Former WVU football player opens gym in Nutter Fort

“Everything that you could have in a sports-specific training venue, I have right here,” Brown said.

Brown worked with athletes at the Pro Performance Athletic Training Facility in Morgantown for four years.

Now, he has created a similar venue in Nutter Fort.

Ranging in age from 6 to 62, Brown’s pupils include student athletes, at-risk youth, schoolteachers, marathon runners and fitness buffs.

They all rave about the results they’ve achieved through his sport-specific personal training and fitness classes.

Susan Congi of Bridgeport takes advanced adult fitness courses with Brown.

She has lost 55 lbs. after working with Brown for one year at his former location.

“It doesn’t matter where Wes goes, I’ll follow,” she said.

Another adult fitness class member, Melinda Mack, has been working with Brown since August of 2012.

A frequent 5K runner, she is now training for the Decker’s Creek Trail Half Marathon.

“I’ve never had muscles before and now I do,” she said.

Several student-athletes said their performance had improved, both in sports and in the classroom, while working with Brown.

Alicia Noble, a senior at Robert C. Byrd High School, said Brown pushed her to realize her full potential.

She participates in volleyball, basketball and softball.

“I started training with Wes the spring of my sophomore year and I’ve trained with him ever since,” she said. “It has made all the difference in my performance.”

In addition to prepping student-athletes in the off-season, Brown also runs a mentorship program with local schools.

With the new facility in Nutter Fort, he hopes to expand that program.

“I’ve been around these kids enough to know they have nothing to do,” he said. “I’d rather they come here than stay in the streets.”

Several youth turned out for the grand opening.

“All these kids have at least a 2.8 GPA right now,” Brown said. “Some of them had a 1.0 when I met them.”

Moe Hython, one of Brown’s longtime clients, now plays football at Fairmont State University.

“I’ve come a long way with Wes,” Hython said. “He’s kind of like my second dad.”

“I got in a lot of trouble,” he said. “I don’t even think I would have got out of high school if it wasn’t for him.”

A.J. Brewer, an eighth grade student at Washington Irving Middle School, now runs track and plays football and basketball.

“I first met (Brown) when I was in ISS and he was like, ‘you look like an athlete,’” he said.

Brewer said that Brown taught him “once you start, you don’t stop.”

“If you do, there are consequences,” he added.

Gino Messenger, another eighth grader at WI, plays baseball, football and basketball.

“I started wanting to be better,” he said. “I’ve gotten faster and stronger and kept out of trouble.”

Tre Cox, a senior football player at Robert C. Byrd, said he used to be a little hard-headed.

If Brown hadn’t taken him on as a pupil, “I would have had horrible grades and probably not graduated high school,” he said.

Brown said he feels a personal responsibility to motivate local youth.

“I come from the bottom,” he said.

He said he hopes area youth who face difficult home lives and lack of opportunity will see him as a role model.

Nutter Fort city council members said the gym is a welcome addition to the area.

“I think it’ll do a lot for the kids,” Nutter Fort city recorder Sam Maxson said. “They need something to do.”

The city will do whatever it can to help promote, according to city council member Bill Benincosa.

“Our little town’s a giving town,” he said. “Anytime a new business, even the old businesses, call for our help, we always give it.”

Brown said he appreciates the support.

“It’s going to take a community effort to keep these kids off the streets,” he said.

Gorilla Strength and Fitness is located at 2C Cherry Drive in Nutter Fort.

More information is available at gorillastrengthsports.com.

Staff writer Erin Beck can be reached at (304)626-1439 or by email at ebeck@exponent-telegram.com