By Philip Janowski
WKTV Contributing Writer
Local husband and wife business owners Daimond Dixon and Regina Russell-Dixon have landed a big win with their training company.
Alpha Human Performance, located at 3233 Eastern Ave., has been named the official Preferred Sport Performance Training Partner for the Midwest United Football Club. That’s the football that’s commonly known as soccer.
Alpha Human Performance (Alpha for short) trains athletes from a variety of sports, including American football, basketball, softball, swimming and volleyball.
“We are excited to get the opportunity to help so many soccer players reach their potential,” said Daimond, who was a walk-on member of the University of Miami 1991 national championship football team. “Our programs use various methods of training along with cutting edge technology while focusing on our Four Pillars: Mindset, Training, Performance and Recovery.”
As Director of Operations, Daimond is responsible for training and Alpha’s fitness programs. Regina, a GVSU grad with a business degree, runs the administrative and business side of the company. The couple met in Michigan and has been together for nearly 20 years.
“Going into business with my wife was great; she’s very smart,” said Daimond, who played more than a decade of minor league football for several Midwest teams. “She set up the entire business side. I know training, I know performance. I’ve done it for two-and-a-half decades.
“So, we came together and crafted out an ideal formula for how we can take the training and actually make it into a business.”
Daimond began his training career in 1995, and since then has worked with teams and individuals at every level from high school to the professionals. Today, Alpha collaborates with local businesses such as Athleta, Clean Juice and Xtreme Cryo.
Becoming a Preferred Sport Performance Training Partner means offering direct training to Midwest United Football Club members. Alpha has become the standard for how Midwest United trains its athletes, and Midwest’s teams will be coming to Alpha to train.
Midwest United, which began in 1990 under the moniker GRASA (Grand Rapids Area Soccer Association), was the first youth select soccer club in Grand Rapids. The initial registration was 60 players from around the area and it was from these humble beginnings that it has evolved into one of the Midwest’s top clubs.
Alpha’s 6,500 square foot facility includes several options and opportunities for training. A Full Strength area includes up-to-date strength training and conditioning equipment. The open turf area is dedicated to movement-based training and sports performance. Upstairs is the recovery lounge, providing the latest tools for rest from the rigors of training and performance.
Motivation and mindset are key parts of Alpha’s training. Alpha works with a journaling program called Win the Mental Game, a journal for athletes. Mindset involves building a competitive mindset, and being aware moment-by-moment during a game.
“It’s all about intrinsic motivation,” Daimond summarized. Alpha isn’t about traditional training where athletes are constantly given orders on what to do next. Athletes should be motivated to pursue better and better personal performance by their own energy.
Notable local athletes that Alpha has trained include NBA players Xavier Tillman of Michigan State and the Memphis Grizzlies, as well as Duane Washington Jr. of Ohio State and the Indiana Pacers. American Football player Mike Brown of the Minnesota Vikings has worked with Alpha, and in volleyball Aubrey O’Gorman of Michigan State.
Alpha offers programs for non-athletes as well, in Adult Performance Programs. Classes are similar to those that the pros follow, with an easier start, of course.
“It’s about human performance,” Daimond said. “Push, pull, rotate, squat, lunge. We train in things which every single person needs. Before you’re an athlete, you’re a human. We all do the same things.”
Daimond noted that he trained a lot of area trainers when they were kids.
“My wife says I should get a shirt that says ‘I trained your trainers’.”
For more information on Alpha, log on to alpha-hp.com
