[ About Us ]
Here at AR Norwood each of us is committed to helping our athletes to progress and perform. We constantly strive to provide the safest, most efficient, and most effective, training environment. Training programs and methods will continually evolve to match our athletes’ needs and sports.
Each of us has been an athlete and is passionate about furthering athletic performance through careful teaching and training. We maintain industry credentials certifying us to work in many areas of athletics, as well as connections to the sporting communities from recreational to professional. We strive to be your resource as you work to better yourself, your performance, and your understanding of sports and athletics.
Our Staff
PJ Vande Rydt - President
AR Level III Certified
Certified IYCA (International Youth Conditioning Assoc.) - PJ has had a passion for sports throughout his life. As a young athlete he excelled in both baseball and football. He played in the Tom Yawkey Baseball League for three years. He was on the Board of Directors and head coach for Brookline’s Pop Warner Football B team for six years.
He coaches girl’s youth softball and is assistant coach to a boy’s youth hockey team. In 2008, he was an assistant coach for the undefeated Westwood middle school football team, and in 2009 became the head coach (a position he maintains today). His love of sports and experience in coaching young athletes has resulted in the development of Precision Speed and Strength, now Athletic Republic Norwood.
Dave Monahan – Sports Performance Director
AR Level III Certified
David was a multi sport athlete in high school excelling in hockey and football. In 2002 David received a B.S. in Exercise Physiology from UMASS/Lowell. Having minored in Nutrition and Clinical Lab Science, he also worked as a Student Athletic Trainer at the University rehabilitating and conditioning collegiate athletes. Working at the Dexter Hockey Camp for 9 years he coached athletes from the ages of 6 to thirteen years old as an On-ice Coach and the Off-ice Director until 2003. David is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and has been an Assistant Ice Hockey Coach and the Strength and Conditioning Coach for Brookline High School from 2001-2003 and Walpole High School from 2005-2009. David also has worked at the Boston Sports Club as a Personal Trainer from 2003-2009.
Jason Sylvester - CSCS
Jason excelled in various sports throughout his high school career in Connecticut with an emphasis in baseball and football. He attended Ithaca College with a degree in Clinical Exercise Science focusing on training athletes form and function in all sports. After graduating at Ithaca in 09', Jason had an internship at one the well known Athletes' Performance in Gulf Breeze, FL. Not only did Jason get to work with various professional strength/conditioning coaches, he also worked with NFL, MLB, Semi-Pro Basketball, Tactical and top Division 1 college athletes. He was also gained knowledge through the rehabbing process of training as the facility was connected to the renowned Dr. Andrews institute.
After finishing up his internship, Jason played an integral role over at BlueStreak Sports Training, an Athletic Republic affiliate in Stamford, Connecticut. He worked with all athletes especially the Fairfield Country girls lacrosse teams, focusing on improving their running form/technique, speed skills, and had a huge emphasis in ACL prevention within the athletes.
Pat Muir, CSCS
Pat joins our Athletic Republic team as our newest Hockey Trainer. Pat played at the Division I level with St. Lawrence University, where he received his Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership as well as a B.A. in Economics. Pat’s hard work and determination both on and off the ice is what helped him achieve his dream of playing hockey at the Division I Collegiate level. He feels it was the extra efforts he put forth with off- ice training which made the difference in helping him reach his goal. Pat is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with the NSCA.
Alan Thompson
Alan comes to Athletic Republic with extensive experience in hockey-specific based training with an emphasis in agility, strength, injury prevention, and skating mechanics after playing four years of division I college hockey at the University of New Hampshire and training with many NHL and collegiate players over the course of his career. He was the Health and Human Services Scholar of the Year in his senior year, earning a B.S. in Recreation Management. In addition, he received the Hockey East Turfer Athletic Award for tenacity, commitment, and Innovation after returning to the lineup from 3 ACL surgeries in 5 seasons. Prior to UNH, Alan was a three sport captain (football, hockey, and baseball) at the Holderness School in Plymouth, NH.
Gregg Bouchard
Gregg was a multisport athlete in high school and college. He played football and baseball at Bridgewater State and graduated with a B.S in Exercise Physiology in 2001. In 2001 he became a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and interned at Harvard University. At Harvard he helped implement strength and conditioning programs for all athletes ranging from football to hockey. In 2009 Gregg also volunteered at the University of Texas Basketball facility where he worked with many division one and professional athletes.
In 2007 Gregg attended the Gray Institute in Adrian Michigan and completed their GIFT program. The GIFT program taught him the nuances of biomechanics to help his athletes stay healthy and on the playing field. Gregg has over 10 years of experience training athletes and adults and has been with Athletic Republic since October 2010.
Joe Grossman - Goalie Coach
PLAYING CAREER:
Boston College High School
2 time All-Scholastic
2 time Catholic Conference All-Star
3 time scholar athlete
Waterloo Black Hawks (United States Hockey League)
- 2 year starter
Dartmouth College (Ivy League, ECAC)
- Ivy League Champion
COACHING CAREER:
Red and Brown Goaltending Camp
USA Hockey Satellite Program
Washington Junior Capitals
Global Hockey Sports Director