You know fate is poking you in the ribs when you meet your future spouse twice in different places. That happened to Shae and Barry Sims, who operate the Park City Athletic Republic sports performance center. "Shae and I met watching Sunday night football at Iggy's, a sports place in Salt Lake," says Barry, a 12-year NFL veteran. After a devastating knee injury at the college all-star Hula Bowl put his pro future in doubt, Barry rehabbed with a therapy team at The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital in Salt Lake that included - you guessed it – Shae. They married in 1999, and Barry's subsequent career took him all the way to the Super Bowl.
The Sims' returned to Park City– where Barry had graduated from PC High - after 20 years in the Bay area. "With our two girls, we realized it was time to go home for good," Barry says. "We wanted them to have the opportunities I had - amazing skiing and endless outdoor recreation."
Shae had connections to Athletic Republic through her rehab background, and Barry says his road to the NFL was assisted by a performance improvement program called “Acceleration,” now used system-wide at the company. The couple took on the PC franchise in 2020. "Athletic Republic was a perfect match for us," Barry says. "We are motivated by inspiring others and offering the same level of performance training collegiate, and professional athletes get."
They also love getting young people into what Barry calls "Park City shape" by supporting the Youth Sports Alliance 'Activ8' program, Weilenmann Charter School's 'Adventure PE', the Park City Soccer Club and Passing League, and the PCHS Mountain Bike Team.
We're thrilled Shea and Barry brought their passion for overcoming obstacles and helping others home to Park City. Stop by with your young athletes. Just being around them will get you motivated!
