Football player to open 24-hour fitness center

Jim Cheesman
jcheesman@argusleader.com

published: 12/17/2003

'This is not a place for someone who considers working out a social hour'

A longtime Sioux Falls Storm football player hopes to turn his on-field popularity into off-field success with the opening of a fitness center.

Tryon Gym, owned and operated by Todd Tryon, is scheduled to open before Christmas at 1914 S. Minnesota Ave.

The 2,700-square-foot facility will offer a mix of free weights and selectorized equipment, as well as aerobic equipment. It also is the first fitness center in Sioux Falls to offer 24-hour access to members.

"There are a few places outside the city that have been pretty successful with 24-hour access," Tryon said.

Tryon, 28, has been a fixture with Sioux Falls indoor football since the Sioux Falls Cobras arrived in 2000. The defensive back/wide receiver played a year for the Cobras during their only season, then played the last three years for the Storm.

The gym is located next door to the team's headquarters.

"It's a great partnership," Tryon said. "The front office has helped me get this going, and we're going to feed off each other. This is where the team will be training, so people will have the opportunity to work out with a professional sports team.

"Hopefully, we'll be able to generate interest in the Storm, too."

Storm general manager Colin Steen says having the gym next door will help lure players to Sioux Falls.

"It's going to be a first-class facility, and it should help with recruiting," he said. "Todd is one of our most popular players. After five years, he's become kind of an icon. I'm sure he'll do well."

The team enjoyed its most successful season last year. On the field the Storm went 10-4 and qualified for the playoffs. Season tickets nearly doubled from 1,100 in 2002 to 2,000 in 2003, and home attendance averaged more than 4,000 per game.

The team's first home game of 2004 will be April 3, and the season will run into July.

Tryon has a degree in sports fitness management from Buena Vista College in Storm Lake, Iowa. In addition to playing for the Storm, he sells Advocare nutrition supplements.

"It's the No. 1 supplement in the world," Tryon said. "We'll have it available at the club, too."

There is no shortage of fitness facilities in Sioux Falls. Many, such as the YMCA and the wellness centers run in conjunction with the local hospitals, are much larger and cater to a different crowd.

"We're nowhere near as big and fancy as those places, and that's not what we're trying to be," Tryon said. "We're more of a hard-core gym, catering more toward athletes and toward the person who is serious about getting themselves into shape.

"This is not a place for somebody who considers working out a social hour."

Another Storm player, Donnie Hilsenroth, will help Tryon run the club. Both Tryon and Hilsenroth will offer personal training.

The cost of a membership will range from $40 to $47 per month, depending on length of contract and whether 24-hour access is needed. While the gym will not be staffed 24 hours, people who want to work out after-hours will be able to use a card key to gain access.

Reach business editor Jim Cheesman at 331-2316.