Sean Panado

Owner & Athletic Performance Coach

• Born in San Diego, California

• Graduated from Saint Augustine High School in 2017​

• Graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2020

• Started 4sight Academy in 2018 Opened Athletic Performance Center in 2021

• Youngest owner in California at time of opening

• 100% of Income Reinvested into Company

• Bachelor of Science in Psychobiology

• Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)

• DBC Level 1: Biomechanics and Human Movement

• Applied Performance Coach: Cohort 1

• Pain-Free Performance Specialist

Sean’s Story

Sean was born-and-raised in San Diego, California. As the youngest of seven within a blended family, he moved houses and apartments multiple times. His father worked in a naval hospital after retiring from a decorated career in the Navy and his mother pursued social work after transitioning out of the real estate industry. The two separated when Sean was young, so he never saw the two together in one household during his childhood.

Sean attended Saint Augustine High School - also known as Saints - where he graduated in 2017. It was through the Saints community that he met several of his mentors, one of whom was his high school basketball coach Mike Haupt. Coach Haupt was challenging yet compassionate, but it was the empathy that he showed Sean whenever he was late for practice or was downright irresponsible that revealed to Sean a new way to care for others. Traumatized from the punishment of running, Sean is no longer late without sending a “I’m running late” message at least 10-minutes in advance.

After Saints, Sean attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He graduated in three years in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychobiology. He enjoyed every minute of UCLA, but like many high school male athletes who felt like they had the potential to be the next Jeremy Lin or Michael Jordan, he missed the thrill of sports and competition.

In Sean’s first year at UCLA, he trained in the campus gym and shared stories that started with “back in my day” as if others cared for them. However, once he gave up his hoop dreams, he realized his passion for sports performance and strength and conditioning. The summer after Sean’s freshman year of college, it clicked. He assisted the director at a basketball tournament where he was frustrated about the lack of integrity in youth sports and he reached out to catch-up with his old childhood friends who were sidelined from injury in women’s sports. There was a niche.

4sight Academy was born with the purest intention of bringing integrity into the community and offering an injury prevention resource for female athletes. In December 2018, the first basketball camp was held. It was at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and Sean had zero idea what he was doing. He had qualified assistant coaches, tons of new equipment, and a wealth of knowledge that he had never shared with athletes at that age or level. Despite operating at a huge financial loss from starting the company and hosting the event, 4sight Academy had the ball rolling.

In the summer of 2019, Sean was studying abroad in Dublin, Ireland. While learning physics and that the Irish call French fries “chips,” Sean was preparing for the next basketball camp in September 2019. The 2019 camp operated at a lesser loss than the 2018 camp, but 4sight Academy had more than the ball rolling, it had momentum.

COVID-19 prevented the third camp in April 2020, but it prompted several athletes from the first and second camps to begin performance training with Sean. Sean trained at parks, garages, and parking lots for free. He did not view it as business for 4sight Academy, but as a way to support the young athletes since they were unable to participate in games. He wanted to help keep them active. When it grew impracticable and Sean made the anxious leap of asking for reimbursement for gas, families were more than happy to pay Sean for his expertise.

In the winter of 2020, 4sight Academy began hosting weekly basketball scrimmages, referred to as “runs.” Anessa Wolfblack, one of the coaches at the 2019 camp, worked with Sean and was pivotal to the success of runs. Sean called upon the former coaches from the two camps and Anessa tapped into her network of experienced former basketball players. Once the two had a core group of “veterans,” they scrimmaged against the athletes who were training with Sean along with other top high school players in the county. Everyone enjoyed the organic community, competitive juices, and wisdom that the veterans passed down to help the next generation of players. It was a hit.

Sean transitioned his training services to a rented gym in the summer of 2021. As soon as he found a suitable location for his own facility, he applied for it. The landlord was doubtful because of Sean’s age, who was 22 at the time. Sean explained how he started the business from a fund that his father left for him when he passed away in 2014. Since the business was a legacy of his father, he asserted to the landlord that failure was not an option. The keys to the space were given to Sean the following week.

December 2021 marked the grand opening of 4sight Academy, an Athletic Performance Center. Fast-forward two and a half years, Sean has trained recreational, professional, collegiate, and youth athletes from various sports and professions. He has developed quality relationships with local youth programs who share similar values, one of them is Exodus Volleyball Club.

January 2024 is the official rebrand of 4sight Academy. It is an Athletic Performance Center Where Everyone Is an Athlete. The facility will remain a safe-space for female athletes, but now, it is a more inclusive environment to make clear that everyone is welcome to be a part of the 4sight Family.