Norton Healthcare has opened a comprehensive sports performance and health and wellness facility unlike any other in the region.

Story by: Joe Hall on January 26, 2022

Norton Healthcare has opened a comprehensive sports performance and health and wellness facility unlike any other in the region. The new Norton Sports Health Performance & Wellness Center offers state-of-the-art technology and training for elite and high school athletes, as well as programming and workout space for casual exercisers and those new to fitness.

The center, located at 9451 Westport Road near Hurstbourne Parkway in Louisville, replaces the facility at Sycamore Station Place. The 40,000-square-foot center is more than double the size of the former location and represents more than a $1 million investment.

While the previous facility focused mostly on training and development programs for high-level athletes, the new location also will offer a more traditional gym with cardio equipment, weight machines and classes for the general public. Seniors will have access to the facility through their Medicare SilverSneakers memberships. There also will be programming for high school athletes, including team training, strength and conditioning.

“From training the professional athlete to supporting someone exercising for the first time, Norton Sports Health is here to help make your fitness journey a success,” said Russell F. Cox, president and CEO, Norton Healthcare. “We believe this unique space will open up a new level of fitness to this community while also attracting elite athletes from around the country.”

The Norton Sports Health Performance & Wellness Center also offers access to professional trainers and rehab space for those recovering from a variety of orthopedic injuries. Norton Healthcare plans to build out additional space in the facility for a variety of orthopedic specialists from Norton Orthopedic Institute and Norton Children’s Orthopedics of Louisville so athletes of all ages can receive on-site treatment. Other medical practices may also be added in the future.

“Norton Sports Health is unique because we’re able to address any athlete’s needs through our multidisciplinary approach,” said Ryan J. Krupp, M.D., executive medical director, Norton Sports Health. “We have surgeons who are trained in focused areas and sports physicians who provide precise diagnoses and treatment. This facility will allow us to enhance those efforts and get athletes back to the activities they enjoy.”

The facility also is home to the new Louisville Slugger Hitting Science Center. The center features exercise scientists, who use state-of-the-art technology to analyze a wide range of baseball data points, such as a player’s swing and reaction time, and then design custom training programs to help them become better hitters. A bat fitting lab will be housed within the center, where the data collected will be used by Louisville Slugger bat experts to provide guidance and support to amateur, college and pro players on selecting bat models best suited for them.

“Our mission is to become the gold standard in baseball and fastpitch softball education and instruction,” said Chad Miller, founder of the Louisville Slugger Hitting Science Center. “We will have an authentic baseball laboratory using the latest technology to help players fine-tune their game through measurable analytics like neuro response times and other important neurological and physical factors. Numbers don’t lie, so we can identify specifically what each player needs to work on and then create individualized programs to help those athletes improve.”

Other tenants will include Pure Green, a nutrition company known for its cold-pressed superfoods, and KORT Physical Therapy.