Sleepy Eye ONLINE www.sleepyeyeonline.comwww.sleepyeyeonline.com [email protected]@sleepyeyeonline.com One Stop Hometown Information Center This story sponsored by Southpoint Federal Credit Union

Bryan Milliard had the Bryan as a member of experience of a lifetime Making a video with Todd Durkin the 2007 Knights state working at Fitness Quest baseball championship 10 team Bryan Milliard Interns with Top Trainer Todd Durkin

This past summer, Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s graduate “When I arrived at FQ10, I was in awe when I first Bryan Milliard headed out to San Diego, California to met Todd because I knew how big of a figure he is in take part in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. the fitness industry,” explained Bryan. “Once I got to Bryan, an Exercise Science major at Winona State know him I realized that he is just a regular guy that University, needed a 600-hour internship in order to has achieved his success through hard work and complete his undergraduate degree. Two common enthusiasm for his profession.” occupations that Exercise Science majors often pursue Bryan’s main job as an intern was to help out with are either personal training positions in a fitness the athletic camps that were put on for high school facility or a strength and conditioning position at a sports teams in the area. Bryan was also fortunate University or sports- performance facility. Bryan knew enough to help Todd train some of his higher profile that he wanted to gain experience in sports clients. performance, so it was just a matter of finding the One of Todd’s more consistent clients is New right fit. Orleans Saints , whom he’s “I applied for some internships in the Twin Cities trained for the past 9 years. Every summer, Todd area thinking that it was the most likely scenario for takes Drew out to a local high school football field to me,” said Bryan “I also applied to an elite performance put him through a variety of drills. Drew then began facility, Fitness Quest 10 in San Diego, CA. I had inviting other NFL and college-level players out to the nothing to lose by applying, even though I didn’t think field with him. Some of the athletes that participated I had much of a chance.” in the workouts included Carson Palmer, Darren To Bryan’s surprise, he did hear back from Fitness Sproles, Terrell Owens, Gerald McCoy, Chase Daniel, Quest 10. After a few interviews over the phone and Greg Camarillo, and numerous other players. face-to-face interviews through Skype, he was “It was really cool being able to talk to and help accepted into the program. those guys train,” said Bryan. “You just don’t get Fitness Quest 10 is a health and human exposure like that in a small town.” performance facility run by Todd Durkin. Todd has Bryan didn’t exactly get started off on the right trained dozens of athletes, including XLIV foot, however. MVP Drew Brees, Super Bowl XLV champion Aaron “One of the tight ends asked me to throw him a Rodgers, former NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson, and football,” explained Bryan. “I threw the ball to him, many other athletes from the NFL, NBA and but it ended up going over his head and hitting Drew professional baseball. Brees in the throwing shoulder.”

10/01/2012 Sleepy Eye ONLINE www.sleepyeyeonline.comwww.sleepyeyeonline.com [email protected]@sleepyeyeonline.com One Stop Hometown Information Center This story sponsored by Southpoint Federal Credit Union

“He turned his head, looked at me, and smiled “The main message I want to share with while saying ‘that’s alright, I can take it’. It was everyone,” said Bryan, “is that just because you grow embarrassing at the time, but it’s definitely something up in a small town, doesn’t mean that you can’t go I’ll always remember,” continued Bryan. after experiences that could possibly be life-changing. “I also learned very quickly that catching passes Living out in San Diego for the summer and being from Drew Brees and Carson Palmer looks much around highly-motivated, successful people, has easier on TV. After about 10 minutes with them I definitely made a huge impact on my life. Both from couldn’t feel my hands.” a professional and personal standpoint I will have Not only did Bryan enjoy his time with the elite those memories, connections, and experiences athletes, but he also had the opportunity to help forever.” Durkin teach some of his classes at a fitness (Bryan is a 2007 graduate of St. Mary’s High convention in San Diego. It was one of the biggest School - he was the starting pitcher in the 2007 Class fitness conventions in the nation with over 3,000 A State Baseball Championship game and was also a fitness professionals at attendance. member of the Knights 2005 and 2006 state qualifying “Todd was one of the keynote speakers at ‘IDEA basketball teams. He scored his 1,000 career point in World Convention’. I had the opportunity to help him basketball in his senior season.) train 400 people at one time on the deck of the USS Midway,” said Bryan. “It was full of energy and excitement as Todd is the master at getting people Watch a Video clip of Bryan with Todd Durkin pumped up and working hard”. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQFK4izyZPs&fehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQFK4izyZPs&fe Bryan’s internship experience ended August ature=player_embedded) 31st and he has been back home in Sleepy Eye for the past couple weeks. He recently accepted a personal Bryan’s fitness blog is: www.bryanmilliard.wordpress.comwww.bryanmilliard.wordpress.com training job in Maple Grove, MN and begins his new job October 1. Bryan’s facebook page is: Bryan has also created a facebook page and www.facebook.com/bryanmilliardwww.facebook.com/bryanmilliard fitness blog to share some of the health and fitness information he learned during his internship experience at Fitness Quest 10. Sleepy Eye ONLINE thanks Tim Milliard for his contribution to this story