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fter a stint as a professional
wrestler with WWE, Devin
Driscoll returned to Knox-
ville and opened Next Level Train-
ing in 2008. The facility focuses on
providing advanced, personalized
training to young athletes.
’ÄúThere was this huge hole in per-
formance enhancement training in
the area,’Äù says Driscoll. ’ÄúThere had
been a couple facilities that were
around that, in my opinion, were
very watered-down products.’Äù
Throughout the past several years,
Next Level Training has grown into a
seven-figure business with a 21,000
square foot facility off Lovell Road.
Fifteen trainers work year-round
with football, basketball, and base-
ball players, working with them to
help improve strength, agility, flex-
ibility, and coordination.
’ÄúIf you’Äôre a top-level high school
football player in East Tennessee,
you’Äôre training at Next Level,’Äù says
Driscoll.’ÄúThat’Äôs our bread-and-butter.’Äù
Next Level also works to bring
large athletic tournaments to the
city to give local business a boost.
The NFA IMG 7v7 Tournament is the
largest 7-on-7 football tournament in
the country, a collaboration between
the National 7v7 Football Association
and global sports company IMG. The
tournament brings teams of young
players from all over the country
to the Knoxville area three times a
year now that Next Level hosts its
national qualifier.
Next Level, though, is about more
than athletics. According to Driscoll,
one of Next Level’Äôs defining features is
the degree to which trainers custom-
ize and personalize each athlete’Äôs
training experience’Äîeven helping
students navigate the college recruit-
ing process.’ÄúWe build relationships
with our athletes,’Äù says Driscoll.
’ÄúWhen I got married, all my ushers
were athletes that I had trained. I have
kids that come here after school, train,
and stay here for three or four hours.
They do their homework, hang out.’Äù
Next Level also fosters relation-
ships among its athletes. Though
these athletes play against each
other on the field, Driscoll tries
to encourage a non-competitive,
friendly atmosphere among his
athletes and a spirit of what he calls
’ÄúTeam Next Level.’Äù
’ÄúI have kids that would never be
friends, would never converse, if it
weren’Äôt for Next Level,’Äù says Driscoll.
’ÄúThe biggest thing here is when
you’Äôre in our doors, when you’Äôre
part of Team Next Level, there’Äôs no
competition inside those walls. It’Äôs
competition with yourself.’Äù
Connor Sears
is a Knoxville native now
studying journalism at Northwestern Univer-
sity. He started working with
Cityview
in the
summer of 2012 as an editorial intern.
Next Level Training
Location:
11210 Outlet Drive, Suite 8-9
Owner/Founder:
Devin Driscoll
’ÄúHome base’Äù facility:
21,000 sq ft
Website:
Twitter slogan:
#teamnextlevel
Specialty staff:
On-hand nutritionist,
on-hand physical therapist, quarterback
coach, line coach
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