Will Kleman is an 11-year-old soccer player who lives in Landenberg. He plays for the Delaware Rush, an under-12 club that plays in nearby Hockessin.

In the short course of his soccer career, Will has been a solid player, but like any young athlete, he is prone to dehydration, especially during hot days of running up and down the soccer pitch. Last season, Jamie, his mother, often noticed that her son was slow to recover, and that during car rides home from a practice or a match, he would often cramp up.

While at a youth soccer tournament in England last summer, Kleman, serving as her son's team manager, noticed that a sports drink called U-ADE was being served to players on the sidelines. When she returned home to Landenberg, she received an e-mail blast from the makers of U-ADE, thanking the tournament participants for using the product. She wanted to know more about the drink, so she e-mailed the company, and received a detailed biography of UpTempo Sports, LLC, the distributors of U-ADE.

She found that the company was committed to providing young athletes with the proper approach to hydration, as well as instruction tailored to an athlete's specific sport.

A month later, she saw U-ADE being served on the sidelines at one of Will's tournaments.

"I noticed Will's running had become more solid," she said. "The color was back in his cheeks after a full match, his walk was more steady, and there was no trace of exhaustion. When I asked him how he felt, he answered, 'I feel strong.'"

That was all Kleman needed to hear. She immediately contacted Cliff Rowley, the chief executiuve officer and founder of UpTempo Sports, LLC. They agreed to meet halfway between the company's offices in New Jersey and Landenberg, to have a conversation.

"We immediately connected," Kleman said of Rowley. "Cliff has the same passion for sports that I have, but he's also committed to the idea of helping young athletes. We both think it's important to be a balanced athlete – to be able to play better, yes, but to remain the best version of your own self."

Last November, she became a spokesperson and sales consultant for UpTempo Sports, LLC.

"You always want to surround yourself with high intergrity people, and Jamie is such a high integrity person," Rowley said. "She is such a genuine and driven person, not to mention that she's also involved in sports in many capacities. When you meet certain people in life, you connect with them on so many philosophies.

"I was always taught by supervisors to never hire a resume. I was told to hire character," Rowley added. "Jamie shares my philosophy, which is to help all of these children and athletes be better versions of themselves."

She now works with several local teams to help them incorporate U-ADE into their programs, including the Diamond State Titans basketball team and the Wilmington Wings Lacrosse League. As part of her position, she also speaks with parents about the benefits of the product, which provides essential ingredients, like electrolytes, that are needed in order to recover from cramps and heat exhaustion.

It has been so rewarding for me," said Kleman, a former athlete who played basketball and lacrosse in high school and in college. "I've not only had opportunities to watch soccer, but a chance to help young athletes. I have always had an affinity for seeing children achieve their goals."

One of those children is Cole Verrico of West Chester, who has played soccer since he was 3 years old. Now 13, he plays defense for the Philadelphia Union 2002 Juniors. His goals are to play at the Division I collegiate level, and eventually to play professionally, either in the United States or internationally. He thrives on competition and enjoys the challenge of setting goals. He recently started drinking U-ADE after Kleman met his father, Brad.

"It’s much easier to perform, stay in the game and to recover, by using U-ADE," Cole said. "I was recently asked to play for the Philadelphia Union Pre-Academy against an older, faster team in a full, 90-minute game. I drank U-ADE and played every minute of the game. I was one of only two players to play the entire game."

To learn more about UpTempo Sports, LLC and U-ADE, visit www.play-better.com. If you are a coach or a parent interested in supplying your teams with U-ADE, contact Kleman directly at 302-753-5588, or by e-mail, at [email protected].