SANFORD, NC – November 17, 2025 – A new chapter in local athletic development and community well-being officially begins this week with the grand soft launch of the SUPA Performance Center of Sanford. This no-frills, dedicated indoor training facility will directly address a long-standing and critical community need for affordable, high-quality indoor practice space for athletes of all ages, from aspiring youth to active seniors. The soft-launch of this center by Supreme Athletics (SUPA) Track Club marks not just an expansion of their acclaimed program but a profound commitment to fostering health, talent, and accessibility within Lee and Chatham County, North Carolina.
For years, the athletic landscape in the surrounding area has been plagued by a persistent problem: a severe scarcity of suitable and affordable indoor practice venues. This deficit has had far-reaching consequences, stifling the growth of youth sports organizations, limiting training opportunities during inclement weather, and disproportionately affecting smaller clubs and individual athletes who cannot bear the exorbitant costs associated with private or county-owned facilities. Reports from numerous local sports groups consistently highlighted county facility fees often exceeding $250 per hour, an astronomical sum that has effectively rendered consistent indoor practice impossible for most grassroots and non-profit youth sports initiatives.
The SUPA Performance Center is set to fundamentally disrupt this prohibitive status quo. At its core, the facility provides SUPA Track, Basketball, and Volleyball Club teams with its own dedicated indoor space to hold practices year-round. This crucial provision ensures that the club’s athletes, known for their dedication and competitive spirit, can maintain consistent training schedules, refine their techniques, and continue their development uninterrupted by rain, extreme heat, or winter cold. This newfound stability is expected to significantly enhance the performance and progression of every SUPA athlete.
However, the vision for the SUPA Performance Center extends far beyond the confines of the club itself. Its broader mission is deeply rooted in community service, aiming to help alleviate the pervasive lack of available indoor practice locations for both children and seniors. From youth basketball and volleyball teams needing a winter training spot to senior pickleball clubs seeking a safe, climate-controlled environment, the center is poised to become a versatile hub for diverse athletic and wellness activities. SUPA leadership firmly believes that participation in sports and physical activity should be a right, not a privilege dictated by financial means, and the Performance Center is their tangible commitment to making this a reality by offering affordable, accessible practice space to various local groups and individuals.
A Vision Realized: The Impact on Local Sports
The implications of this opening are monumental for Lee and Chatham County. Local coaches and parents have long vocalized their frustrations. “Trying to secure a consistent indoor space for our basketball team in the winter was a nightmare,” recounts Sarah Jenkins, a parent of two youth athletes. “We’d drive for miles, pay huge fees, or just cancel practices. This new SUPA center changes everything for us and so many other teams.”
The facility is equipped with state-of-the-art amenities designed for comprehensive athletic development. Sports technology from VALD, Catapult, 1080Motion and others will outfit the facility and provided athletes with tools only available at Division 1 colleges. It will feature a specialized track lane for sprint work and technical drills, versatile turf areas for agility, strength, and conditioning, and dedicated spaces for core work and recovery. This multi-faceted approach ensures that athletes can engage in holistic training, essential for both peak performance and injury prevention. The center will not only cater to track and field but also be adaptable for other indoor sports requiring open space, agility zones, or controlled environments for drills and conditioning.
An Impactful Vision from the Founder
At the heart of this transformative project is the unwavering dedication of Supreme Athletics (SUPA) Founder, Latonya Brown. Her vision for accessible, high-quality athletic training has been the driving force behind the Performance Center.
“The opening of the SUPA Performance Center is about more than just a building; it’s about leveling the playing field for every aspiring athlete in our area,” passionately stated Latonya Brown. “We’ve seen too many children and seniors unable to find safe, affordable spaces to stay active, to hone their skills, or simply to enjoy the benefits of physical activity. This center directly removes that critical barrier. It is our profound hope that this facility will not only serve as a vital resource for Lee and Chatham County but also become a replicable blueprint, allowing us to establish the SUPA Performance Center model and extend its profound, positive impact to other communities for years to come. Our ambition is to cultivate a network of these centers, creating a sustainable ecosystem of athletic excellence and community wellness across the region.”
