.png)
THE ELITE MISSION...
-
To provide reliable, credible, and trusted coaching for athletes that gets results
-
To be the "go-to personal guide" for the athletes that we work with - providing support both in and out of our facility
.png)
MEET THE TEAM
BOBBY FIORITTO MS
President
Director of Sports Performance
Hometown: From Newbury and currently live in Willoughby
Schooling/Certification(s):
-
Masters of Science in Exercise Physiology (Kent State)
-
Certified Sports Nutritionist through the ISSN
-
Certified Youth Nutrition Specialist through the IYCA
Playing History/Highlights: Growing up I had an extreme passion for athletics and competition. I participated in every sport imaginable early in my sporting career. As I entered high school I decided to focus all my efforts on football and continued to play early into my college career.
Coaching Experience: Started Elite in 2012 and have worked with thousands of athletes ranging from youth through professional
What you love most about coaching: The relationships you develop working with your athletes. Watching your athletes develop over the years, both on and off the field, is extremely rewarding.
Biggest Influence In Your Life: My parents have been extremely supportive of me throughout my entire life and have shaped me into the individual that I am today. I hope to have the same impact on my family and athletes that I work with.
When I'm not coaching I like to: Get together with family, hang out with friends, play flag football, and watch Cleveland sports (and Buckeyes).
Favorite "cheat meal": Growing up I always loved tacos. I also enjoy a good Guinness stout.
If you could have lunch with anyone in the world: Jim Tressel. I've always admired the way he ran his football program as he believed in having an impact on his players both on and off the field.
COLIN LOPEZ
Director of Youth Athlete Program
Hometown: Chardon
Schooling/Certification(s):
-
Exercise Science Degree from Cleveland State University
Playing History/Highlights: Played football in middle school and high school.
Coaching Experience: I have been volunteering at Elite for about a year now. I also have worked as a trainer for children and teens with Autism.
What you love most about coaching: Forming relationships with the athletes and seeing their hard work translate into results in the weight room and on the playing field.
Biggest Influence In Your Life: My parents
When I'm not coaching I like to: Hang out with family and friends, workout, watch sports and go to concerts.
Favorite "cheat meal": Maple hot chicken wings with a cold beer.
If you could have lunch with anyone in the world: Neil DeGrasse Tyson, I have always been fascinated with Astronomy so I would love to ask him a bunch of questions.
MARK SANKOVICH MS
Director of Elite Baseball & Fastpitch Program
I am a native of nearby Chesterland, Ohio who brings a lot of baseball experience to the Elite Baseball Program. I earned my bachelor’s degree in sports management with a minor in Marketing from Ohio Northern University in 2008 and a Masters of Education/exercise science track from Defiance College in 2010.
As a player, I played four years of baseball at Ohio Northern University where I was a first-team All Ohio Athletic Conference and second-team All-Mid-East Region selection in 2008. I went 8-3 with a 2.53 ERA that season with a league-high nine complete games. I also served as a team captain and set the school record for lowest average against in a single season.
After my playing career came to an end I turned to coaching. I served 4 seasons as the head pitching coach at Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin High School. Before NDCL, I spent five years as the pitching coordinator at Defiance College followed by Lake Erie College. During my time at Defiance and Lake Erie, I coached numerous athletes that have received All-Conference, All-Regional honors and have gone on to play professionally.
Along with directing the Baseball Program at Elite, I also run the Cleveland Prospects Club Baseball Organization and currently serve as Head Coach of the 16U team.
AMBER FIORITTO DPM
Director of Elite Girls Soccer Program
Hometown: Euclid
Schooling/Certification(s):
-
Doctor of Podiatric Medicine from Kent State
-
BS from Wright State
Playing History/Highlights: Played soccer as my main sport at Wright State, but also ran the 100m and did long jump for the track and field team. Although I loved playing in college, my most memorable sporting moment came from winning states and nationals at Walsh Jesuit my senior year of high school.
Coaching Experience: Coached North Royalton u9 girls travel soccer for 2 years. 1 on 1 and small group training for 2 years at Elite
What you love most about coaching: Watching and making sure the girls love the sport as much as I did at their age!
Biggest Influence In Your Life: My mother
When I'm not coaching I like to: Be with my son, husband, and family members. Coed sports leagues. Read
Favorite "cheat meal": Mint oreos and milk...can I count that as a meal?!
If you could have lunch with anyone in the world: Will Smith because he's hilarious and I think he could teach me a thing or two
WORK WITH THE BEST TEAM IN MENTOR...
THE ELITE STORY...
AND SO IT BEGAN...
My journey into the sports training and nutrition world began as I sat in another nutrition class at the start of yet another semester at Kent State University. I knew both my undergraduate and graduate collegiate programs were necessary to build the foundational knowledge needed to be successful in the field. However, throughout my years invested in studying the field, there was always a fire burning inside me to hit the ground running and open a sports training facility.
I've always heard people say that you should "chase your passion" and I've wondered how many people actually do that. Well on that day spent sitting in my nutrition class, I decided that I wasn't going to "chase my passion", rather I was going to "live my passion". That was the day that Elite Sports Performance was born".
.png)
After I graduated from Kent in the spring of 2012, I ventured into the real world and opened up Elite in a small run-down 1,200 square foot facility. Let's just say we've grown a bit since then - we have moved twice and are now on our 3rd facility!
In the early years at Elite, I worked my regular day job and ran Elite in the evening. I first started off with a small group of high school athletes, many of whom have gone on to played college and have graduated and are now in the real world - man time flies!
After opening our doors in 2012, Elite has slowly grown by word of mouth - which is a good thing because if I had to rely on my marketing skills we would have to close up shop after 6 months! I still am no marketing expert, but Elite continues to grow as we've added a ton of quality people and families to make up the Team Elite.
I'm not going to lie, starting a business without having any real business knowledge or background was very frightening! I still do not claim to be a business expert, but I’ve learned a ton along the way.
I learned to lean heavily on many core values that I knew would help lead me to success. Those 8 core values would then go on to become the Elite 8 Core Values.
I feel these core values are crucial for anyone to become successful in anything that they do. It is my goal to instill these core values in all of the athletes and members that become part of Elite.
.png)
In January 2017, my good friend Mark Sankovich and I decided to bring his baseball training program into Elite. We knew that combining our programs would be able to offer baseball athletes the ultimate training experience - covering all areas of performance.
Shortly after our merge in 2017, we started up our Elite Fastpitch Program. Just like our baseball program, our goal was to create a comprehensive training experience for softball/fastpitch athletes - offering individual skills training in addition to speed and strength training.
.png)
In the fall of 2019 my wife Amber started up our Elite Girls Soccer Program. Being an excellent soccer player herself, she wanted to pursue her passion for coaching girls and provide a comprehensive soccer program that includes the development of their technical skills, strength, conditioning, as well as confidence on and off the field.
Well there you have it, I hope you enjoyed the behind the scenes story of Elite!
- Bobby Fioritto, President of Elite Sports Performance