D1 Training has named Austin Clark as Vice President of Operations. Clark joined D1 family in 2020 as the General Manager of the brand’s flagship location in Cool Springs. He subsequently purchased his first D1 franchise, and has since become the largest franchise owner within the system with 10 locations across six different states.
Clark has a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in strength & conditioning and an MBA with an emphasis on Entrepreneurship and Global Business. Now, Clark will be stepping into his new role to help other franchise owners grow their businesses with seamless operations.
As the Vice President of Operations, Clark will be responsible for planning, directing, coordinating, and overseeing operations activities across D1 Training. He will be leading the development and implementation of efficient operations and cost-effective systems to meet current and future needs of the organization. Building on his expertise and experience as a D1 Training’s largest franchise owner, Clark aims to drive operational success and streamline current initiatives for maximum franchisee and organizational success.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to be joining such a world class leadership team and organization. It is truly humbling,” said Clark. “From working as a General Manager, to becoming a franchisee, my goal is to leverage my experiences to serve both our franchisees and franchise team to the best of my ability. As Vice President of Operations, I aim to establish and foster a collaborative and competitive high-performance culture that will quickly create solutions to problems allowing our franchisees to maximize unit-level results."
With his proven track record as a successful multi-unit franchisee, Clark is a true believer in getting perspective from the ground. From his experience as a franchisee, he is eager to leverage his wins and losses in order to optimize operations.
“We have seen an incredible amount of growth and success in Austin’s career with D1 Training, and the loyalty he has shown, paired with the performance of his facilities, confirms our beliefs that he is the right person for this role,” said D1 Training Chief Operating Officer, Dan Murphy. “As we look to the future, we are confident that Austin will positively impact our operational procedures and help push D1 forward in our collective mission to be the premier athletic training center.”
D1 Training has experienced strong same-store-sales growth year-over-year as the industry remains strong as ever, with an untapped growth potential in scholastic training. The competitive landscape of youth sports is ever changing and having access to a place like D1 - where young athletes can hone their skills – is becoming increasingly important. This paired with D1’s adult and personal training programs are providing an unmatched opportunity.
All locations offer three core training programs, Scholastic (Rookie, Developmental, Prep and Overtime), Adult and Pro. Each fitness program is based on the five athletic-based tenets: dynamic warm-up, performance, strength program, core and conditioning, and cool down. Outside of group workouts, D1 offers one-on-one training with world-class coaches.
About D1 Training
Founded in 2001 by former NFL player Will Bartholomew, and based in Nashville, D1 Training began franchising in 2017. The brand has grown to over 95 locations currently open, with over 200 additional locations in various stages of development. The brand was recently ranked in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500, was named a Top 30 Gym in America by Men’s Health Magazine, and also made an appearance on The Inc. 5000 which ranks the fastest growing private companies in the nation. D1 Training has been endorsed by the NFL Players Association as an approved training facility and is a preferred partner of the National Academy of Sports Medicine. D1 Training is actively seeking qualified, community-minded franchisees with a passion for the fitness industry to continue its growth through single and multi-unit franchise deals. For more information on D1 Training and franchise opportunities, please visit https://www.d1franchise.com/.