SPEED.
AGILITY.
POWER.
Data-Driven Training That Delivers Results
A certified USR Speed Lab in Del Mar. Every sprint timed. Every session tracked. Every athlete walks out with real numbers — and a plan to move them.
A Certified USR Speed Lab plus Spellman Performance trained coaches, headquartered inside Surf Sports Park.
Proof You Can Count
Three thousand athletes. Hundreds of D1 signees, NFL Pros, and Olympians. Every number below is verified — not a marketing claim.
We Put Our Money Where Our Mouth Is.
Real results, backed by real accountability. We measure. We coach. We retest. If your athlete doesn't hit the gains below in 90 days — we train them free until they do.
Every athlete starts with a full baseline assessment. Every session is tracked inside the Universal Speed Rating platform. Every month, we retest. The data proves the progress — and if it doesn't, you don't keep paying until it does.
Why Every Athlete Needs a USR Score
A stopwatch time from one coach's clock doesn't travel. A Universal Speed Rating does. One protocol. One standard. One number that means something in every sport, at every age, in every city — backed by the largest verified speed dataset in youth athletics.
Ranked #1 Speed Lab — SSI Network
64,920 verified assessments. The Performance Lab sits at the top of the Speed Science Institute's Top 10 Speed Labs — more timed, tracked, and verified athletes than any other facility in the USR network.
Same Protocol. Everywhere.
Combine numbers and coach-watch times depend on who ran the clock. The USR uses one protocol — the same timing gates, the same splits, the same setup — so a 20.2 MPH MaxV in Del Mar means the same thing as 20.2 MPH in Dallas or Atlanta.
Age & Sex Normed.
Your athlete's USR score comes with benchmarks against 125,000+ peers. No more vague "fast for their age." You get the exact percentile, the exact gap to the next tier, and a concrete plan to close it.
Verified. Not Self-Reported.
Every USR data point is captured through certified timing gates and logged by a Certified Speed Lab. Recruiters, club programs, and college coaches trust it because they can audit it — all the way back to the session.
"With nearly a million verified data points, we finally have the volume to stop arguing from anecdote and start building training around evidence."
Dr. Ken Clark — Speed Science Institute
"Speed is the most transferable skill in sport. The USR gives every athlete a number — and a path to move it."
Peter Ruppe — SSI
Get Your USR Profile. Know Exactly Where You Stand.
Come to our May 17 Speed Clinic — or book a free assessment. Either way, your athlete walks out with a printed USR report card, a percentile rank against 125,000+ peers, and a 6-week plan to move the number.
The Three Pillars of Performance
Every athlete who walks through our doors gets a complete system — not just workouts.
Testing
Validate training with personalized, measurable results. With detailed progress reports every 6–8 weeks, your athlete will see — and feel — the difference, with hard data to back it up.
Training
Explosive increases in speed, agility, and power. Your athlete will increase their speed, acceleration, and separation in as little as 6 weeks with our proven protocols.
Treatment
Avoid injury, recover faster, boost performance. Our program incorporates strength training for injury prevention and optimal recovery methods to keep athletes on the field.
Real Athletes. Real Data.
A snapshot from our last Speed Clinic — the same format coming May 17.
What Happened on April 12
Two sessions ran back-to-back at Performance Lab SD (inside Surf Sports Park, Del Mar) — morning for ages 9–13, afternoon for ages 14–18. Athletes rolled through timing-gate 10s, 40s, and max-velocity drills. Every athlete left with a printed USR report card and a 6-week training prescription.
"My daughter fully enjoyed the training by The Performance Lab SD. They provided her with tips to increase her speed and agility and all around encouragement." — Leslie G.
The tracked data from the group leading into the clinic tells the story — six weeks of programming, real gains every athlete can see in the chart.
Sprint TrainingTiming Gates
Group Warm-Up1-on-1 CoachingMax Velocity — Tracked in USR
Test. Train. Dominate.
Our next Speed Clinic is built for one thing: showing your athlete exactly how fast they are right now — and what it'll take to move the number.
Morning Session · Ages 9–13
Afternoon Session · Ages 14–18
of college coaches say youth players lack the physical foundation to compete at higher levels. Most athletes think playing their sport is enough. It's not.
