our team
Andre Schmid
Co-Founder & Managing Director
Andre brings more than 25 years of experience in sport as a player, coach, and executive leader. He is the Founder and Managing Director of S Group Sports, a private athlete consulting and performance support organization based in San Diego. Through S Group, Andre provides emerging elite and professional athletes with bespoke athlete care, development strategy, and performance support, delivering the structure and guidance required to excel, evolve, and sustain success on and off the field.
Prior to founding S Group in 2019, Andre’s experience has spanned both domestic and international environments, where he worked closely with athletes, coaches, and organizations across multiple levels of sport. His experience includes extensive collaboration with clients throughout the United States, as well as study and observation of professional club environments in England, Italy, Spain, and Argentina. These experiences shaped his holistic, systems-based approach to athlete development and ultimately led to the creation of S Group.
Andre’s foundation in sport began as a player. A California native, he was an Adidas High School All-American at Christian Brothers College Preparatory and a member of the first U.S. U-18 Youth National Team to win an international tournament, capturing the Torneio Internacional de Lisboa title in Portugal. He went on to attend St. John’s University on a full athletic scholarship, earning a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management from the Collins College of Professional Studies in New York City. During his collegiate career, he was part of two NCAA Final Four teams. Professionally, he was drafted by the Houston Dynamo and spent time with the New York Red Bulls, Sporting KC, and Seattle Sounders FC, where he won a championship in 2007.
Andre has been based in San Diego for the past 15 years, where he established S Group’s headquarters in one of the country’s most dynamic and athlete rich sport environments. The region’s strong professional, collegiate, and elite youth sport landscape provides an ideal setting for collaboration and integrated athlete support.
Outside of his professional work, Andre enjoys spending time with his wife and their three children, especially when they can all be found together on the golf course.
Laura Sudano
Consultant
Laura Sudano is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant® (CMPC) and licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in mental performance consulting for athletes and high-performing professionals. A former Division I and II collegiate volleyball athlete, she brings firsthand insight into the psychological demands of elite competition. She holds a BA in Psychology from St. Mary’s University (Texas), a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of San Diego, and a PhD in Human Development from Virginia Tech.
Laura’s work focuses on mental performance, mindset development, emotional regulation, performing under pressure, and overall well-being. Her experience spans collegiate and professional sport, where she has consulted with professional athletes, teams, coaches, and performance staff across high-performance environments. She has worked within integrated sports medicine models, including serving as Director of Behavioral Science at Wake Forest Baptist Health, collaborating closely with sports medicine providers, athletic trainers, and coaching staffs.
She leads consulting work that delivers tailored, confidential mental performance support to individuals, teams, and organizations seeking sustained excellence and long-term performance.
bobby Buoncristiano
Athlete Performance Director
Bobby is a performance coach with more than two decades of experience working with athletes across youth, collegiate, and professional levels. A Philadelphia native, he has worked in New York City, San Diego, and St. Louis, bringing a diverse perspective shaped by his experience across multiple sports and high-performance environments.
A former multisport athlete at Chestnut Hill Academy, Bobby competed in three Division I sports at LaSalle University, earning a soccer scholarship while also kicking for the football team and competing in the 400 meters on the track team. During his collegiate soccer career, he helped lead his team to a championship, earned multiple all-league selections, and finished as the program’s leading scorer.
Bobby holds a degree in Communication from LaSalle University and a degree in Kinesiology from MiraCosta College. He is currently pursuing a Master’s in Performance Coaching at Setanta College and holds several professional certifications, including the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) credential from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
His approach to performance combines movement analysis, sport-specific demands, and individualized training to identify key performance indicators and address each athlete’s unique needs. Throughout his career, he has held leadership roles as a Performance Director at nationally recognized athletic clubs and was named Best Fitness Instructor by Philadelphia Magazine. His work spans sports including soccer, lacrosse, and football, with an emphasis on developing the physical tools and movement strategies that support sustained performance.
At S Group, Bobby focuses on individualized training and athlete development, tailoring his approach to each athlete’s goals, strengths, and areas for growth. He believes every athlete has the potential to achieve more with the right guidance, preparation, and support system. Working collaboratively with the S Group team, he is committed to helping athletes maximize their performance and reach their full potential.
Outside of his professional work, Bobby shares an active lifestyle with his wife, Dr. Natiya Guin, a Naturopathic Medical Doctor, and their three children, Kailee, Grace, and Trajan. He is passionate about promoting health and wellness both within his family and among the athletes he supports.
