Meet The Instructors
Impacting Athletics is a Youth Organization that’s committed to empowering the lives of children in the greater Austintown area by providing them with all the resources they need to be the leaders of tomorrow. Our programs focus on developing confidence through challenging physical activities. Take a look at our variety of programs and learn about everything we have to offer today!
Alisha Kagarise
Tumbling Instructor & Athletic Development Instructor
Owner
Alisha Kagarise is a former state champion in long jump, level 9 gymnast and competitive all star cheerleader for more than 10 years. She has more than ten years of experience in coaching gymnastics, cheer and tumbling. She competed in division 1 track and field at YSU. She has been inducted into the YSU and Delphos St. John’s athletic hall of fame. She earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at YSU and currently works as a Sports Rehabilitation Physical Therapist. She is a proud mother of 3 children under 7 years old and is excited to share her passion of sports and physical activity with her own children and the children of the community.
Adam Kagarise
Athletic Development instructor
Owner
Adam was a graduate of Austintown Fitch in 2006 where he competed in Varsity track and football. He earned a scholarship to YSU where he currently holds the indoor and outdoor 400 meter dash records. He currently works as a Physical Therapist working inpatient rehabilitation, home health and outpatient for Austinwoods. He is the proud father of three girls which were the driving force in developing this youth fitness program. He is passionate about blending imaginative mental and physical puzzles into his children’s workouts. He founded the Austintown Youth Track Program alongside his wife Alisha Kagarise in 2022.
Sydney Spencer
Athletic Development Instructor
Soccer Foot Skills
Sydney Spencer has played soccer for a total of 14 years including 4 years of varsity soccer at Austintown Fitch. She was chosen as team captain two of those years. She has developed a passion for speed, strength and nutrition in her last few years of high school, which has led her to continue coaching youth soccer and pursuing a degree in exercise science at YSU. She is currently coaching a U8 soccer team and is training in powerlifting with her eyes set on Collegiate Nationals in 2023. Sydney has an infectious passion for working with and bringing out the best in athletes.
Riley Galloway
Athletic Development Instructor
Soccer Foot Skills
Riley is an Austintown Fitch Alumni where she played varsity soccer for four years. She was chosen as a team captain for two years and has played soccer nearly her entire life. She is currently enrolled at YSU as an exercise science major, which she chose because of her own experiences rehabilitating from multiple knee injuries in her athletic career. Her career goals include helping athletes like herself prevent injuries through proper strength, conditioning and technique while helping injured athletes recover to peak performance. Outside of soccer, Riley loves kayaking, Pilates, tennis, volleyball and lifting with friends!
Patrick Connolly
Athletic Development Instructor
Pat is a Cardinal Mooney alumnus where he played four years of football and was a 1 year letterman. He has competed in weightlifting competitions, and currently trains consistently using combinations of weightlifting, High Intensity Interval Training, and cardio 5-6x a week. He graduated from Penn State Shenango in 2005 with an associate's degree in science / physical therapy assistant. He has worked as a PTA in a variety of settings including outpatient, skilled nursing, and home health. He enjoys rooting for Notre Dame and the New York Giants. He is happily married to Nicole Connolly and the proud parent of three children (Skye 16, Giada 6, and Gabriella 3).
Sam Mesmer
Athletic Development Instructor
Tumbling and Jumps Instructor
Sam Mesmer is a graduate from Hubbard High School in 2018 and has a bachelor's degree in exercise science from Youngstown State University. Sam has a background of cheerleading, basketball, track, volleyball and soccer. She has played soccer since she was 5 years old and went on to create a women's club soccer team for YSU where she was Vice President for 2 years. She is passionate about living a healthy lifestyle and always working towards growth
