Jarrod Jones and Lazeric Jones both had a dream of opening their own gyms.
Both grew up around Merrillville, and both played for the Sacramento Kings where they met. Later they reconnected in Monaco while playing basketball there.
Now they both will own and operate D1 Training of Merrillville. It will open Jan. 2 at 1627 E. 80th Ave.
D1 Training is a fitness facility that uses a training regimen backed by sports science and led by certified trainers. They will offer group classes and individual training sessions.
The friends want to help youth meet their athletic goals, just like they did. After hearing that D1 Training helps athletes of all ages, they knew this was the facility they wanted to offer to the Merrillville community.
“Lazeric and I have had the opportunity to play on two teams together throughout our basketball careers,” Jarrod Jones said in a press release. “By taking the skills we learned from basketball, on and off the court, we’re confident in our ability to own and operate a successful D1 Training location.”
D1 Merrillville offers four age-based programs, including rookie for ages 7 to 11, developmental for ages 12 to 14, prep ages 15 to 18 and adult. The goal is to continue training athletes dedicated to their sport or fitness goals, regardless of age or athletic background.
“We look forward to offering scholastic-aged kids in the Merrillville area a chance to succeed while supporting adults in achieving their fitness goals,” Jarrod Jones said.
D1 Training Merrillville will be open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays. Learn more about their programming here.
Founded in 2001 by former NFL player Will Bartholomew, D1 Training is based in Nashville. It has more than 85 locations, with over 200 additional locations in development. They recently were named a Top 30 Gym in America by “Men’s Health Magazine.”
