Sports Performance

List of 9 items.

• 

  Candice Walls

  Director of Sports Performance
  candice.walls@mullenhigh.com
  Bio
  Candice Walls is the Director of Sports Performance for Mullen High School in Denver, Colorado. She currently oversees and directs all Sports Performance for Mullen High School. She joined the Mustang Sports Performance Department in the Fall of 2020 after spending the previous 3 years at the University of Louisiana where she served as the Assistant Director of Athletics for Athletic Performance.

   

  At the University of Louisiana, Walls worked with the Women's Soccer and Women's Softball programs. During her time at Louisiana, she had also worked with Women’s Basketball and Women’s Tennis. She joined Louisiana Athletics' staff as Director of Strength Conditioning in July 2017 after spending the previous seven years at Baylor University where she served as the Director of Olympic Sports.

   

  Walls joined the Baylor staff in 2011 as the Assistant Director of Olympic Sports. In 2013 she was promoted to Director of Olympic Sports. She oversaw the Bears' Women's Soccer, Softball, Women’s Golf and Men's & Women's Cross-Country programs. She also assisted with Football, Track & Field, Cheer, Equestrian and Acrobatics & Tumbling teams.

   

  Prior to her work at Baylor University, she served as a Graduate Assistant at The Citadel in South Carolina where she trained Women's Soccer, Volleyball, and Women's Golf. She assisted with Track & Field, Men's Basketball, and Football.

   

  Prior to her work at The Citadel, she served as an intern at the University of Texas in 2009-2010 where she worked primarily with Football and Volleyball. Walls also interned during the summer of 2008 at Wake Forest University working with the Strength and Conditioning Department for Football and Women's Basketball.

   

  Walls, a Kentucky native, is a 2009 graduate of Berea College where she was a four-year letter winner and captain on the Basketball team. She earned her bachelor's degree in Health and Exercise Promotion with a minor in Health from Berea College. Walls completed her master's degree in Health and Exercise Sports Science from The Citadel in 2011.

   

  Walls holds her SCCC through the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches association and is certified as a Level 1 Sports Performance Coach through USA Weightlifting.

   

  She currently resides in Littleton, Colorado with her husband Claus, son Caio and dog Bro.
• 

  Connor Stanton

  Associate Director of Sports Performance
  connor.stanton@mullenhigh.com
  Bio
  Connor Stanton is an Associate Director of Sports Performance for Mullen High School in Denver, Colorado. He is joining the Mustang Sports Performance Department in the Fall of 2024 after spending the previous 3 years as an Embedded Strength and Conditioning Specialist working with Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) personnel.

   

  In his role with AFSOC, he supported military personnel across multiple career fields. He joined the Human Performance team in 2022 after spending the previous 4 years at the University of Louisiana, where he served as the Director of Olympic Sports.

  
  Stanton joined the Louisiana staff in 2017 as the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for Olympic Sports. In 2018 he was promoted to Director of Athletic Performance for Olympic Sports. While with the Rajin’ Cajuns, he worked with Women’s Softball, Women’s Soccer, Men’s Golf, Men’s and Women’s Track and Field, Men’s and Women’s Cross-Country, and Cheer programs.

   
  Prior to his work at the University of Louisiana, he rejoined Baylor Athletic Performance as an Athletic Performance Assistant where he trained Women’s Equestrian and assisted with the Men’s Women’s Track and Field and Baseball programs.
   
  Before returning to Baylor, he served as a Strength and Conditioning Assistant (Graduate Assistant) with Valdosta State University Athletics from 2015 to 2017. With the Blazers Stanton oversaw the Women’s Softball, Women’s Soccer, and Men’s and Women’s Cross-Country Teams. While with the Blazers he also assisted with the Football and baseball programs.

   

  Before his work at Valdosta State University Stanton served as an Athletic Performance Assistant with Baylor Athletic Performance. He joined the staff as an intern in the summer of 2014. In the winter of 2015, he was promoted to Athletic Performance Assistant. While with the Bears he worked primarily with Football, Women’s Softball, Women’s Soccer, Acrobatics and Tumbling, and Men’s and Women’s Cross-Country programs. Stanton also interned at Luther College throughout the final year of his bachelor’s degree from 2013-2014.
   
  Stanton, an Illinois native, graduated from Luther College in 2014 with a bachelor's degree in Physical Education, double majoring in Exercise Science and Health and Wellness. He completed his master's degree in Public Administration at Valdosta State University in 2017.

   

  Stanton holds his SCCC through the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association and CSCS with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He is also a TPI Level 3 Fitness Professional with the Titleist Performance Institute. Additionally, he is a Functional Range Conditioning Mobility Specialist with Functional Range Systems and an ELDOA Level 1 and 2 Student Practitioner.

   

   
• 

  Jordan Speer

  Assistant Director of Sports Performance
  jordan.speer@mullenhigh.com
  Bio
  Jordan Speer is a Assistant Director of Sports Performance for Mullen High School in Denver, Colorado. She joined the Sports Performance Department serving as a Sports Performance Fellow in 2022 after medically retiring from her 5-year collegiate athletic career as a thrower.

   

  Speer joined the Mustangs after spending the 2021-22 season competing in shot put and hammer for the University of Southern Mississippi. During the 2022 spring semester, Speer completed her practicum as an intern where she worked with the Football team. Prior to being a student-athlete at the University of Southern Mississippi, she served as a volunteer Athletic Performance intern at the University of Missouri.

   

  Throughout her senior year, Speer joined Mizzou’s Athletic Performance staff in 2020 where she assisted various sport training sessions. She primarily assisted with Baseball, Women’s Gymnastics, Women’s Soccer, Men’s and Women’s Swim & Dive, Track & Field, and Cross Country.

