By: Molly Ahlemeier, CSCS and Alix Sigrist, PT, DPT, CSCS, ATC, LAT
Even the greats don’t do it alone. Serena Williams, Michael Jordan, Lionel Messi, and Simone Biles had a team behind them, coaches, strength and conditioning coaches, trainers, and physical therapists who kept them performing at their best in the most legendary times of their careers. In sports performance and recovery, having the right team makes all the difference. It’s the same idea at Spooner. FIT Trainers, strength coaches, and physical therapists work together to share ideas, stay connected, and make real-time decisions to support each athlete in a way that actually makes a difference.
That’s exactly what happens when Molly Ahlemeier, CSCS, and Alix Sigrist, PT, DPT, CSCS, ATC, LAT, team up.
Communication First, Always
When an athlete is working with both Molly, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and Alix, a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Athletic Trainer, everything starts with communication. They share schedules, discuss weekly goals, and plan workouts so that rehab and training don’t overlap in a way that risks injury or burnout.
For example: “If Alix is seeing someone for a lower body injury, I’ll focus on core and upper body,” says Molly. “Once the athlete progresses, we start overlapping exercises, but we make sure we’re not overtraining—especially if we’re seeing them on back-to-back days.”
That kind of coordination ensures that every session builds on the last, without overloading the athlete.
Double the Perspective, Double the Progress
Alix brings a clinical lens to athlete assessments and testing. Her findings shape how Molly programs workouts, targeting exactly what each athlete needs.
“She’ll come to me with the top three things she saw during testing,” says Molly. “That gives me a focused path to follow when I’m building their training program. And having both of us watching makes it way more likely we’ll catch anything that needs attention.”
As a result, athletes return to their sport not just cleared, but confident. “They’ll tell me they feel stronger out there, and I can see it too.” Having the extra layer of support helps keep the athlete safe so they can focus on really honing in on their skills in training.
When Injury Occurs, Can You Train?
If an athlete is still in recovery, Molly adapts her workouts to work around their limitations, always with input from Alix. If there is a period where the injury is too severe, she will pause training on her end so the athlete can focus on physical therapy, but once they have clearance for some movement, she starts light and slow. That might mean focusing on mobility, staying off the injured area completely, or limiting exercises to seated or non-weight- bearing options.
“The last thing we want is to jeopardize recovery,” says Molly. “So we work around it—there’s always something we can do to keep the athlete moving.”
What Makes a Great Team?
Trust. Respect. Shared growth.
Molly and Alix don’t just work well together, they learn from each other. “We both look to each other as mentors,” Molly says. “We genuinely care about what the other brings to the table. That kind of mutual respect creates an energy the athlete can feel.”
Alix says about working with Molly, “Working with Molly and having the level of communication we have I think plays a big difference in the quality of care and services our athletes and clients receive. Having this type of communication and cohesiveness is what takes average care to professional level care.”
It’s not about ego, it’s about what’s best for the athlete. And when that mindset drives every decision, the results speak for themselves.
Your Team, There For You!
That same team approach is what athletes experience at Spooner’s summer performance camps. Every athlete starts with an assessment from Alix, and training is led by Molly with a plan built around the athlete’s specific needs.
A lot of young athletes don’t get to have this time of personalized attention and expertise until they have a full sports performance and recovery team helping in college. The best part about starting early? It builds strength while spotting risks or imbalances, so athletes stay strong, healthy, and ahead of the game with long, successful careers.
What Summer Performance Training is All About
Molly’s small group sessions are capped at just five athletes per group, to keep the focus sharp and individualized. The six-week program is designed to improve speed, strength, and stamina while lowering the risk of injury.
Want to train smarter this summer? Join Molly’s Spooner’s performance camp and experience expert care from both a physical therapist and a strength coach, working together to help you reach your full potential.
Small group. Big results. Spots are limited, join today!