Monument Health Sports Medicine
invites the community to participate in our
free community sports speaking event
This event is geared toward athletes, coaches, parents, or anyone wanting to better their physical or mental performance. Featured speakers include Rapid City’s own, Martin Christofferson, member of the US National Bobsled team, Dr. Eddie O’Connor and Alex Viada.
Performance Strategies for Success: Improve yourself in and out of sports
Thursday, March 30, 2023
Free and Open to the Public
Fine Arts Theater | The Monument
6 pm – 8 pm
Featured Speakers
Martin Christofferson
Martin Christofferson graduated from Stevens High School in 2018. He knew he was athletically gifted, tried track one year, but wasn’t drawn to a sport during his high school career. It wasn’t until after high school, when he started working at The Weight Room in Rapid City that he was encouraged by both his father and employer to pursue a place on the U.S. bobsled team. Bobsledding is a sport that power and speed to push the sled.
He attended the U.S. bobsled combine, broke the all-time broad jump record and earned a spot on the U.S. Developmental Team. Christofferson travels between Park City, U.T., and Lake Placid, N.Y., for training. In the off-season and with the COVID-19 pandemic making a return to the training facilities uncertain, Christofferson knew he would be spending a lot of time back in Rapid City.
Christofferson began training at the Monument Health Sports Performance Institute Powered by EXOS in May 2020 and has a sponsored athlete of Monument Health since July 2020. His track record includes:
- USA Bobsled National team member (USA 1)
- National Push Champion (individual, doubles and triples)
- World Push Champion (4-man team)
- World Cup Medalist (6th place in 4-man)
Dr. Eddie O’Conner, PhD
Dr. Eddie O’Connor is a professional speaker and both clinical and sport psychologist, specializing in removing barriers to peak performance. He is a Fellow and Certified Mental Performance Consultant through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, and member of the United States Olympic Committee Sport Psychology Registry. Dr. Eddie has worked with youth, high school, collegiate, national and international, Junior Olympic and professional athletes and coaches, as well as performing artists and musicians.
Dr. Eddie is frequently sought after by media, appearing regularly on FOX News in Grand Rapids, a featured guest on SiriusXM’s Doctor Radio, and quoted in ESPN.com, NBA.com, Los Angeles Times, Runner’s World, NYMag.com, and CNN.com.
He is author and host of “The Psychology of Performance: How to Be Your Best in Life” by The Great Courses, quoted in the New York Times as being the “Netflix of learning” who recruit “the world’s greatest professors” that “are truly special.”
An international presenter with over 350 speaking engagements and media appearances, Dr. Eddie delivers a powerful and entertaining message to his audience.
A lifelong athlete, Alex has participated and competed in nearly every sport imaginable (some with greater success than others), since being dragged to his first swim meet when he was four years old.
He has coached over 1000 athletes of all ages and levels, in sports ranging from bodybuilding to ultra-running to triathlon to cycling to powerlifting. He has also prepared close to 80 individuals for Ranger School, SFAS, BUD/s, and other selective military programs. His Hybrid Training method is simple — it consists of breaking down the demands and unique stressors of every type of training an athlete requires, and programming to target specific demands, not “labels” (i.e. “strength training,” “conditioning,” “endurance training,” etc.). The result is a style of programming that has produced a significant number of powerlifting triathletes and 300+ pound runners.
Although he is now devoting the majority of his time to educational offerings and exploring recent research to further widen CHP’s knowledge base, he accepts limited, motivated clients under his Premiere coaching package.
This event is put on by the Monument Health Sports Symposium
as part of Monument Health Orthopedics and Sports Medicine is continued commitment to their community.
These speakers will also be presenting at the Monument Health Sports Symposium.
Contact Us
For additional information or to register, contact
Monument Health Talent Development at
education@monument.health or call 605-755-5510 option 5.
