Our Coaches

Lucas Palker is the Owner and Operator of Palker Sports Performance LLC. A graduate of Hopewell Valley Central High School, Lucas excelled in varsity soccer and wrestling, further enhancing his athletic career by playing collegiate soccer.

Lucas's educational background includes studies in Exercise Science at Mercer County Community College, Fisheries and Wildlife Science at Paul Smith's College, numerous certifications from the National Association of Sports Medicine and Lucas's education was further enriched through studies in Applied Functional Science.

With 11 years of experience in personal and group training, Lucas has developed a deep understanding of athlete performance. His career as a youth soccer trainer spans 7 years, and he has served as a Head Coach in youth soccer for 5 years where he won numerous tournaments across various age groups as well as a youth soccer state cup championship.

For the past 3 years, he has successfully managed and operated Palker Sports Performance LLC. During these 3 years, Palker Sports Performance has been an integral part in building athletic and educational programs at multiple schools and sports clubs in the NJ area.

Over the last 3 years, Lucas has also been the Strength and Conditioning Coach with The Pennington School’s Boys Varsity Soccer. His accolades with this elite team include helping to secure 2 County Titles, 2 MAPL Titles, 2 State Titles, and achieving a National Championship ranking.

In addition to The Pennington School, Lucas served as the Director of Sports Performance at Next Level Soccer Academy (NLSA). Here, Lucas contributed to elevating athletic performance in hundreds of young athletes for 3 years. While at NLSA, Lucas also excelled as the Director of Camps and Clinics for 1 year.

Lucas’s professional experience in athletics continues to his role as the Personal, Social and Physical Education teacher at The Princeton Junior School. Lucas has been with the school for 3 years where he continues to inspire, mentor and educate young students and athletes.

Overall, Lucas receives the most fulfillment though helping young athletes advance their careers to the collegiate level. He has helped dozens of athletes in their journey to reach the college level across various sports, including soccer, tennis, wrestling, track and field, and football. With a commitment to excellence and a profound understanding of sports performance, Lucas Palker continues to inspire, educate, and elevate athletes to reach their highest potential.