From Portland to Stafford: The Dorsey Family's Journey of Fitness, Service, and Community
When Courtney and Mike Dorsey first met as student athletes at Portland State University (PSU) in 2006, they had no idea their shared passion for athletics would one day become the foundation of a thriving business in Stafford, Virginia. Courtney ran track while Mike played football, and nearly two decades later, their love of fitness continues to shape not only their careers but their family life with their three children: Easton, 12, Kinsley, 11, and Hadley, 9.
The Dorseys' connection to the Stafford area runs deep—this is their third time calling it home. Initially drawn by Mike's orders to MCB Quantico during his career as a Marine Infantry Officer, the Dorseys first arrived in 2008-2010, returned from 2013-2017, and returned for a final PCS in 2022. "We choose to live here because of the great schools, great community, and the rivers and woods remind us of home," Courtney explains.
For Courtney, the path to opening Premier Athletics and Fitness was paved with determination and a commitment to lifelong learning. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Communications from PSU after Easton and Kinsley were born, and while pregnant with Hadley. "It was important for me to finish for myself and for my kids to show them anything is possible," she reflects. That same tenacity led her to obtain her Certified Personal Trainer certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine and immerse herself in continuing education.
But Premier Athletics and Fitness represents more than just a career change for Courtney—it's the convergence of all her passions. Before focusing on fitness, she owned a photography business specializing in weddings and natural-light family portraits, a skill she still uses today. "All of our photos in our facility and used on social media are of our actual real clients, taken by me!" she shares enthusiastically. "It's rewarding to capture our clients' progression, and I get to combine all the things I love at Premier Athletics – helping people feel confident in themselves, fitness, and photography!"
Mike's career has been equally impressive. After earning team All-American accolades during his football days, he embarked upon– and recently retired from– a military career that included three deployments, teaching tours, and time as a Recruiting Station Commanding Officer. He holds a Master's in Military Studies, is NASM CPT certified, and is currently pursuing an MBA at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business. Education remains a priority in the Dorsey household.
"Being a lifelong learner is important to both of us, and it's a little easier to have the kids do their homework when they see us studying ourselves," Courtney notes.
The Dorsey children have each carved out their own interests and talents. Easton, a seventh grader, "loves to learn" and "often is stumping us with information he has researched on any and every topic," according to his mother. His favorite sport is football, following in his father's footsteps. Kinsley, a sixth grader, has discovered a passion for culinary arts. She "finds recipes, ensures we get the ingredients from the store, and is quite the chef," while also playing middle school volleyball and basketball with dreams of competing at the collegiate level. Third-grader Hadley "is always outside playing with friends" and enjoys reading every night to the family's menagerie of pets.
Speaking of pets, the Dorsey household is full of furry family: Champ, a two-year-old golden retriever; cats Scout and Montezuma; and three parakeets named Coconut, Kai, and Pickles. Montezuma has proven to be quite the escape artist, having gotten out of the house three times, including a harrowing 10-day adventure during the Texas deep freeze of 2021, four months during Virginia's winter of 2022, and most recently, an overnight excursion in fall 2025.
Beyond her work at Premier Athletics and Fitness, Courtney remains deeply connected to the community through volunteer work at The Mount, her children's school PTO, and organizations such as S.E.R.V.E. and Gwyneth's Gift. "It's important to me to support our community in as many ways as possible. You never know what somebody has been going through, so if I can make their day a little better, I'm happy to do so," she says, embodying the spirit of service that defines both her and Mike's approach to life.
The family has embraced everything Stafford has to offer. "It is great how convenient everything is in the area with kids' recreational activities, shopping, restaurants, and schools," Courtney observes. They're frequent visitors to historic downtown Fredericksburg, where "the shops, the food, the environment is just so awesome," and they've become regular FredNats game attendees. The proximity to Washington, D.C. allows for memorable day trips, while Colonial Beach and Virginia Beach provide easy weekend getaways.
Yet when it comes to vacation destinations, nowhere compares to Portland, Oregon—home for both Courtney and Mike. "It's so fun to bring the kids to the places where we had our childhood memories – the Oregon Coast, Oregon Zoo, walking around in downtown Portland, spending time outdoors in the beautiful countryside, and most importantly, visiting family," Courtney shares. "It is fun to bring our kids to campus when we visit home and show them where we met and where we played college sports. Go Viks!"
The Dorsey family's story is one of dedication—to education, to service, to fitness, and most importantly, to each other and their community. Through both their careers and volunteerism, the Dorseys continue to inspire others while building a legacy that reflects the values they hold dear: hard work, lifelong learning, and the belief that anything is possible.
