All posts by Cris Greer

Training center helping more athletes through Midwest United Football Club

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Local Business, West Michigan, WKTV Featured sports, WKTV Journal In Focus, , , ,

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 co-owner Daimond Dixon stands alongside portraits of visiting athletes. (Philip Janowski)

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.

Athletes train in Alpha Human Performance’s open turf area. (Philip Janowski)

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.

Alpha Human Performance co-owner Daimond Dixon (lower right) trains athletes at his facility on 3233 Eastern Ave. (Philip Janowski)

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

City of Kentwood announces summer road projects

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood

By WKTV Staff

greer@wktv.org



The City of Kentwood has announced its tentative road construction and maintenance schedule for the summer.

The $3.02 million reconstruction, resurfacing and maintenance program – approved by the City Commission  – includes improvements to approximately 30 miles of major and local roads. Work is expected to begin in June and be completed by the end of October. 



Planned street reconstruction, resurfacing and maintenance projects include:

  • Full reconstruction of Burton Street from East Paris Avenue to Patterson Avenue. 
  • Full reconstruction of Jefferson Avenue from 44th Street to Montebello Street.
  • Other preventative street maintenance work throughout Kentwood, including routine street marking, crack sealing and patching.

Message boards on major streets will give drivers advance notice of when closures will begin.

“We’re grateful for the support of residents and local businesses as we work to improve and maintain this critical infrastructure,” Kentwood City Engineer Brad Boomstra said. “Quality roads are essential for public safety. Recognizing the disruption road construction can cause, crews will work hard to minimize impact on our community.”

The full reconstruction project on Burton Street will begin in July and include narrowing the existing roadway pavement for the construction of a new non-motorized trail on the north side of the street. In addition, the street will receive new concrete curb and gutter, new concrete driveway approaches and new asphalt pavement surface on the roadway.

City of Kentwood Summer Street Resurfacing and Rehabilitation Map.

For a majority of the project, Burton Street through traffic will be maintained in both directions. Eventually, eastbound traffic will be detoured from East Paris Avenue to Sparks Drive to Forest Hill Avenue and from East Paris Avenue to 28th Street to Patterson Avenue.


The Jefferson Avenue project will begin in June and include new concrete curb and gutter, new concrete sidewalks and driveway approaches, new asphalt pavement surface on the roadway, repairs to the storm sewer system and new watermain installation. During construction, Jefferson will remain open to residents and their visitors. While through traffic will be maintained with one lane, drivers are encouraged to seek alternate routes to avoid traffic delays.

Property owners affected by the Burton, Jefferson and East Paris projects were informed by letter. Mail deliveries and trash pickups will not be disrupted.


Patching and crack sealing work will take place on several neighborhood streets in June to prepare them for cape sealing in August. Cape sealing is designed to create a smooth surface with increased durability. Cape seal projects take two non-consecutive days, with the cape seal treatment requiring up to a few hours to dry before being ready for traffic.


Homeowners in the neighborhoods where these projects will take place will be informed by letter. Residents are asked to drive slowly during the road work and follow the crew’s instructions for the best access to their homes. On-street parking will not be allowed during cape sealing.

Resurfacing of East Paris Avenue from 28th Street to 36th Street began in May. The Michigan Department of Transportation project includes new pavement. While there are intermittent lane closures, northbound traffic is being maintained throughout the project. Drivers traveling south are encouraged to seek an alternate route or follow the posted detour from 28th Street to Patterson Avenue to 36th Street. The work is scheduled to be completed in October.

The street reconstruction, resurfacing and maintenance projects are funded through the Michigan Transportation Fund, which is supported by taxes on the sale of gasoline and diesel fuel as well as fees collected by the Secretary of State for vehicle registrations.

The City’s road maintenance decisions are made based on ratings from the annual Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating system, or PASER, as well as other data. PASER provides a basis for comparing the quality of roadway segments and uses a 1-10 rating system for road pavement conditions based on visual inspections.

Kentwood maintains one of the highest-rated major street networks in Kent County, according to data compiled by the Grand Valley Metro Council that is based on PASER ratings.

 

Last year, the city invested in improvements to 30 miles of major and local roads. Major streets included in the 2021 reconstruction, resurfacing and maintenance program were:

  • Andover, Lyles, Heyboer, Blaine, Brinks and 51st streets.
  • 32nd Street from Breton Avenue to Shaffer Avenue.

For more information, including a map of street resurfacing and repairs, visit kentwood.us/construction. Drivers can subscribe to be notified when construction updates are added to the City’s website and also receive updates via Facebook and Twitter.

