A national champion in javelin, and a four-time NCAA All-American, Allie Hadley is next up in our "Where Are They Now" series. In her four years at Cal Lutheran, from 2012-16, Hadley was a NCAA national championship qualifier every year. On top of taking home the gold in her senior season, she also placed second, fourth, and seventh. Now, Hadley runs her own business. She started Hadvance Training and is an exercise professional.
What year's where you at Cal Lutheran and what made you want to come here?
I went to CLU from 2012-16. Many reasons! I was a PNW girl that wanted to get some sun and beach vibes in her life! I also wanted to play two sports and knew that would be tough to do at a bigger school. Not only could I do both track and volleyball, but also at a high level and in competitive programs. CLU was also known for their exercise science program. Combine all three of those factors and I was sold!
While at Cal Lutheran, what was your experience like?
I had the college experience of a lifetime. You cannot beat the tight knit community and support of a small school. When I have kids, I would send them to Cal Lu in a heartbeat!
How was your experience with the team and other athletes?
Being an athlete was extra special. The school had so much support and spirit for their athletics, especially given it being D3. I came in being a two sport athlete (volleyball and track), unfortunately, after my freshman year, I decided to participate in just track due to potential of being very successful in the sport. It was a challenging decision but I have no regrets. It lead to the success I was hoping for! This success can very much be accredited to not just the throwers, not just the track athletes, but the entire athletic program. Everyone was so unbelievably supportive of each other. It really was one big family.
What is your current job, and how did Cal Lutheran prepare you for that?
My current job is an exercise professional, or as most would know it as a personal trainer. I have my own training business called Hadvance Training. Cal Lu was instrumental in preparing me for this job! The Exercise Science Department is comparable to none. The amount of research and field work we had the opportunity to do puts us light years ahead of most who finish school with a similar degree. I would also say as a coach you need to be able to collect data and then present it in professional manner, that is clear and concise. In the exercise science department, we were put in this exact position A LOT. Especially once I completed my research fellowship for the biomechanics department. We had to present to not only our fellow classmates, but to faculty and at the SWACSM conference. I was so nervous but now I use those presentation skills almost every day. My experience at CLU also prepared me to be adaptable. My freshman year I had a rib injury that kept me from competing for the first 8 weeks of season. I was devastated but quickly learned that everything happens for a reason and I was going to be stronger because of it. That was my first All-American year. I recently had to utilize this skillset give the current pandemic. When gyms shut down, I had to adapt. This is where my online division was born and is now growing at a rate I can barely keep up with! It is amazing! Bottom line I had to roll with the punches, face every obstacle head on and adapt.
How did being a student-athlete prepare you for your professional career?
Oh my goodness, there are so many ways being a student athlete prepared me for my professional career. D3 sports are so unique because you are competing for the love of the sport. You are not receiving any financial assistance based on your performance. So your drive and will to win has to come within. This is a huge reason why I can run my own business. I understand that when the going gets tough, your will to win, be successful and fulfill your purpose has to be stronger than any obstacle that gets in your way. As a student-athlete there can be many obstacles and distractions that get in the way of your academic and athletic success. But at CLU, you understand that you are competing for something bigger than yourself. Therefore, you do not let those obstacles and distractions get in the way of your goals and your purpose for being at this university.
What is a typical day at your job?
A typical day changes vastly day to day! This is greatly due to the fact that I have an in-person training business and I also have my online business. With a lot of variety within my schedule, I will share the consistencies that take place no matter what my schedule looks like. I have a morning routine that begins around 6am. This is when I meditate, read and move a little bit. I do not look at any technology for the first 30 minutes of waking up. This is how I prime my body for the day. Then I will start training clients either at the gym or virtually for about 4-8 hours. Once I finish training I get my own workout in. Following my workout, I usually go home spend time with my partner and pup, eat dinner and tie up loose ends with work. I finish the day by turning off any technology, read a little bit and just chill. It's so easy to be busy all day long, so integrated chill time where I disconnect is so essential for my sanity and success.
Did you know you always wanted to do this, or when did you know what you wanted to do?
Since I was a kid, I loved to coach so I had hunch as I was moving through attaining my exercise science degree that personal training or a strength and conditioning coach could be a path for me, except I never thought I could make a career out of it. Or if I did, then I would be working 60+ hours a week like some of my friends were. I also thought I wanted to go to grad school for biomechanics or for physical therapy. After receiving a fellowship to do research in the biomechanics lab, my senior year and working as a PT aide, I realized that my passion for those careers was not there. I had an amazing mentor at the time, named Curtis, from Curtis Clay Training located up in Seattle. He was my strength and conditioning coach when I came home for summers and showed me another avenue of training that I did not know was possible. It was a beautiful combination of the strength and conditioning that I loved as an athlete but was backed by the science that I was passionate about in the classroom. The most amazing part of this training modality was I saw Curtis solving problems I had never seen before. He was really helping people. Curtis was a certified Resistance Training Specialist and Muscle System Specialist. So instead of going to grad school, I set out to complete both of those courses. After 2 years of traveling across the country, I finished the certifications, and during that time started getting more and more experience in the gym. From there, opportunities began presenting themselves and just kept taking them! Now I reside in Bellevue, WA at a small personal training with just myself and another mentor of mine.
What does it mean to you to be a Regal?
When I say I am a Regal, the first word that comes to mind is confidence. I am confident that I can do anything I set my mind to. That confidence was vastly instilled through my education and athletic experience at CLU. To be a regal means you are warrior in this world and you conquer anything your hear desires!
