MVP Athlete Training Center and Sports Complex set to open in Stephenville in October.
Updated: Sep 8, 2021
Shane Freels’ passion for health and wellness, has led him to a long and successful career in the fitness industry.
The certified personal trainer who has worked with Dallas Cowboys stars Roy Williams, Daryl Johnston and Marcus Spears and Dallas Mavericks Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop and Dirk Nowitzki is now bringing his knowledge back to his hometown of Stephenville.
I sat down with Shane last week to talk about his new venture and take a tour of the MVP Athlete Training Center and Sports Complex located at 3058 W. Washington Street (next to Baby Clay’s Meat Market).
The impressive complex boasts a 25,000 square-foot artificial turf field where athletes will take part in adult and youth soccer, flag football and futsal leagues as well as boot camps and weekend fitness camps.
There is also a 600 square foot training studio with a covered outdoor patio that will include a sound system and big screen televisions.
The top-of-the-line equipment includes a manual Woodway Curve Treadmill.
“This is the treadmill that only professional athletes will train on,” Shane said. “It’s designed to increase speed and performance.”
The complex is still not complete, but it’s expected to open in October.
League signups will begin Sept. 1 when the facility’s new website launches.
“I am excited to finally see my vision turn into a reality,” Shane told Beneath the Surface News. “My goal is to make this a community-based facility that centers on movement, health, wellness and fun.”
Shane says he plans to work with sports and rodeo athletes of all ages – from youth to those playing at the collegiate level.
“I will focus on the athlete and let coaches coach the skill,” he said. “I know I can help every athlete in the areas of speed, strength, flexibility, reaction, power, balance and core development.”
Shane says he has a passion to get kids moving, but also enjoys working with adults.
“The one thing that we have control over is our health, and when people are fit and healthy and taking care of themselves, everything in their lives improves,” he said.
THOSE LIFELONG LESSONS
Shane is a former Yellow Jacket football standout who went on to play at Abilene Christian University for three years.
His father Mike Freels died in a car accident in 1995.
After his father’s passing, Shane moved back to Stephenville to be near his family and finished his studies at Tarleton State University where he graduated with a degree in kinesiology.
He had always planned to follow his father’s footsteps into dentistry, but after the accident, shifted his focus to the fitness industry.
He credits his father for that decision.
“He taught me that anything is possible if you are willing to put in the effort,” Shane said. “He had me running football drills in the backyard when I was in sixth grade.
“I pulled tractor and truck tires through a field and would hang on the back of a truck to learn to run faster.”
He says the unconventional training has had a lasting impact.
“It set me up for success,” he said. “I tell my own kids that whatever they choose to do in life to make sure they love doing it from the time they get up until the time they go to bed.”
AN UNWAVERING PASSION FOR WELLNESS
At 46, Shane’s lifelong passion for health and wellness is as strong as ever.
“People think I live in the gym, but I don’t,” he said. “I do everything in moderation. Nutrition is key, a workout is bonus.”
His three-dimensional training also includes a focus on mental health.
“Mental health is a huge topic and helping athletes deal with that is part of why I want this to be fun and inviting for everyone,” he said.
You can reach Shane by calling 469-766-2232 or emailing Shane@freelstyle.com.
Stay tuned for more on Stephenville’s new MVP Athlete Training Center and Sports Complex when league signups get underway.
