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D1 Training to return to Sioux Falls
Jodi Schwan
11 minutes ago
National athletic training business D1 Training is returning to Sioux Falls with new local ownership and a new location
Todd Gannon has been named the local franchisee for the concept, which will open within the Dawley Farm Village development after leaving the market more than a decade ago as it transitioned away from corporately owned locations and into a franchise model
“The CEO is really passionate about making sure you have local ownership and people involved in the local community,” Gannon said
Gannon has coached high school football for more than 20 years and has been involved in fitness his entire life. He and his wife, Shari, are based in Canton and own commercial and residential properties in the area, including Riverview Christmas Tree Farm
“But I love coaching and love helping kids and enjoy fitness,” Gannon said. “My wife has challenged me to stop doing what makes money and start doing what I love.”
In the winter of 2025, he was in his basement unwinding when “God just laid it on my heart that I needed to open a youth training facility and coach young athletes and even adults as well,” he said. “It just hit me like, this is what I need to do. I went up and told my wife, and she said, ‘Yes, that is what you need to do.’”
Exploring options for business models and looking to add partners with expertise in the fitness field led him to D1
“The way they went about business really struck me,” Gannon said. “They’re really people-focused and focused on their athletes, both youth and adult, and as I got to know them and met the leadership, it just became very clear they were very passionate about what they do and very genuine, and the goal is to help everyone.”
An example of a D1 location
While the name “D1” makes many people think of training Division 1 athletes, the scope is broader, he added
“It’s a D1-style training program, so the same intensity and excitement and expertise you could get at a Division I college, but accessible to all athletes and even nonathletes,” Gannon said. “They define an athlete as anyone with a fitness goal, so they have people who are 70, 80 years old going to D1 gyms.”
The programming is developed by a panel of Division 1 strength and conditioning coaches, he added. D1 offers scholastic training for those age 7 through 18, along with adult classes, small-group training and personal training. A membership model offers unlimited access to classes six days a week. Smaller group classes focus on areas such as speed and agility or are tailored to a particular sport
“When you talk to all these trainers and franchise owners and leadership about things they’re most proud of … it was always about helping an adult or a kid that was really struggling physically maybe with self-confidence. It was kids that just wanted to make the baseball team and working with them where they could make the team and play a game,” Gannon said
“Absolutely, we can help high-end athletes, but I believe there’s a place for everyone that just wants to get better and work hard and better their health and athleticism for whatever reason.”
An example of a D1 location
The 5,000-square-foot location will be on the first floor of The Carlton at Dawley, 5501 E. 18th St., in the center of the mixed-use development The hope is to open in mid-September
“The location at Dawley Farms is right in the middle of everything and was really an ideal place for us,” Gannon said. “We wanted a place to get in and out of and that had a lot of amenities around, so you can drop your kid off and hop over to Target, Walmart, Starbucks, Kohl’s. There’s a lot of places for Mom and Dad to run errands while a child is getting trained.”
D1 was founded in 2001 by former NFL player Will Bartholomew, and is based in Nashville, Tennessee. There are more than 170 locations nationwide and more than 200 franchised locations in various stages of development
The Sioux Falls training center joins Dakota Dental on the first floor of The Carlton and is the only gym of its kind on the east side, said Raquel Blount, vice president of commercial real estate at Lloyd Cos., who represents the space
“We don’t have any fitness center with that national branding, so this type of programming is huge,” she said. “Dawley has a strong employment base, and it’s convenient for people to jump over during a break, and it’s great for the residential in the area, having the ability to walk to their fitness center from within the development.”
The rest of the commercial space in the apartment building is available, with 5,000 square feet on one end and 10,000 square feet on the other, which can be subdivided various ways
“We’re looking for the continuation of personal services,” Blount said. “It would be great if we had hair, beauty, nails — those types of businesses that cater to the development and the broader neighborhood. It’s creating that all-in-one experience … and having it be your shopping and service destination.”
Tags: D1 TrainingDawley Farm VillageLloyd Cos.The Carlton at Dawley
