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OUR TEAM

BUILT has professional level coaching, resources, and expertise at all levels. We combine our collegiate & professional sports experience with our higher level education to bring out the best version of development. Built Sports Performance Academy was founded with a burning desire to give athletes the professional level tools, resources, and coaching Jacob experienced outside of NM, as he pursued his dreams of pro sports from a young age in a under resourced community. In addition to their backgrounds as high level collegiate and professional athletes, the coaches surrounding BUILT bring over 17+ years of on floor experience, collegiate and pro playing and coaching experience, higher level college education, and professional certifications to their programming, systems, coaching, and products at Built. Their passion for coaching is evident in the relationships and results they deliver on a day to day basis. 

Jacob Banegas
B.S. ExSc & SPORTS SCIENCE, USR1 Speed Specialist, APC, NHSSCA NM State Director

FOUNDER - Director of Performance Development | Director of Strength & Conditioning for Pima JC Baseball & Softball |

Former Collegiate S&C Coach | Former Pro Football & D1 Athlete

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The BUILT Team is led by Jacob Banegas, one of America's up and coming elite performance coaches.  Currently wrapping up his Masters Degree in Sports Science & Biomechanics,  Former Professional and Division 1 Athlete Jacob Banegas is an established sports science and human performance specialist located in the Las Cruces, NM, & El Paso, TX communities. While his CFL/NFL career was haulted due to COVID, he quickly realized that the game was much bigger than himself.  Spending over 5 years in the collegiate and private strength and conditioning sector combined, He developed BUILT in early 2022 wanting to provide the right resources and create a level playing field of opportunities in the southwest region that is under recruited and under resourced. Since then, he has guided numerous youth athletes towards collegiate scholarships and teams to developmental success. Through every training session, Jacob's mission is to help develop these southwest athletes to become the best at any level.

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ANDREW ZAPIEN 
B.S. Kinesiology
 

VP of Operations | Team Performance Solutions

Former D1 Football Athlete

Currently  the Director at Samson Equipment, Andrew's leadership and strategic insight  while helping with  BUILT have played a pivotal role in the growth of the company.  His education includes a Bachelor's Degree in Kinesiology, with a minor in Sports Marketing and Business Administration from NMSU. Andy's education alongside his collegiate S&C coaching,  D1 athletic experience, and work within the high school & collegiate strength and conditioning industry nationwide over the past decade  brings valuable knowledge in our Team Performance Consulting & Operations.

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MAXWELL CHAPMAN
B.S. Kinesiology / Exercise Science

Performance Coach

Former Collegiate Athlete

Prior to his role here as a S&C/ Performance Coach, Max played baseball at Eastern Arizona College where he learned the importance of hardwork and development. The experiences in his playing career drove him to his coaching career as he wanted to help the next generation of athletes perform better, stay injury resilient, and prolong their playing careers. Max helps run the Built Method programming which is tailored to each individual athlete. Coach Max  focuses on helping athletes develop in the physical & mental performance realms to ensure long-term success of the program.

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Jenna Banegas
M.A. Ex & Sports Science / LMHC, CSCS

Mental Performance & Wellness Coach | Asst. Speed Lab Coach & Director

Coach Jenna, a Las Cruces native, brings over a decade of athletic and coaching experience to the Built team. With a background that includes winning State Championships at Mayfield HS, SPrinting at the D1 Level then coaching NMSU T&F and Olympic-level athletes, she's been a valuable addition. Jenna's expertise extends beyond her coaching as she holds a Masters Degrees in Mental Health Counseling as well.  This unique blend allows her to support athletes' mental development growth alongside their physical growth. By integrating mental performance coaching support, Jenna helps athletes achieve balance and empowerment both on and off the field.

Mia MONTANO
B.S. KINESIOLOGY / Exercise Science

Performance Coach

Former D1 Collegiate Athlete

Prior to her role here as a S&C/ Performance Coach, Mia played soccer at New Mexico State University. The experiences in her athletic career and educational career gave her the passion to help the next generation of women's sports.  Coach Mia faced  an ACL knee surgery during her senior year of HS, managed to overcome that adversity and earn a D1 playing career. This moment has lead her on a journey to continue her education into a masters degree of sports psychology.  Helping athletes develop not only physically but mentally as well is what drives her  pursuits and passion for coaching.

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Lia Stewart 
M.S. Kinesiology & Public Health

Nutritionist Educator & Consultant | PN1

Born and raised in NYC, Coach Lia cultivated a deep rooted passion for health and nutrition from an early age. With a background in dance that spanned many years and a lifelong dedication to staying active, Coach Lia discovered & learned the positive impact of nutrition on athletic performance.  This led to the pursuit of  a Bachelors Degree in Nutrition & Fitness, followed by a Masters Degree in Kinesiology & Public Health. Today as part of the BUILT Team, Coach Lia channels this passion into empowering athletes to unlock their full potential through optimized nutrition and custom meals tailored to their needs. With a keen focus on empowering young athletes to navigate their own nutritional journey, Coach Lia is dedicated to equipping young athletes with the tools and knowledge to make informed dietary choices, ensuring they can fuel their bodies on and off the field. 

OUR CULTURE

The heart and soul of Built Sports Performance Academy are the athletes that show up and work hard week in and week out. They represent everything we stand for. Their success is the sole focus of everything we do.

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Our Culture of athletic development is fueled by an unrelenting desire to maximize performance, on and off a field. Through a collective pursuit of physical, mental, and emotional growth. As we provide tools that every athlete in the world should have. A System of progressions in the weight room. A Mental development method combining self-reflection and self-evaluation in a journalling process. As well as some unique recovery tools and resources to display the knowledge and add the missing piece of nutrition and sleep. 

 

Daily, We strive to develop.  Knowing that all sports give us the blueprint to achieve success in every phase of life. This is what it means to LIVE BUILT.

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