Brown’s quote underscores a broader ambition: to establish a model for community-centric sports facilities that can be replicated, expanding SUPA’s positive influence beyond Sanford and creating a lasting legacy of accessible athletic development.
The SUPA Cares Foundation: A Testament to Community Support
Bringing such an ambitious project to fruition required significant effort and investment, and the SUPA Performance Center stands as a testament to the power of community support. Partial funding for this vital facility came from the SUPA Cares Sports Facility Fund. SUPA Cares, the non-profit arm of Supreme Athletics, is dedicated to removing financial barriers to sports participation and ensuring that all children, regardless of socioeconomic status, have the opportunity to experience the transformative power of athletics.
The Sports Facility Fund specifically targets the development and maintenance of high-quality training venues, understanding that physical infrastructure is just as crucial as coaching talent. This model of community-funded development exemplifies how local initiatives can address systemic issues when supported by a dedicated network of donors and advocates.
Community members, businesses, and philanthropic organizations are strongly encouraged to continue supporting these vital programs and contribute to the development of future centers. Every donation helps expand access, maintain state-of-the-art facilities, and foster the next generation of athletes and active citizens. To contribute to the fund that made this groundbreaking facility possible, please visit: . Your support directly impacts the lives of countless individuals in the community.
More Than Just a Building: A Hub for Wellness and Development
The SUPA Performance Center will offer a diverse array of programs tailored to various needs:
- Youth Development Programs: Focused on fundamental movement skills, speed and agility training, strength conditioning, and event-specific drills for track and field, basketball, soccer, and more.
- Adult Fitness & Wellness: Providing classes and open access for adults and seniors seeking a safe, indoor environment for walking, light exercise, flexibility, and group fitness activities.
- Team Rentals: Offering affordable blocks of time for local school teams and youth sports organizations to conduct practices, clinics, tryouts, and games without the burden of exorbitant fees.
- Specialized Clinics & Workshops: Hosting expert-led sessions on sports psychology, nutrition for athletes, injury prevention, and advanced training techniques.
- Individual & Small Group Training: Personalized coaching available for athletes looking to focus on specific goals under the guidance of SUPA’s experienced coaches.
The center also plans to collaborate with local schools, community centers, and senior organizations to ensure its services reach the widest possible audience, acting as a true community partner.
Looking Ahead: The Future of SUPA and Sanford Athletics
The grand opening of the SUPA Performance Center of Sanford is not merely an event; it is the genesis of a movement. It signifies a bold step towards creating a more inclusive, active, and athletically vibrant community. By providing accessible and affordable indoor training options, SUPA is not only nurturing athletic talent but also promoting lifelong health, discipline, and teamwork – values that extend far beyond the track.
As the SUPA Track Club prepares its athletes for the upcoming indoor season, now with the unparalleled advantage of their own dedicated training grounds, the excitement is palpable. This facility is poised to become a landmark in the community, a place where dreams are nurtured, limits are pushed, and community bonds are strengthened.
The SUPA Performance Center of Sanford will officially open to the public in March of 2026 and will start accepting bookings for team rentals, individual training sessions, and sign-ups for its wide range of specialized community programs in January. Residents and local sports organizations are invited to book rentals on supa-nc.com.
About Supreme Athletics (SUPA): Supreme Athletics (SUPA) is a premier youth sports organization dedicated to developing athletes of all ages through professional coaching, comprehensive training programs, and a strong commitment to community enrichment. With a focus on excellence, sportsmanship, and holistic development, SUPA empowers athletes to achieve their fullest potential both on and off the field. Through its non-profit arm, SUPA Cares, the organization actively works to remove barriers to sports participation, ensuring equitable access to high-quality athletic experiences for all.