Build Positive Habits
At younger ages, training feels like play when done right. Games, challenges, and teamwork keep kids engaged — and active for life.
Start Early & Stay Ahead
Consistent training produces 15–20% improvements in speed, agility, and power. No playing catch-up.
Builds Confidence On & Off The Field
Measurable progress — faster sprint, higher jump, stronger balance — translates directly to self-belief. We track it so they see it.
Safer, Not Riskier
Proper youth training reduces injuries by up to 39%. Structured programming protects, not harms.
Coordination & Movement Quality
Ages 8–12 is a prime neurological window — coordination, agility, and motor skills develop fastest. Miss it and biomechanics suffer later.
Practice vs. Performance Training
Practice builds skills. Performance training builds athletes. Your athlete needs both — and we bring the second.
Programs Designed Around Your Athlete
Four developmental tracks. Same world-class coaching. Meet your athlete where they are — and take them where they want to go.
Multi-Sport Foundation
Build the coordination, body awareness, and running mechanics that set athletes up for a lifetime of sport — while keeping it fun.
- Running Mechanics
- Bodyweight Strength
- Agility & Coordination Games
- Confidence Building
Competitive Edge
Intro to structured lifting, explosive power development, and speed endurance for rising stars starting to separate from the pack.
- Intro to Lifting
- Vertical Jump Development
- First-Step Quickness
- Sport-Specific Training
High School
Sport-specific speed, strength, and conditioning built around varsity season cycles — so your athlete peaks when the lights come on.
- In-Season & Off-Season Blocks
- Position-Specific Work
- Strength & Power Development
- USR Speed Benchmarking
College Prep
Advanced periodization, max strength output, recovery strategies, and recruiting support for athletes chasing the next level.
- Max Strength Development
- Sport-Specific Power
- Recovery & Periodization
- Recruiting Support
Built on 20+ Years of Developing Elite Athletes
Les Spellman co-founded The Performance Lab on a simple belief: every athlete deserves coaching that's personal, measurable, and built on real science — not gym-bro trends.
Les has spent over two decades coaching athletes at every level — from middle-schoolers discovering their first sport to NFL draftees, Olympians, and professional soccer players. He's the coach behind Cat Macario's development from age 14 through Stanford records and the U.S. Women's National Team.
As a Certified USR Speed Lab coach, Les has built The Performance Lab's methodology around one idea: take the guesswork out of getting faster. Every sprint is timed. Every session is logged. Every cycle, athletes see their numbers move — and those numbers are verified against the largest youth-speed dataset in the country.
Spellman Performance × Surf Soccer
We've partnered with Surf Soccer to unite under one mission: transform youth athletic development. Every Performance Lab athlete gets world-class training focused on performance and recovery — right inside Surf Sports Park, where club soccer and serious performance training finally live under the same roof.
Three Steps to Your Best Self
No pressure. No commitment. Just show up and experience the difference.
Claim Your Free Session
Come join us for a free group training session. Get to know us, share your goals, and experience The Performance Lab before you commit to anything.
Pick Your Training Plan
Choose when and how you train. We'll guide you based on your goals, sport, and availability to find the perfect fit.
Start Building
Our goal is to help you become the best athlete, person, and version of yourself. We're here to support you — on and off the field.
Weekly Schedule
Drop into any class that fits your age and level. First session is always free.
Train Smarter. Free to Start.
As a certified Universal Speed Rating Speed Lab, every session is tracked inside the USR platform — so you know exactly how fast you are, where you rank, and what to work on next.
Real-Time Tracking
Speed, power, and agility tracked live in every session. No guessing — just data your athlete can see and feel.
National Rankings
See how your athlete stacks up nationally by age, gender, and sport. Join the 18, 19, 20 MPH Clubs as you climb.
Digital Profiles
Share a verified athlete profile with coaches, scouts, and showcase evaluators — built right for recruiting.
Hit the Number. Join the Club.
Every athlete who crosses these top-speed thresholds earns their spot on the national USR leaderboard — and a spotlight on our wall.
First club entry — the benchmark every young athlete chases.
The speed that separates high-school starters from the bench.
