The northeast corner of the former Bismarck Home Depot building will soon be covered by a two-lane indoor track and 10,000 square feet of turf.

Sanford POWER, a sports training program serving athletes across western North Dakota, will be moving into a 21,000-square-foot portion of the warehouse-style building on the north end of town. The new space, located at 3401 N. 14th St., will triple the size of the training service, currently housed at 2020 Lovett Ave.

“It’s actually the perfect set up,” said Mike Salwei, Sanford POWER manager in Bismarck, adding that the program is out of room in its current space.

In addition to Bismarck, Sanford POWER has locations in Sioux Falls, S.D., and Fargo. Over the past two years, the Bismarck location has offered strength and conditioning to help improve athlete performance. The new space will allow for specific skill development, too, for a number of sports — soccer, baseball, fast pitch softball and a future football academy.

“It’s exciting,” said Bismarck native, Sanford spokesman and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, who trained with Salwei when he was in high school. "Expanding that to something this big, it’s remarkable.”

The new facility won’t change the way Sanford POWER trains but it will improve the programming it offers, with options such as speed training on the track, according to Salwei. A Return to Performance program for athletes recovering from an injury or surgery will be added to the location with on-site physical therapy.

In the Fargo and Sioux Falls locations, Sanford POWER has hosted 200-person symposiums, bringing in the top-strength coaches from around the country. Salwei said he hopes to bring similar events to Bismarck in the next few years. Sanford POWER will also offer the turf space for rent to local sports teams needing an indoor practice space.

“For fast pitch softball, they’re currently hitting out of gyms,” said Salwei, indicating the new facility could be used for fielding ground balls or turning double plays. Salwei expects to add to his staff in the new facility by next summer. Construction is expected to be complete in October.

Heather Jones of City Air Mechanical, which is investing in a soccer training program for the space, said there’s a huge need for indoor sports space in Bismarck. Jones, whose daughter has traveled competitively for soccer for two years, sees the facility as adding to the quality of life for area families like her own.

"As strong as Sanford is, they're continuing to look for more ways to invest in the community," said Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce President Scott Meske, adding that this project in particular was a great way to give back.

 

Source:bismarcktribune.com

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