Franklin boys volleyball coach Sarah Records demonstrates the proper way to serve the ball at The Training Ground in Franklin. Rob Baker | For the Daily Journal
What began as an idea is expected to measure 15,000 square feet by the time January arrives.
The Training Ground, opened in Franklin last November by Trevor Perry, is tailored to help achieve the potential of young athletes in any one of four different sports — soccer, basketball, volleyball and lacrosse.
Perry, 51, an Elkhart native who worked as a paramedic in Florida before opening a sports training business just north of Syracuse, New York, has already seen his vision grow in both numbers and reputation. His previous undertaking in upstate New York served as the ideal blueprint.
“About 10 years ago is when I started my first program,” Perry said. “They didn’t have any organized soccer training, and my own kids, I didn’t want them in that unorganized environment. I went from 13 kids to over 300 in about three years.”
The Training Ground conducts outdoor soccer and lacrosse practices at Soccer Central at Creekside Elementary School. The other sports take place at the indoor facility located at 1408 Commerce Parkway in Franklin.
Also available are classes devoted to speed and agility training, as well as soccer striking and keeper training. Perry aspires to one day be able to expand into development for baseball, softball, football and tennis.
Space shouldn’t be an issue. By the new year, some 12,000 square feet of playable surface will be available for use.
Perry presides over soccer training at The Training Ground, while Franklin boys volleyball coach Sarah Records leads the way in her sport. Basketball instruction is handled by Curt Buchanan, and Daniel Silverman is in charge of lacrosse.
“Every sport has its own director, and the director owns that program,” Perry said.
Records, who at the moment is coaching approximately 20 young volleyball players at the Training Ground, enjoys being able to get back to the grassroots aspects of the sport.
“Trevor came to me back in October and wanted me to be part of it, through the volleyball side, and we’ve been up since January,” said Records, whose players range from third-graders to incoming freshmen. “It’s been good. It’s been a minute since I’ve worked with non-high school kids. It’s taking things back to true fundamentals. It’s been fun getting back to the core of volleyball.”
Not surprisingly, boys and girls from Johnson County comprise a large percentage of The Training Ground’s current clientele. However, Perry notes that Roncalli, Franklin Central and Columbus school systems are being represented as well.
Approximately 160 student-athletes ranging from 6 to 16 years old are presently being coached in the four sports combined.
Perry is, to say the least, appreciative.
“I started Soccer Central this past October,” he said. “I started off with three kids, and getting space in colder months is hard. It started with soccer, but the more people I talked to, I heard ‘we need this for volleyball’ or ‘we need this for lacrosse.’
“The community support for what I’ve been doing is tremendous. My ultimate goal is to teach all the kids as many sports as possible so that when they get older, those coaches don’t need to teach the fundamentals.”
The Training Ground will have its grand opening in January. For more information, go to www.the-training-ground.net.