 

 

East Kentwood varsity dance team gets noticed nationally

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Kentwood Public Schools, Recreation, Sports, WKTV Journal Sports Connection


By Cris Greer
WKTV Managing Editor

After overcoming some obstacles this season, the East Kentwood varsity dance team rose to the top with many awards and honors.

Soon before their national championships in February in Orlando, the students learned their flight was overbooked and it was time for Plan B. With no other options, the team drove 18 hours to Florida to make it just in time for the semifinals and compete with the nation’s best teams in the 2022 Dance Team Union National Championship.

Both the jazz and hip hop teams reached the finals, and earned 15th and fourth place, respectively. 


Coach Kat Albertson (far left) and her East Kentwood varsity dance team proudly show off their two trophies at the 2022 Dance Team Union National Championship in February in Orlando. (courtesy)

“It was a great feeling to be recognized among the best teams in the country,” said EK coach Kat Albertson, who coached the Falcons for four years and is now pursuing coaching at the collegiate level. “Luckily, this was the most hard-working and determined group of student-athletes I’ve ever had the privilege of coaching. They were all so eager to prove to themselves, and to their school, that not only is the dance team at East Kentwood one of the best in Michigan, but also that dance team is a sport.

“We had incredible success this past year due to the team’s hard work, dedication and the positive team culture we built together. We were undefeated in hip hop this year, won the grand champion award at every local competition (registered the highest scoring dance in the entire competition), and won two regional championships for the first time in program history.”

Albertson said her team captain, junior Saniya Harvey, is an “exceptional dancer and leader.”

Check out the dance team’s performance at the national championship by clicking here.

“We lost five incredible seniors in 2021 and only had five returning members for the new year,” continued Albertson, whose assistant coach was EK dance alum Brooklyn Smithers, a freshman at GVSU. “We were uncertain if we’d be able to have ample time to create a family-like bond with so many new members, get our technique where it needed to be, and to reach the level of excellence that our past teams had been able to do. 

“It’s taken a really long time for us to get the recognition that we deserve, and I think that has truly been the most fulfilling thing that we’ve seen come out of this year.”

Feeding America West Michigan launches new campaign with $2 million gift from Meijer

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, Food, Going Local, Health, Local Business, Local Food, , ,
An artist’s rendering of the new Feeding America West Michigan facility at 3070 Shaffer Avenue, SE Kentwood.

By Cris Greer 
greer@wktv.org

Shortly after his organization received a significant $2 million donation from Meijer on Tuesday, Kenneth Estelle called it a beyond-expectations commitment.

“The amount of the gift is amazing,” said Estelle, president and CEO of Feeding America West Michigan. “We are not an organization that typically gets a million dollar donation or gift, so having a $2 million gift from Meijer was more than amazing.

Feeding America West Michigan President and CEO Kenneth Estelle speaks at his organization’s advancement campaign event at its new facility Tuesday in Kentwood. (WKTV)

“It really showed that we have a significant partner that believes in what we’re doing and is willing to put some significant money where the belief is.”

The $6 million advancement campaign, Nourish Tomorrow, was developed to move the food bank’s headquarters and distribution center from Comstock Park to 3070 Shaffer Avenue, SE in Kentwood. 

 

Challenges worsened by the pandemic, and a continuing effort to provide more equitable service in all its 40 counties, pushed the food bank’s current Comstock Park facility to operate beyond its capacity.   

Ultimately, this facility will enable the food bank to nearly double its food distribution to nourish more Michigan residents. 

“Meijer has supported our work for more than 30 years,” Estelle said. “They provide millions of pounds of food, donate semi-trucks and give generous financial gifts like this one.”

The campaign has raised $4.7 million over the last several months — 78 percent of its goal. To date, nearly 100 local donors, businesses and area foundations have supported the campaign, including the large gift from Meijer.  

Meijer President and CEO Rick Keyes speaks at a Feeding America West Michigan event Tuesday. (WKTV)

“We’ve been partners with Feeding America West Michigan for over 30 years, and you just see the impact and the need that’s in our community,” said Rick Keyes, president and CEO of Meijer. “The impact that they’re able to make is really incredible, so we look for partners like them. Hunger relief is at the core of some of the work we do in the community.”

Serving local families in need since 1981, Feeding America West Michigan reclaims millions of meals worth of safe, surplus food from various sources. With the help of countless volunteers, the food bank sorts, stores and distributes this food through a network of more than 700 partners to fill hundreds of thousands of neighbors’ plates instead of landfills.

The food bank’s service area consists of 40 of Michigan’s 83 counties from the Indiana border north through the Upper Peninsula. For more information, visit FeedWM.org or call 616-784-3250.