dunn, was the 2016 PSAC cross country freshman of the year as well as earning All-PSAC honors 9 times en route to improving her mile over 30 seconds and 5k mark over 2 minutes.
While at Conestoga, Comstock produced more than 15 NSSF All-Americans, 11 state champions and 71 state championship medalists during his 15 years of coaching high school cross country and track & field. In 2006, he helped guide Liz Costello to a PA state championship meet record time in cross country and foot locker national qualifier. Costello also placed fifth at the 2006 USATF Junior National Championships in the 1500-meter run. Costello went on to earn four NCAA America honors and a professional running career with New Balance – Boston, where she recently finished fifth at the USA Olympic Trials for the 10,000m run.
In 2008, Conestoga won the PTFCA Indoor team state championship by scoring points in eight different events. In both 2008 and 2009, Comstock’s athletes ran the third fastest indoor girls’ 4x800m times in PA state history. Most recently, the Conestoga boys’ cross country team finished in second place at the 2014 PIAA State Championships where Andrew Marston, who currently competes at Villanova, placed third individually, bettering the course’s record time. Marston also ranks among the Top 10 all-time in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the 3200m. Likewise, he placed ninth in the 5,000m at the 2015 USATF Junior National Championships. Other notable former Conestoga athletes to come through Comstock’s program are Marta Klebe who went on to set the 1500m school record at Penn State University, Kacie O’Neil helped set DMR and 4x800 school records at Princeton as well as establishing a 2:07.06 800m PR. Megan (Deakins) Roche now competing for Hoka One One, is a four-time national champion in ultrarunning and has been a member of the U.S. world ultrarunning team six times.
Comstock holds certifications as a USATF Level 1 Coach and USTFCCCA Endurance Specialist.
A 2002 graduate of Lock Haven University with a degree in Sports Administration, Comstock was a multiple All-PSAC student-athlete in cross country and track & field. A two-year team captain for the Bald Eagles, he helped LHU qualify for the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships in 1999 and 2000. He still holds the LHU school record in the Distance Medley Relay from 1999.
A 1997 graduate of West Chester’s B. Reed Henderson High School and a member of that school’s Wall of Fame, Comstock was an eight-time state medalist and captain of the Warriors’ state champion cross country team, which set a state record low of 46 points. He was also a member of the 4x800m state and national championship relay, which ran the 20th-fastest time in high school history.
Comstock resides in Malvern, Pa