Dr. Ken Clark
Dr. Ken Clark is a co-founder of Optimum Performance Athletics and brings a wealth of knowledge on both the scientific and applied aspects of performance improvement.
Ken is an Assistant Professor in the West Chester University Department of Kinesiology. He teaches Biomechanics and Kinetic Anatomy at the undergraduate level and teaches Motor Learning at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
Ken received his PhD in Biomechanics from Southern Methodist University in Dallas in 2014. He completed his Master's Degree in Kinesiology at West Chester University in 2009, and his BA degree in Psychology at Swarthmore College in 2003. Ken's research interests include the mechanical factors underlying athletic performance, with a specific focus on speed development.
In addition to teaching and conducting research, Ken has over a decade of strength & conditioning coaching experience. He has coached in the private sector (Summit Sports and CES Performance), the high school level (Jesuit Prep in Dallas TX), and in the collegiate setting (Dickinson College and Haverford College). Ken has certifications from the NSCA, USA-Weightlifting, and USA Track & Field.
Ken's interest in athletic performance comes from his own sports background. He played varsity football and baseball in high school, and was a running back for Swarthmore College. Ken was Second-Team All-Centennial Conference as a freshman in 1999 and First-Team All-Centennial Conference as a sophomore in 2000, when he led the conference in rushing.