College coaches notice at 20+. Athletes like Ross Jacobsen live here.
The Value of Being a Certified USR Speed Lab
Most gyms say they make kids faster. We prove it. As one of a limited network of certified Universal Speed Rating Speed Labs in the country, every session at The Performance Lab runs on a verified testing and training standard — not gut feel.
A National Testing Standard
USR certification means the same 10-yard, 40-yard, and max-velocity protocols trusted by combine coaches are being run on your athlete. Your numbers are comparable — across clubs, states, and sports.
Verified, Not Guessed
Every rep is captured by laser timing gates and GPS-grade tracking. No stopwatches. No wishful thinking. The data your athlete earns is audit-ready for coaches and scouts.
National Rankings Access
USR ranks athletes nationally by age, gender, and sport. Your athlete joins the 18, 19, or 20 MPH Club and climbs a leaderboard that college programs actually look at.
Recruiting-Grade Profiles
Every USR athlete gets a shareable digital profile — speed metrics, game-day film, and progress graphs. Send one link to a college coach and the pitch is made for you.
Science-Backed Prescriptions
USR isn't just measurement — it's a methodology. Certified coaches (like Coach Les) prescribe training cycles based on what the data says each athlete actually needs, not a one-size-fits-all template.
A Network of Elite Labs
We're plugged into the USR coaches' community — continuing education, shared best practices, and case studies from the facilities producing NFL combine invites and NCAA records.
Parents Don't Have to Take Our Word For It
Hear directly from the athletes and families who've trained with us.
We're a Family
At The Performance Lab, we're passionate about helping athletes reach their full potential. We build you up as a person, not just an athlete.
Whether you're a middle schooler striving to make the team, a high schooler aiming for college, or a college athlete pushing to the next level — we meet you where you are and help you get where you want to go.
Join the Family
Every Athlete Deserves a Shot.
The Performance Lab is proud to partner with Honor a Coach — a 501(c)(3) co-founded by Coach Les Spellman and the Buchner family — on a simple belief: the right coach at the right moment changes a life. We help fund the training of youth athletes from underserved communities so financial hardship never decides a kid's future.
Apply for a Grant
If your athlete shows drive and grit but training isn't in the budget, apply. Grants cover three months of training at a certified USR Speed Lab — exactly what any of our paying athletes receive. No shortcuts, same coaches, same results.
- Athlete Grant$1,000
- Mentorship Grant$1,000
Honor the Coach Who Changed Your Life.
Give back in the name of a coach who shaped you — a dad, a teacher, a mentor — and fund three months of training for a young athlete who needs it. Tax-deductible. 100% goes to the grant. You choose the athlete; the coach chooses where they train.
- Coach Grant$1,000
- Any Amount HelpsTax-Deductible
Join Our Team
We're always looking for coaches who care as much about the kids as they do the craft. If that sounds like you, we want to hear from you.
Performance Coach
Lead training sessions for youth, high school, and college athletes using the Universal Speed System. Coach groups and 1-on-1 clients, track progress inside the USR platform, and help build the next generation of athletes in San Diego.
- CSCS, NSCA-CPT, or equivalent certification
- 2+ years coaching youth or collegiate athletes
- Passion for teaching movement & building relationships
- Background in speed, strength, or sport-specific training
Coaching Internship
Learn from the inside. Our internship program is built for kinesiology, exercise science, and sport performance students who want real reps coaching athletes. You'll shadow senior coaches, run warm-ups, lead drills, and leave with a résumé-worthy portfolio.
- Currently enrolled or recent grad in a related field
- Available for 15+ hours per week
- Eager to learn, coachable, great with kids
- Hours can count toward CSCS practical experience
Frequently Asked
Most parents come to us with the same handful of questions. Here are the answers. If yours isn't covered, reach out — we answer every message personally.
Contact UsWhat ages do you train?
Does my athlete need to be advanced?
How does the free assessment work?
How often should my athlete train?
What should they bring?
How is pricing structured?
Is the +1 MPH / +2" guarantee real?
Do you offer physical therapy?
Let's Build Something
Whether you're ready to book an assessment, have questions about programs, or just want to say hi — we're happy to hear from you.