   

  Speer, a Kansas Native, is a 2021 graduate of the University of Missouri where she was a three-year letter winner as a shot put and hammer thrower. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology with a minor in Psychology. For her final year of throwing, she transferred to the University of Southern Mississippi to pursue a master’s degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Sports Coach Education. Jordan graduated in December of 2022.

   

  Speer sat for her CSCS through the National Strength and Conditioning Association in the fall of 2022.
• 

  Kendrick Catron

  Sports Performance Graduate Assistant
  kendrick.catron@mullenhigh.com
  Bio
  Kendrick Catron is a Sports Performance Graduate Assistant for Mullen High School in Denver, Colorado. He joined the Sports Performance Department in the summer of 2024.

   

  Catron, a Colorado Native, is a 2020 graduate of Regis University where he was a left-handed pitcher after transferring from Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kansas. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Health and Exercise Science. Catron is set to pursue a master’s degree in Strength and Conditioning at the start of January 2025.

   

  Catron is a USAW Level 1 Performance Coach and plans to sit for his CSCS through the National Strength and Conditioning Association in the Spring of 2025.

   

  Catron resides in Littleton, Colorado with this baby chicken “Doodle”.

• Logan Fusco

  Sports Performance Graduate Assistant
  logan.fusco@mullenhigh.com

• Nikki Jupe

  Dietitian

• Ryan Ford

  Mental Performance Specialist
  Bio
  Ryan Ford joined the Mullen Sports Performance team in 2025 as a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC).  Ryan helps athletes sharpen their mindset, build resilience, and perform with confidence under pressure.
  
  

  He is the co-founder of Fortitude Mental Performance, a leading organization that trains athletes, teams, and coaches using sports psychology, team building, and leadership principles. Fortitude partners with programs across all levels—including Davidson Men’s Basketball, Kenyon College Soccer and Basketball, Denison University Athletics, St. Olaf Soccer, Team Colorado AAA Hockey, Colorado Thunderbirds, McDonogh Boys Lacrosse, and Basketball Ireland.

  Before joining Mullen, Ryan launched his career at St. Paul’s School in Baltimore, MD, where he earned his CSCS and developed the school’s first Sports Performance program. Since relocating to Colorado, he has continued to train athletes as a strength and conditioning coach, integrating physical and mental development.
  
  

  Ryan holds a Master’s degree in Sports and Performance Psychology from the University of Denver and a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from James Madison University, where he worked closely with collegiate strength and conditioning teams across football, lacrosse, swim & dive, and tennis.
  
  

  Ryan lives in Denver, Colorado, with his wife, Cay, and their dog Arya.

   
• 

  Gretchen Cross

  Sports Performance Recovery Specialist
  gretchen.cross@mullenhigh.com
  Bio
  Gretchen Cross is the Pilates specialist for Walls Performance and the Sports Performance Department at Mullen High School.  She joined Mullen High School in the Fall of 2020 after spending the past 14 years as a Pilates instructor and Personal Trainer in the private sector.  In addition to being the Pilates specialist, Gretchen is also a science teacher at Mullen High School and an assistant coach for Cross Country and Girls Soccer.

   

  Prior to her work at Mullen, Gretchen taught both equipment and mat-based Pilates classes and maintained a large and long-lasting individual client base.  She has taught Pilates at the Pilates Collective Denver, Schlessman Family YMCA, and Denver Parks and Recreation.  Gretchen was influential in growing the Pilates program at the Schlessman YMCA and founded the Pilates Reformer studio at that location.

   

  In conjunction with her Pilates instructing, Gretchen also taught group exercise classes in Body Pump, Cycling, and was a Personal Trainer for both the YMCA and Denver Parks and Recreation.

   

  Gretchen has also taught Pilates in Houston, Texas, and Idaho Falls, Idaho, building Pilates programs at the YMCA that employed her in those cities.

   

  Prior to her work as a Pilates instructor, Gretchen taught high school at the American School Foundation in Monterrey, Mexico and at Henry M. Jackson High School in Everett, Washington.  At Jackson High School, Gretchen was the Head Coach for the Girls Cross Country team and an assistant coach for Gymnastics and Track and Field,  

   

  Gretchen is a Washington state native and a 1995 graduate of Washington State University.  She earned her bachelor’s degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry and a teaching certificate for grades 4-12.  In addition, she holds a Professional Teaching Certificate from Seattle University.  

   

  Coach Cross holds a National Pilates Comprehensive Certification and is certified through Balanced Body Pilates and the Pilates Sports Center.  As a Personal Trainer, Gretchen was certified through AFAA and NASM.

   

  Gretchen is an avid runner and strength training enthusiast in her spare time.  She is bilingual in Spanish and English.

   

  She currently resides in Denver, Colorado with her husband, Alejandro, two boys, Diego and Andres, and her dog, Sugar.
• 

  Bro Walls-Souza

  Support Staff
  Bio
  Bro Walls-Souza  is in his 4th season at Mullen High School as a support staff professional on the Sports Performance Staff.
  
  

  He began his career at Mullen High School in 2021, learning a high level of emotional intelligence by developing key relationships with the Mullen Student-Athletes; he was a friendly outlet for stress and offered comfort to all students. 
  
  

  Bro received his professional training at Art of Dog in Denver, Colorado, where he excelled and was valeDOGtorian. In his class he was voted the following: Best Fur, Most Friendly and Most Likely to become a Dog Star.
  
  

  Outside of Sports Performance, Coach Bro loves to chase his tail, take crazy long naps and hang out with his family. Bro also loves long walks with his dad and snuggle times with his people!