SIOUX CITY -- United Sports Academy executive director Shane Tritz had a simple goal for the facility, which opened its doors a little more than a year ago.
"We had expectations to provide an atmosphere for our community and for fans to come here without having to travel far," Tritz said.
The United Sports Academy provided that for those in the Sioux City area and more. In the first year, the United Sports Academy, which features four college regulation basketball/volleyball courts, has hosted a number of youth basketball and volleyball tournaments, became the home of MVP United (an AAU volleyball program) and started hosting a pickleball league. There's also a health club that is housed on the second level of the United Sports Academy.
The United Sports Academy, which is located at 300 Centennial Drive in North Sioux City in part of the former Gateway complex, gives youth programs a chance to stay in Sioux City for tournaments instead of having to travel out of town.
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"It's been a very successful year and we are looking forward to another successful year," Tritz said. "The biggest thing was providing an opportunity. Prior to the United Sports Academy, families had to travel to Omaha, Sioux Falls and beyond for opportunities for basketball and volleyball tournaments. The thing was to have those tournaments here and the money now gets spent at our gas stations and restaurants and hotels. The biggest thing was to provide this for our community."
It didn't take long for the United Sports Academy to draw a major sponsor, too. After being open for a few months, CNOS announced a partnership with the facility to become the naming sponsor of the building, which is called the CNOS Fieldhouse.
While the United Sports Academy has hosted a number of tournaments over the past year, one of the biggest events at the CNOS Fieldhouse wasn't a sporting event. In January, Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, who played for the Green Bay Packers, the New York Jets and the Minnesota Vikings, came to the CNOS Fieldhouse.
Favre's presentation drew more than 2,000 people to the CNOS Fieldhouse on Jan. 12.
The United Sports Academy is building off Favre's leadership talk and is offering a Leadership Academy for youths in grades seven to 12. The Leadership Academy is an eight-week program and will be presented by Terry Comstock, the United Sports Academy's boys' basketball program director. He is also the former boys' basketball coach at South Sioux where he led the Cardinals to a couple of state championships.
Tritz said the Leadership Academy was Comstock's idea.
"It's about the individual, nothing about on the court. It's all about character and how you carry yourself off the court," Tritz said. "We're excited to have Terry and to have him do this."
It was the first time many of the people at Favre's talk saw CNOS Fieldhouse or were exposed to the United Sports Academy. The four college regulation courts can be turned into eight youth courts and four of the courts are marked for pickleball.
Tritz said there is 125,000 square feet planned for future expansion.
In the first year, Tritz said 10 to 12 basketball and volleyball tournaments were hosted at the CNOS Fieldhouse. The first tournament held at the facility was a volleyball tournament.
The United Sports Academy also hosted a high school boys' basketball summer league and is accepting signups for the upcoming second summer season. The MVP United Volleyball Club also calls the CNOS Fieldhouse home.
"That's huge. MVP Volleyball is the premier volleyball club in the region and to serve as their host home was phenomenal," Tritz said.
The United Sports Academy has evolved from basketball and volleyball, too.
Before being hired by the United Sports Academy, Tritz had never heard of pickleball. Now Tritz has become familiar with the sport because the United Sports Academy hosts a pickleball membership. Pickleball is offered Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturdays.
"It's a rapidly growing sport and we've seen the numbers increase each month over the past year," Tritz said.
The fitness center opened on Jan. 1 and offers a health club, a yoga studio and a spin room.
The United Sports Academy is offering a Golf.Fit.U program for the first time. It allows members to have unlimited golf at Two Rivers Golf Club, a gym membership at the fitness center and the ability to participate in the open gym basketball hours at the CNOS Fieldhouse.
"It gives families the opportunity to do things together," Tritz said. "Golf together, go to the open gym together, go and work out as a family. It fits with our mission statement and with CNOS with improving health."
Tritz said the United Sports Academy isn't just an athletic facility, either. The CNOS Fieldhouse can host a number of events.
"We've kind of gotten into soccer, pickleball, Tae-Kown-Do, some after-prom parties and holiday parties," Tritz said. "We are not just an athletic complex, but we are also here for the community to enjoy. When we remove all of the hoops, we have a large space."
Tritz said it was a "phenomenal" first year for United Sports Academy and now he is looking forward to seeing what the facility can offer in the next year.
"We exceeded expectations with an array of events," Tritz said. "When you have a facility of this nature, the sky is the limit with what you can do with the community."
