Today we’d like to introduce you to Dave Ananayo.
Dave, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m originally from Hawai‘i, where movement was simply a way of life. Nearly every day, I found myself immersed in some form of physical activity , surfing, wrestling, boxing, soccer, hiking ,anything that let me be outdoors, compete, and challenge my body. Those early experiences shaped not only my love for sport, but also my appreciation for the coaches who guided me. Their impact ignited my passion for helping others reach their potential and pursue their own goals.
When I moved to Missouri to attend Lindenwood University, I knew I wanted a career that kept me active rather than behind a desk. I initially pursued Athletic Training, but after a 4 a.m. call time wrapping football players’ ankles, I realized that wasn’t the exact path I wanted. That moment of clarity pushed me toward Exercise Science, where everything began to click.
One of the formative experiences in my degree was leading a strength class for the residents of Jaycee Fairgrounds Village, an assisted living facility. Designing creative, enjoyable ways for older adults to stay active taught me not only how to coach, but how to truly connect with people.
After graduating in 2019, I earned an internship with Emerge Adaptive inside Emerge Fitness Training. It was one of the most fulfilling chapters of my life. I had the privilege of working closely with individuals with traumatic brain injuries, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, Friedrich’s ataxia, and limb loss. Helping them move, adapt, and regain confidence redefined how I viewed the role of a coach.
When the internship concluded, I joined EXOS in their corporate wellness division at Bayer, where I stayed for over a year before returning to Emerge Fitness Training. There, I became both a personal trainer and the Director of Operations for Emerge Everyone, a nonprofit providing free fitness services to individuals with intellectual disabilities. I served in that role for just over a year before deciding it was time to return fully to the performance side of the industry.
That led to my current chapter with Mercy Sport Performance powered by EXOS, where I’ve spent the past four and a half years. I’m fortunate to work with some of the top athletes in the St. Louis area across lacrosse, soccer, football, basketball, and hockey, while also overseeing the full-time strength and conditioning program for Lindenwood University’s NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey team. In addition to my NCAA responsibilities, I also lead performance training for all AAA Blues and Lady Blues organizations.
Every step of my journey has reinforced why I chose this career: to help people grow, perform, and ultimately become the strongest versions of themselves , whether they’re elite athletes, adaptive athletes, or anyone simply striving to improve.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My career path has been incredibly rewarding, but it hasn’t been smooth. I’ve faced periods of real doubt .questioning whether I was making the right decisions or even whether I could stay in the field at all. When I was running an intellectual-disability nonprofit, I constantly worried about fundraising, sustainability, and whether I was doing enough for the people who depended on us. Then in 2020, like many others, I was furloughed during the pandemic and had to figure out how to remain in the profession I loved while still keeping up with my bills.
During that time, balancing everything felt overwhelming. Trying to build a nonprofit program, maintain a personal training career, and keep myself healthy sometimes felt impossible. I struggled to find time for my own well-being while giving my energy to everyone else.
Things began to stabilize once I joined Mercy Sport Performance powered by EXOS. The structure, support, and professional environment allowed me to refocus, not on survival, but on excellence. And because of that stability, I was finally able to pour my full effort into elevating the site. Over the past few years, I’ve worked to turn Mercy Sport Performance into one of the premier training destinations in the St. Louis area, serving both high-level athletes and general-population clients.
Those challenges shaped me. They made me more resilient, more empathetic, and more intentional with how I coach and lead. And they’ve made me deeply grateful for where I am now and the impact I get to have every day.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a Performance Manager and Head Coach at Mercy Sport Performance powered by EXOS, and I specialize in long-term athlete development, performance optimization, and building high-performing cultures from the ground up.
My day-to-day work ranges from training elite-level lacrosse, hockey, soccer, football, and basketball athletes, to overseeing the full-time strength and conditioning program for Lindenwood University’s NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey team. I also lead performance training for all AAA Blues and Lady Blues organizations.
What I’m known for is a blend of data-driven programming, high-level coaching intuition, and an ability to connect deeply with the people I train ,whether they’re professional athletes, college players, youth athletes, or individuals with intellectual or physical disabilities. I take pride in meeting people exactly where they are and helping them become the strongest, healthiest versions of themselves.
A major part of my background includes adaptive and inclusion-focused work. I helped build and direct Emerge Everyone, a nonprofit dedicated to providing 100% free fitness services for individuals with intellectual disabilities. I also spent years working with individuals with traumatic brain injuries, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, amputations, and other conditions. Those experiences fundamentally shaped my coaching philosophy. They taught me patience, creativity, empathy, and how to truly value the human behind the athlete.
What I’m most proud of is the impact I’ve had on my athletes and my community:
helping more than 50+ athletes earn opportunities to play at the collegiate level
playing a role in transforming Lindenwood Hockey into a competitive, respected NCAA program
building Mercy Sport Performance into one of the premier training hubs in St. Louis
and staying committed to creating spaces where every individual ,regardless of ability,feels included and empowered.
What sets me apart is the combination of heart and high performance. I’m equally comfortable coaching a Division I hockey player preparing for a weekend series as I am working with an athlete recovering from a TBI or a young kid chasing their first college opportunity. My coaching has always been rooted in compassion, discipline, and belief — and I bring that energy to every athlete I work with.
Ultimately, I’m proud of the relationships I’ve built, the trust my athletes place in me, and the fact that I’ve stayed true to my purpose: helping people realize what they’re capable of, even when they don’t see it in themselves yet.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
The biggest risk I ever took was choosing not to walk away from my field during the pandemic. When COVID hit, I was furloughed like so many others, and it would have been easy ,even logical, to pivot into a higher-paying, more stable job outside of fitness and performance. But I knew that if I stepped away, I’d be abandoning the passion that brought me into this profession in the first place: helping people grow, perform, and feel capable, no matter who they are or what challenges they face.
So instead, I committed fully. I took every substitution role I could find within EXOS, any department, any site, any schedule, just to stay connected to the work and to continue building my skills. It wasn’t glamorous, and it definitely wasn’t easy, but I trusted that staying aligned with my purpose would pay off.
And it did.
That decision ultimately led me to Mercy Sport Performance powered by EXOS, where I’ve spent the past several years growing into a leadership role, building one of the premier training sites in St. Louis, and impacting athletes from youth levels all the way to NCAA Division I.
Looking back, it was absolutely a risk, financially, professionally, and personally, but it was the moment that defined my career.
Staying true to my passion, even when it would have been simpler to choose another path, is what allowed me to build the career I have today.
Pricing:
- $299/month for unlimited small group sessions led by an EXOS coach
- $199/month for 2x a week small group sessions led by an EXOS coach
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mercy.net/practice/mercy-sports-performance-maryland-heights/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/dave.ananayo
