Derek Clark
Derek Clark is a highly regarded speaker and an authority on stress recovery. His presentations have captivated audiences of students, adults, educators, and executives throughout the Pittsburgh region. His notable appearances include events organized by the Friends of Safe Schools Pennsylvania, the Western Pennsylvania Assistant Superintendents Forum, the Quaker Valley School District, and Alert Services, Inc.
Derek has been featured on popular podcasts such as Vince Cortese’s "Leave Your Mark" and Erin Renninger’s "Unapologetically Authentic.” In his talks, Derek redefines stress then shares firsthand insights into how unbalanced stress can unknowingly undermine health and, more importantly, how balance can be regained through stress recovery.
Transforming Lives Through Stress Recovery
Derek’s Journey as a Wellness and Master Sports Performance Coach
Derek is not only a sought-after speaker and wellness coach but he is also a licensed athletic trainer, a master sports performance coach, an Oxygen Advantage Advanced Instructor, and a metabolic health coach holding multiple certifications in sports medicine and performance. With a career spanning over two decades, he has honed his expertise in managing athletes’ health along with their daily mental, emotional, and physical stresses.
His journey began as the assistant football athletic trainer and coordinator of reconditioning at the University of Nebraska. Currently, he serves as the Director of Athletic Performance and Wellness at the Greater Pittsburgh Sports Complex and as an athletic medicine and sports performance consultant for the Quaker Valley School District in Pittsburgh.
Derek is also the founder of Grizz Athletic Performance and Recovery, a pioneering company dedicated to sports performance, injury rehabilitation, and recovery. Through his company Derek is on a mission to foster the physical and mental development of athletes of all ages, coupled with comprehensive recovery strategies and treatments. His message is not just for sports, but also for the game of life.
From Health Crisis to Empowerment
A pivotal moment in Derek’s life came when he was diagnosed with two major health conditions within six months, despite being an active, fit, and seemingly healthy individual. This led him to investigate how these conditions could have simultaneously developed.
His research revealed that the complex interplay between personality, temperament, genetics, and chronic mental, emotional, and physical strains can create vulnerabilities in one’s health. As a speaker, Derek empowers individuals to mitigate their health susceptibilities and embrace life’s challenges through his Stress Recovery Game Plan.
Derek believes everyone is an athlete in the game of life, and his passion is to help individuals be at their best mentally, emotionally, and physically each day. He now sees himself as an athletic trainer not just for sports, but also for life.
His Stress Recovery Game Plan is a four-step daily process designed to balance stress, ensuring individuals can feel their best while navigating their lifestyles. This approach aims to increase your lifespan, as well as your healthspan. Lifespan is the total number of years we live whereas healthspan is how many of those years we remain healthy and free from disease.