Clara Knöpke is a Sports Performance Coach at Prime Physical Therapy, where she works with athletes and active individuals to improve performance, reduce injury risk, and safely return to sport. She specializes in strength and conditioning, speed development, athlete monitoring, and evidence-based training strategies that bridge the gap between rehabilitation and performance.
Originally from Stuttgart, Germany, Clara played soccer for 18 years, including at the professional level, before continuing her career as a Division I student-athlete at the University of Akron. As a team captain for the Zips, her own experiences with injury and rehabilitation inspired her passion for helping athletes perform at their highest level while building long-term resilience.
Clara earned her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science with a specialization in Strength and Conditioning and a minor in Psychology from the University of Akron before completing her Master of Science in Exercise and Sport Science at Sacred Heart University in 2026. During her graduate assistantship at Sacred Heart, she worked with Division I Men’s Soccer, Men’s and Women’s Rowing, Men’s and Women’s Fencing, and assisted with Football, gaining extensive experience in performance testing, return-to-play programming, and year-round athletic development.
In addition to her role at Prime, Clara serves as the Sports Performance Coach and Assistant Women’s Soccer Coach at the University of Akron, where she oversees the physical preparation and athletic development of the women’s soccer program.
Clara is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and is passionate about helping people of all ages to move better, perform better, and do what’s best for their long term health.
