After fielding numerous requests for training and workout advice, former athlete Will Bartholomew decided to open his own training facility in 2002. The result was D1 Sports Training in Nashville, Tenn.
Three years later, with expansion on the horizon, he put in a call to an old teammate from The University of Tennessee -- Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.
"Peyton is known for his training, and he wanted to be a part of something that inspires people to take care of their bodies," said Bartholomew. "It was a natural fit."
Together they opened a new center in Knoxville, and Manning is now a partner in all three of D1's Tennessee facilities, including Nashville and a third location in Chattanooga.
D1 Sports Training's success is two-fold: Collectively, the three Tennessee facilities train more than 1,000 athletes, and around 200 have gone on to receive Division One athletic scholarships. From a business perspective, the multimillion-dollar company has been named to the "Nashville Business Journal's" Future 50 list of fast-growing companies three times.
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