Hi Team, 

My name is Melodie Daniels, owner and founder of Olympia. I have had the pleasure to work in the sports world for 9 years in the capacity of a strength and conditioning coach, personal trainer, yoga instructor and physical therapist. I got my start as a personal trainer while pursuing my undergraduate degree in Pre - Physical Therapy at San Diego State University. Here is where I connected my background as a multi-sport basketball, volleyball, and track and field athlete with my love for movement, health and fitness. I learned about many aspects of personal and group fitness in addition to general weight management and strategies to achieve health related goals. 

The first of many obstacles in my career happened here. I applied to over 20 Physical Therapy graduate schools and was accepted to zero. I refused to give up on the field I loved the most and chose to take the obstacle and grow from it. I applied to Masters in Kinesiology programs and went on to pursue my masters in Sports Performance at Point Loma Nazarene University. This program was where I first noticed the gaps in the performance world. The high need for support and research for high performing athletes. Here I worked as a strength and conditioning coach for PLNU Athletics and was privileged to lead research evaluating the effects of different therapeutic modalities and training for athletes suffering from Chronic Ankle Instability (multiple lateral ankle sprains). This leading research allowed me to gain acceptance into the top Physical Therapy program in the nation at the University of Southern California.

My move to Los Angeles, and start at USC’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program was where my career started to shift. I started to believe that the impact I hoped to make, and the gaps I wanted to fill in the world of movement and performance were achievable.

In my journey to becoming a Physical Therapist at USC, I had the pleasure to be the president of the Inaugural Hybrid DPT class, lead and create many events, in addition to graduating top of my class with multiple awards and achievements. From feeling like being a physical therapist was not within my personal reach to finding success in this way I learned the true reality of setting and achieving goals. With calculation, time, and resiliency you really can do most, if not everything you put your mind to. 

After graduation I continued my role as manager of recovery and injury prevention at JUMPMAN LA, I worked at a local sports medicine clinic, and spent ample time working at UCLA in their orthopedic hospital with post op surgeries and rehab. I soon decided to leave my clinic and pursue an opportunity to work with division 2 athletes and mentor undergraduate students at Cal State Los Angeles, a University housing predominantly minority and underserved populations. Along the way Olympia slowly started to form. This experience and my time working with Olympic Track and Field runners continued to give me insight into the high need for high level care and support at all levels.

I say all of this to not only give you insight on my background as a clinician, but to express the time and growth that comes with the establishment of Olympia. Olympia started not only because of the constant ups and downs in my personal career molding me into the clinician I am today, but the ups and downs I saw so many face along the way. Most of the challenges I saw athletes facing were fixable with adequate support and knowledge. I truly enjoy taking individuals who are motivated, growing from past trauma and injury, and have strong excitement and desire to do the real long term work needed to reach max potential and highest performance.