When Andrew Torgashev earned his spot on the 2026 US Figure Skating Olympic Team, he joined an elite group of athletes who share something in common beyond their world-class skills: they all trained, rehabbed or recovered at a facility in Orange County that has quietly become one of winter sports’ most consistent Olympic feeders.
Compete Sports Performance and Rehab has now sent clients to three consecutive Winter Olympics, an unusual track record for a training center that opened its doors in 2009 with a different mission in mind. The facility was designed to bring professional-level performance training and rehabilitation to the public, making the kind of specialized care typically reserved for pro athletes accessible to anyone serious about their sport.
From Professional Hockey to Public Access
The facility’s founder, Chris Phillips, spent 17 years working in professional hockey, including full time positions with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and Washington Capitals. He served as Head Athletic Trainer for the Ducks during their 2003 Stanley Cup Finals run and held the same position for USA Hockey at the 2002 World Championships in Sweden. That depth of experience in elite sports now informs how the facility approaches training for athletes at every level.
The Olympic connection started in 2018 when longtime client Jonathon Blum competed for USA Hockey in PyeongChang. Blum, an NHL draft pick by the Nashville Predators, was the first California-born and raised hockey player chosen in the first round.
Building Momentum Through Beijing
The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing saw the biggest representation yet, with six clients competing. Figure skater Nathan Chen led the group, winning Olympic gold in his second Games. He was joined by US Figure Skating National Champion Mariah Bell and pairs skaters Brandon Frazier and Alexa Knierim on Team USA. Michal Brezina, a four-time national champion, competed in his fourth Olympics for Czechia, while Cory Kane led host China’s hockey team in scoring.
Phillips himself was tapped to serve as Athletic Trainer and Physio for Czechia’s National Figure Skating team at those Games, a recognition of the facility’s growing influence in winter sports circles.
The Professional Sports Advantage
What sets the operation apart is its staff composition. The team consists entirely of athletic trainers and strength coaches who have worked directly in professional sports environments across hockey, soccer, football, and figure skating. They’ve spent time working daily with athletes in team settings, handling both injury rehabilitation and strength conditioning at the highest levels.
That experience shapes their approach to working with the facility’s target demographic: high-level club and travel sport athletes, along with college and professional competitors. The goal is to provide a training environment informed by what actually works in elite sports, whether an athlete is trying to make their high school team, earn a college scholarship, or reach the Olympics.
With Torgashev heading to the 2026 Games, the sports performance and rehab facility continues to demonstrate that professional-level expertise, when made accessible, can help athletes at any stage reach their potential.