As leader of new Sanford POWER Grand Forks, Anthony Morando wants to push clients through barriers
Jul. 16—While receiving North Dakota's Rough Rider Award during a ceremony at Ralph Engelstad Arena earlier this week, Grand Forks' Olympic hockey stars Jocelyne and Monique Lamoureux thanked Anthony Morando for taking their strength and conditioning to a new level in their third Olympic Games.
The twins said without Morando, a certified strength coach who's married to Monique, they probably wouldn't have the gold medal they earned in 2018 in PyeongChang, South Korea.
Later in the week, it was Morando's turn in the spotlight, as he'll be the new leader at recently announced Sanford POWER Grand Forks, which is constructing a facility near Scheels in the Columbia Mall. The facility is expected to open in the fall.
Taking an athlete's performance to a new level is what Morando envisions at Sanford POWER Grand Forks.
"We're not a gym, it's a performance center, so we're here to improve performance in multiple stages of life," Morando said. "We're highly qualified nationally. We have a lot of experience in what we do. We're a place that wants to improve performance so people have a better life. They're not necessarily trying to look good but feel good and want to be a better parent or spouse.
"We want to push athletes through barriers, whether that's getting a scholarship or getting on a (hockey) line they weren't making. Maybe it's extra money in the professional setting because they're in better shape. It all depends on what we're working with. I can speak with confidence that people can come in here and train for their route of capacity."
From a technical, formal standpoint, the goal of Sanford POWER is to improve athletic performance by stressing the principles of proper functional movement through customized programming based on an individual's specific needs.
According to Sanford, the integrated focus of the professional staff can help maximize an athlete's potential improvement with their strength, speed, power and agility. In addition, Sanford POWER has the resources to identify those keys components of nutrition, hydration and biomechanics to deliver the most comprehensive program available while reducing the incidence of injury.
Sanford POWER has locations in Fargo, Bismarck, Bemidji, Sioux Falls and Irvine, Calif.
"Each town is a little different," Morando said. "Grand Forks will have some similarity to Fargo and Bismarck but it'll also live in its own little being."
When asked on what ages Sanford POWER is for, Morando said it runs the spectrum.
"They'll say we want 6 to 66," Morando said. "We want long-term service for an individual and our vessel is fitness."
Morando said the facility is unique in that it partners with physical therapy.
"I like to call it a collaboration to guide the rehability process for injuries," Morando said.
Morando was the Boston University strength and conditioning coach from 2011 to 2015.
"I'm excited," he said. "I have a great opportunity, having lived here for four years. It was an opportunity I couldn't say no to. From a career standpoint, it's a great move for me. I also get to continue to do what I set out to do since I graduated college in 2007 and that's be a high-level operator in the field of strength and conditioning. That's what I'm excited to do.
"I did it on the East Coast and thrived and loved it out there. Now, I get to do it in a community I really care about. It's a win-win. I value the relationships I have here and that's what's most important to me."
Morando said the facility will be a great service for the community.
"I want to be able to steer the ship in the right direction, where we're continuing to grow as a business and a health system for Sanford," he said. "I want to keep over-delivering and eventually you'll grow."