April 29, 2024

This paid piece is sponsored by GreatLIFE Golf & Fitness.

In a few weeks, school resource officer Matt Vander Velde will transition from his role at Axtell Park to an overnight shift patrolling Sioux Falls neighborhoods.

But as his workday winds down and the sun starts coming up, a round of golf likely will be ahead.

“I usually go straight to the golf course when I’m done,” said Vander Velde, who has been a GreatLIFE member since it began more than a decade ago.

That typically puts him at Willow Run Golf Course before 7 a.m., and he says you’d be surprised how much company he has.

“There’s a pretty good number of people who try to get out there,” he said. “People will do nine holes at 6:30 a.m. and get to work by 8 a.m., and I’m certain people similar to me have different hours of work and work overnights.”

Vander Velde acknowledges that he takes his game seriously – and thanks to GreatLIFE’s unlimited model, he can play as many rounds as he wants.

“It’s been overwhelmingly positive,” he said. “I’m out there probably seven days a week. I will go to Bakker Crossing once in awhile, Hartford once in awhile. We’ve been to Worthington and Vermillion, but predominantly I’ll do Willow Run.”

Occasionally, he’ll also include a workout at Willow Run’s attached fitness center.

But, more likely, he and his wife, Theresa, a longtime special education teacher at Anne Sullivan Elementary, will go to the 26th Street GreatLIFE gym together near their home on the east side of Sioux Falls.

“We like our gym because it’s close to our house,” she said. “When it’s nice, I walk there and do my lifting and continue and walk further or walk home. And we love the people who work there. They’re just friendly, and they have been for years.”

The Vander Veldes work out almost daily, a mix of cardio and strength training.

“It’s just been really good for us,” she said. “We both feel healthier, and it’s a good way to relieve stress. When I don’t work out for a couple days, I know I need to get there because you can tell your stress level is needing it. And the people make all the difference. It’s like a little community of people you can talk to or ask questions.”

Their lifestyle is a good example of what GreatLIFE can offer its members, vice president of fitness Randall Hill said.

“When you’re working in a role like a police officer or teacher, staying active has so many benefits. These are physically and emotionally demanding jobs, and being able to get in a workout or round of golf whenever it works for you is key,” he said. “We’re thankful for how the Vander Veldes have served our community and been a part of our GreatLIFE community for years.”

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