Stepping into the spacious gym, the first thing to hit your senses is the clang of metal and the sound of pulsating music as a swarm of young athletes lift and sweat to the beat. Then your eyes draw upwards to the colorful sports jerseys hanging from the walls, with dozens of schools represented—players’ names and numbers proudly stamped on the back. Every athlete here aspires to, one day, add their jersey to the wall.
This is R3VAMP Performance Center in Hampton. Owner and founder Mike Hicks and partner Paul Cinquegrana, both former college athletes, are passionate about helping student-athletes reach their greatest potential on and off the field. Hicks played baseball at Saint Anselm College and Endicott College and then went on to get his master’s in sports and performance psychology. He continues to play amateur baseball in the Boston area.
Cinquegrana played hockey at the University of Connecticut and currently plays for the Norfolk Mallards in a semi-professional league. The two met playing slow-pitch softball in the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) and quickly realized they share an intense interest and skill set for developing young athletes.
R3VAMP works with all ages from elementary through college, offering sports-specific programming like their popular baseball academy and individual programs where athletes train up to five days a week, with sessions lasting anywhere from one to four hours. It is a home away from home for these kids, with Hicks and Cinquegrana acting as coaches and mentors—guiding them through athletic development to the college recruitment process.
Take 18-year-old Angus Moss of Portsmouth, one of the original R3VAMP athletes. Working with Hicks over the last three years on everything from strength and conditioning to cognitive training, Moss successfully transitioned from a multi-sport athlete to a focus on football. The plan paid off as Moss will kick off his freshman year playing for Endicott College this fall.
Whatever the sport, the primary goal at R3VAMP is to develop the athlete’s whole body, mind, and spirit; cognitive development is a pillar of their approach. “It’s the mind and brain that run the body, so for us, it’s just as important to train these functions in conjunction with physical performance,” Hicks insists. Success is measured in muscle growth and watching athletes gain mental strength and confidence. “Every competitor here is skilled and strong, but it’s the mental side of their game that separates them from their peers,” explains Hicks. Quick decision-making and managing performance anxiety are essential skills for competing at a high level.
17-year-old baseball player Shea LaFleur knows this first-hand. The recent Exeter High School graduate turned to R3VAMP to help him improve his game enough to play in college. “R3VAMP helps with my mental game, especially in building confidence” says LaFleur, heading to Avon Old Farms in Connecticut this fall for a post-graduate year in prep for college play.
Besides all the machines and weight equipment you would expect, R3VAMP uses a Senaptec Sensory Station to assess an athlete’s sensory motor skills. The software tool identifies weaknesses and helps trainers develop programming around these weak areas. Visual clarity, depth perception, reaction time, and eye-hand coordination are just some of the skills measured.
Athletes also say R3VAMP is a safe space for sharing emotional difficulties. Cinquegrana remembers one of the first athletes who joined their program. “He was going through a lot of stuff at home with his parents splitting up and bullying in school for a speech impediment, and the first couple of sessions, we just sat down while he cried,” Cinquegrana explains. “He slowly started gaining confidence, and the following year, became a whole different kid,” he adds.
Lily Glance, a 20-year-old lacrosse player at the College of the Holy Cross started with R3VAMP last summer to sharpen her mental skills. “It’s very challenging being a Division I athlete,” explains Glance. “Whatever the problem—personal or sports-related—the whole team at R3VAMP is there to help you work through it, offering the support you need.”
Most athletes here aim to play for a Division I or II college like Glance. That’s the case with 15-year-old Katie Millett of Hampton. “Mental toughness is the biggest thing I’ve gained from the program,” says Millett, who started playing hockey at age six. She also loves the team bonding experience that comes with being a part of the R3VAMP family.
Teamwork is what Cam Moran loves about playing baseball. The 17-year-old catcher and rising senior from Newmarket wants to play for a Division I team, so plans to improve his game and finish high school at Elev8 Baseball Academy in Florida this fall. Another R3VAMP athlete, 18-year-old Cole McGlaughlin, is heading north to play football at the Division III University of New England but will work hard for a transfer opportunity to play at the Division I level in his junior or senior year. Both continue to train with R3VAMP, hoping their college jerseys will someday hang from the wall and inspire other young athletes.
2 Pull Quote options
Preferred: Every competitor here is skilled and strong, but it’s the mental side of their game that separates them from their peers.
R3VAMP helps with my mental game, especially in building confidence.
THE ATHLETES
Katie Millett, 15, Hockey
Hometown: Hampton
Winnacunnet High School, 2023/2024
Freshman Choate Rosemary Hall, Connecticut
1 year with R3VAMP
Cam Moran, 17, Hockey & Baseball
Hometown: Newmarket
Seacoast Performance Academy, 2023/2024
Senior Elev8 Baseball Academy, Florida
3 years with R3VAMP
Shea LaFleur, 17, Baseball
Hometown: Exeter
Class of 2024 Exeter High School
Post-graduate Avon Old Farms, Connecticut
1 year with R3VAMP
Angus Moss, 18, Football
Hometown: Portsmouth
Class of 2024 Portsmouth High School
Freshman Endicott College
3 years with R3VAMP
Cole McGlaughlin, 18, Football & Track
Hometown: Greenland
Class of 2024 Portsmouth High School
Freshman University of New England
1 year with R3VAMP
Lily Glance, 20, Lacrosse
Hometown: West Newbury, MA
Junior College of the Holy Cross
1 year with R3VAMP