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World Series Champion Mike Roose opening sports training facility in Gulf Breeze

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World Series Champion Mike Roose opening sports training facility in Gulf Breeze

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Former MLB coach and Airforce veteran Mike Roose opened a new athletic training facility in Gulf Breeze under national fitness franchise D1 Training with the goal of helping local families and athletes achieve their goals while simultaneously providing support for their needs.

“As a coach, you’re not just teaching the sport’s skills, you’re teaching them how to believe in themselves more than they do,” Roose said. “I had the dream, I just want to be able to give it back. I want to share my knowledge and my experiences.”

D1 Training is a fitness concept with 18 operating and incoming locations across Florida. The new fitness facility opened Monday in Suite 107A at 3335 Gulf Breeze Parkway.

Members work with people more than machines in a functional-training setting that’s led by workouts based on sports science, such as using the sprawling turf floor to train things like speed and jumping. The instruction is formatted in a way that emulates training for a collegiate athlete in a Division I program.

People of any age can train at D1 Training and it won’t be restricted to athletes. Both one-on-one training and group activities are available as well.

“We’re really excited about D1 because it fits what we believe in and our values. I think we’re really going to be able to impact a lot of people,” he continued.

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After returning from four combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, Roose earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science at Florida State University in 2009.

He’s been in the sports performance industry ever since training athletes in strength and conditioning, and during his tenure with the Boston Red Sox Minor League affiliate, Roose played a key role in the development of MLB stars like Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts. His contributions culminated in a World Series Ring in 2013. Recognized for his skills, Roose was promoted to the Red Sox in 2016, where he secured another World Series ring in 2018.

“It was life changing for me (when) the military leadership wrapped around me, so I wanted to be that,” Roose said. “As soon as I got with the Red Sox I knew I was where I wanted to be. I wanted to be a positive impact on young people.”

Shortly after leaving the Red Sox, Roose took a job with Air Force Special Operations, which led him to Herbert Field.

“After the 2021 season I resigned from the Red Sox so that I could be home more and raise my family … the professional sports lifestyle seems glamorous, but it can be really demanding on families,” he said.

Despite the transition from coaching professionals to amateurs, Roose said he’s found a new kind of joy in seeing his young players learn new concepts while playing and training.

He’s currently coaching multiple youth sports right now, including the respective teams that his two children are playing on.

“We really want this to have a community feel to it. We want to be able to serve the families right here,” Roose said.  

The rest of the team at D1 Training shares a similar sentiment.

Allie Luster-Williams will be the head strength coach at D1 Training in Gulf Breeze and was a dual-sport athlete during high school where she played softball and basketball.

“This field gives us the unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on instilling values like perseverance, resilience and teamwork,” Luster-Williams said. “We really want to build a community and the community aspect is significant, I think, because fitness can bring people together fostering support, comradery and just mutual growth.”

She attended the University of Mobile on a softball scholarship for two years until a career-ending hip injury, which was a catalyst for her “falling in love” with the strength and conditioning aspect of being an athlete.

After transferring to Auburn University and finishing an internship with the strength and conditioning staff of its women’s basketball program, Luster-Williams eventually began coaching at Birmingham’s D1 Training location.

She’s been in Pensacola for two years now and coached at EXOS in the meantime, where she was able to train professional athletes and military personnel while also participating in events like the NFL combine.

Now returning to D1 Training, she’s motivated to help the general population reach their fitness goals.

“Just being in this industry has taught me a lot about myself, but also about how we can change a lot of lives,” she continued.

Luster-Williams said setting an example for girls who may look up to her, or women in her field, was another key aspect for her path.

“I think it’s another big reason why I do what I do,” she said. “Being a mentor and having a relationship with somebody outside of the gym, just checking in constantly making sure not only their physical health is in the right place but also their mental health.”

Devin Brown will be an assistant strength coach and is also a former athlete. He recently completed his Sports Performance graduate program at UWF and is excited to help others with fitness after working in collegiate sports for the past few years.

“I fell in love with that process and trying to help others reach their goals of performing well throughout the entire season,” Brown said.

Brown said that his time with UWF’s baseball coaches helped him better understand the purpose behind strength and conditioning for athletes as well as how it can impact their health.

D1 Training of Gulf Breeze is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday, according to the facility’s website. For more information visit d1training.com/gulf-breeze/.

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