New fitness manager: ‘We’re a hidden gem’
July 10, 2019
This paid piece is sponsored by GreatLIFE Golf & Fitness.
The new fitness manager at GreatLIFE’s 39th Street and Phillips Avenue location found GreatLIFE first as a member and then realized it was a great fit for his career too.
Dustin Derry is originally from Wahpeton, N.D., and moved to Sioux Falls in seventh grade. He graduated from Roosevelt High School before attending South Dakota State University.
What made you decide on a career in the fitness industry?
I’ve always been a fitness enthusiast and have always appreciated the “family” that one develops when going to a gym for any length of time. The atmosphere always inspires me as it’s filled with motivated individuals pushing themselves to achieve a certain goal. It truly is the one place where you only get out of it what you’re willing to put into it.
How did you get connected to GreatLIFE?
As a family man, we were attracted to GreatLIFE because of their foundation of fitness, family and community. They offer so many challenging classes, provide top-notch child care and continue to strive to offer the best experiences for their members.
What do you find unique about the fitness center at 39th and Phillips?
The best way to describe 39th and Phillips is “old school.” One peek into our free-weight area will be enough to understand. From the sounds of the cast-iron plates to the airplane hangar walls to the encouragement to keep pushing yourself from fellow members, you can’t help but get chills.
We also have an upstairs area that offers classes ranging from spin to Zumba. Last but not least, we are blessed with an extremely knowledgeable staff that can help members reach their goals through personal training and nutrition advice.
What kind of experience are you hoping to create or build upon for members at your gym?
Our expectation is to offer the best training experience possible for our members. We aim to be the friendliest and the cleanest operation in town. We also offer unique group fitness classes to not only help members achieve their goals but also stay away from getting bored with their routines.
Is there anything new or anything you think people might be surprised to learn about 39th and Phillips?
The major changes we’ve made so far are members now have 24-hour access to the upstairs training areas, and we’ve brought in new equipment: competition bench and hack squat. The biggest surprise about 39th and Phillips is the sheer size of the facility. I encourage everyone to come in and check us out as we are the hidden gem of GreatLIFE.
