Clarksville, TN – When Nathan Deer and Cliff Sites started Clarksville Athletic Club thirty-three years ago, it was mostly about racquetball, but over the decades, the facility has grown to become much more. In 2015, it more than doubled in size, but more importantly, CAC has built lasting relationships with thousands of Clarksvillians.
CAC’s mission statement is, “To create and maintain the best recreational, social, and fitness facility in the area, to establish a good reputation, and to become an integral part of the community.” All you have to do is tour the 70,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility, and you immediately recognize that under the leadership of Deer and his team, which now includes General Manager Brad Butler, all the goals in that original mission statement have been achieved, and the commitment to maintaining the highest standards is being honored.
“Back then, I came from the Pennyrile Racquetball Club,” Deer said. “Racquetball was the entire focus in the beginning; it was big. All these years later, racquetball is on life support. We used to have four racquetball courts; now we have two.”
That’s a statement steeped in emotion for Deer. At the height of his career as a player, his achievements included winning a national title and placing 3rd in the world. But, in fitness, like all things, time moves on, and trends change. One of the things that has kept CAC Clarksville’s top spot for fitness is Deer and his team’s ability to constantly recognize what’s coming and adapt accordingly.
In 2015, a major upgrade was undertaken. The facility went from 30,000 sf. to 70,000 sf. of fitness and recreational space, and lots of new additions were made. “We had an indoor sand volleyball court, but we took that out and expanded our weight room,” Deer said. “I personally built that outdoor volleyball court. It’s nice, but people prefer to play inside now. We added a pool and a weight room. We wanted to bring in basketball, an indoor track, and some other things.”
A host of new things were added, but so were adaptable space and flexibility, with an open mind for that next big thing that would capture the public’s imagination.
Pickleball is currently a big thing, and CAC offers open play nights in that, basketball, and volleyball. “Volleyball is actually bigger,” Deer said. “It’s huge. We have high school and college teams that like to come in and practice. A lot of our members like to play here, as well.”
As you are guided through the expansive space you can pick up on what’s important to CAC. It’s more than just a place to work out. It’s about relationships. It feels like family. Deer points to Sherry who is leading a group exercise class. “She has been with us for thirty years,” Deer said. “We have some members that have been here with us since the beginning. Some who attended our nursery as kids, now work here.”
The facility features youth programs for children ages 6 weeks to 13 years, with three distinct programs operating daily, fitness classes for ages 4 – 13 at no additional cost, and kids 10+ get complementary one-on-one fitness training to build confidence and safe exercise habits.
At CAC there is a focus on creating a positive environment where kids can develop healthy routines with their families.
Also, there is no shortage of programs and amenities for the adults. CAC boasts indoor and outdoor pools, group exercise classes and water aerobics, open-play sports – basketball, volleyball and pickleball, extensive cardio and strength training areas, and all adult members receive complementary personal training as part of their membership.
CAC puts an emphasis on high value, community accessibility, and multi-age engagement. There are areas for kids, young adults, and older adults. Whatever type of workout you are looking for, there is a good chance you will find it. But, it’s about more than just working out.
“We don’t think of ourselves as a gym, we’re an athletic club,” Deer said. “We like to take care of our members. We host a big party in the summer, at no cost to members, with music, food etc. It’s a big event. We have our own maintenance department; most facilities can’t say that. We have four locker-rooms. Each one has a sauna. Two of them have whirlpools.
“We have an area near the basketball court and one of the weight rooms that has easy outside access. We host parties there, also. There is cooking on the patio, and beer trucks parked just outside the door. Beer can be part of a healthy lifestyle,” Deer said with a smile.
Next to the basketball court, Deer points out a free-weight area. Deer continued, “In the beginning, free weights were just for bodybuilders, now it’s for all age groups. You have to have trainers, and luckily, at CAC, you get trainers with your membership, no extra charge. We’re also proud of these custom-built half-racks.”
Throughout the tour, everyone, customers and employees alike, is smiling, friendly, saying hello. You are almost certain to see someone you know. Juan Burkett is playing basketball.”I’ve been a member for two years now,” Burkett said. “I love it – the gym, the pool for the kids in the summertime. Everyone is friendly. I come in to socialize and workout with some of the guys I’ve met.”
Next to the basketball court is the Functional Training Room. It’s like working out at the playground. Deer says Functional Training helps you with everyday life.
There is a theater room, a big screen, and great sound. On weekdays, you can ride stationary bikes while watching a movie. On Sundays, sermons are given in that space.
For those who are more serious about their fitness goals, Vinny Lococo creates specialized training programs for young athletes, offering one-on-one and small-group workouts. He is also a strength/conditioning coach.
“We are Clarksville Sports Performance,” Lococo said. “We’ve been located here at CAC for almost two years. We do athletic-based strength and conditioning for adults and athletes. Programs are modifiable. We have adults who are 77 years old and ex-athletes who played in college in the same session. We pride ourselves on creating modifiable workouts. We meet people where they are in their athletic journey, so people aren’t getting hurt or being forced to do movements that aren’t a good fit for them.”But we’re just getting started. With CAC’s long and rich history, we’ve decided to make this a two-part story. In our February issue, we’ll hear from GM Brad Butler and tell you more about what is being offered at CAC. We’ll also get into more of what makes CAC unique, and what Deer and his team are looking forward to in the coming months.
