CARSON, CALIFORNIA (Wednesday, June 14, 2006) - The David Beckham Academy will offer it's athletes an elite, one-of-a-kind performance and training experience, with the assistance of Athletes' Performance (AP) staff of therapists, trainers and strength and conditioning coaches.  The agreement with Athletes' Performance, the Los Angeles Academy's official performance training provider, was announced today by Beckham Academy Managing Director and AEG Sports Senior Vice President Bill Peterson.

\"Our partnership with Athletes' Performance takes the David Beckham Academy experience to an elite level,\" says Peterson.  \"This programming is unrivaled in youth soccer.  Our kids will receive the same training philosophies and techniques as World Cup teams.\" 

As a benefit to Beckham Academy participants, Athletes' Performance will implement and oversee the Academy's performance testing (agility, speed, strength), conducting services offered to the most elite athletes in the sport.  Athletes' Performance specialists work with Major League Soccer's 2005 MLS Cup Champion Los Angeles Galaxy, the German National Team (set to play in the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany beginning next week), the U.S. Women's National Team, as well as several other soccer players including John O'Brien (U.S. Men's National Team and Olympic star, also playing in the 2006 World Cup for the USA and current Chivas USA midfielder), Mia Hamm (two-time FIFA Women's World Player of the Year and the world's all-time leading goal scorer) and Abby Wambach (current U.S. Women's National Team star forward), among several others. 

\"Athletes' Performance is extremely proud to support the education and training of the academy athletes.  To partner with such a highly successful professional athlete such as David Beckham, and to have the opportunity to work with his experienced staff to fulfill his vision of providing elite training to our local youth, is both an honor and quite exciting,\" said Charlie Wright, general manager, Athletes' Performance - Los Angeles.

Beginning with the first summer academy on June 19, Beckham Academy participants will receive training and testing by the same professional and certified AP trainers who work with today's top athletes.  AP will conduct three core tests for each athlete during every Academy summer session; agility, vertical jump and sprint.  Each test will provide a written record of results for athletes to use as a guide and challenge as they improve their game.  The tests, designed exclusively by Athletes' Performance, are part of Athletes' Performance's multi-faceted methodology to enhance athletes' individual and team performance.

The Vertical Jump Test is performed to assess base levels of lower-body strength and explosiveness.  The 5/10/5 Agility Test indicates an athlete's agility and ability to change direction, quickly and under control.  The test also measures explosiveness, single leg strength and ability - all of which affect acceleration and deceleration during play.  The 30 Meter Sprint Test measures pure power and speed.  Every Academy participant will leave with a certificate and record of their \"personal bests\" to measure themselves against as they continue to develop their game.

The team of specialists at Athletes' Performance at The Home Depot Center will also provide explanation and training on all testing, movement, preparation and nutrition education to the Academy staff members and coaches.

\"The partnership with Athletes' Performance adds a whole, new element to the Beckham Academy that kids won't find at any other soccer camp in the world,\" says Academy Director of Coaching Mo Boreham.  \"It's very special to hand our kids a certificate with their personal best scores upon their departure from the Academy, having been tested and trained just like the professionals.\" 

About the David Beckham Academy
The David Beckham Academy, with locations in Los Angeles and London, offers youth soccer academies for players ages eight to 15 in three- and five-day commuter and residential camps, debuting this month.  The academy curriculum was develop by Beckham's Manchester United FC Youth Coach Eric Harrison and will be taught by coaches hand-picked by the soccer icon.  The academy also offers additional programs, including the \"Specialized Performance Program\" and \"Coaches Education Program.\"  For more information and online registration, please visit www.thedavidbeckhamacademy.com. 

 

About Athletes' Performance
Athletes' Performance, created by Mark Verstegen in 1999 as a refuge for elite athletes, is headquartered in Tempe, AZ with a second world-class facility at The Home Depot Center, outside of Los Angeles, CA.  Athletes' Performance is recognized as an industry leader offering the highest level of integrated performance training and performance physical therapy and the most fully integrated training system in the world.   Its systems have helped to produce the best of the best in sport: Green Jacket winners, Grand Slam Titles, World Series Winners, Stanley Cup Champions, Super Bowl and NBA Champions, Olympic Gold Medalists and All-Stars from every major sport.  Mark Verstegen, in addition to his role as president of Athletes' Performance, serves as director of performance for the NFL Players Association, and is a consultant to high-performance companies such as Adidas, EAS, Keiser and GoFit.  More information about Athletes' Performance, including its line of breakthrough consumer products, is available at www.athletesperformance.com with integrated online performance training available through www.coreperformance.com.  

About The Home Depot Center
The Home Depot Center is southern California's home of world-class competition and training facilities for amateur, Olympic, collegiate and professional athletes.  The $150 million, privately financed facility was developed and is operated by AEG on a 125-acre site on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) in Carson, California.  The Home Depot Center features an 8,000-seat tennis stadium, a 27,000-seat stadium for soccer, rugby and other athletic competitions and outdoor concerts, a 10,000-seat facility for track & field and lacrosse, the ADT Event Center (a 2,450-seat indoor velodrome for cycling) and other facilities for softball, baseball, beach volleyball, basketball and other sports.

The Home Depot Center is home to three professional sports teams - Major League Soccer's 2005 MLS and U.S. Open Cup Champion Los Angeles Galaxy; Club Deportivo (CD) Chivas USA; and Major League Lacrosse's (MLL) Los Angeles Riptide.  Named an Official U.S. Olympic Training Site, The Home Depot Center is also home of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) USA Tennis High Performance Training Center and is the national team training headquarters for the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF).  The David Beckham Academy for youth soccer, Andre Agassi's Safe Passage All-Stars at-risk youth tennis program and Athletes' Performance's training center for elite and professional athletes are all based at The Home Depot Center.  The Home Depot Center has additionally been designated official training sites for USA Cycling and USA Track & Field.  For more information, please visit www.homedepotcenter.com.