Former Louisville standout Montrell Jones is a performance enhancer

Montrell Jones credited his conditioning for never having a major injury during his football career. Now he’s out to make sure area athletes have the same opportunity.

The former Male High School and University of Louisville standout has built a fledgling athletic training company called Fast ActionSports, and he’s quickly building a following.

From the varsity boys’ basketball team at Louisville Christian Academy to lacrosse teams at North Oldham and every sport in between, Jones has his hand in molding all types of athletes.

“The idea came to me when I was still playing kind of between theArena (league) and Canada,” Jones said. “Once I realized I had a knack for it and it was something I actually wanted to do, then it was something that I pushed forward.”

Jones said he was inspired by Clif Marshall, a trainer he came across when he was at Tennessee. Marshall runs Ignition Athletic Performance Group and lists many NFL players among his clients.

Part of Jones’ training regimen was formed from observing Marshall, but Jones said he’s also challenging himself to learn more about the sports he’s training competitors for.

He never played lacrosse or field hockey, but Jones said he frequently watches his players during their games. He said it’s not only a show of support but also a chance to learn how he can tailor his workouts to better serve the athlete.

“I teach Point A-to-Point B speed and I teach linear speed because in all sports you need that,” Jones said. “But I’m also learning the different aspects of other sports, like the agility you need in lacrosse.”

Jones, the 2000 Kentucky Mr. Football winner, played two seasons at Tennessee before transferring to U of L and playing the 2004 and 2005 seasons. He forged a career between the Canadian Football League and the Arena Football League until the 2009 season, when the AFL suspended operations.

Although his professional career didn’t turn out as he dreamed, his career accomplishments gave him instant credibility with his subjects.

“Most people you kind of wonder about their credentials and stuff,” said Jonathan Finch, a senior guard at Louisville Christian Academy. “But there are highlight reels of him. He was just a monster.”

As a player he took it out on opponents. As a trainer, he doesn’t take it easy, either. Finch admitted the first time he went through a workout, “I was hanging over a trash can waiting for it.”

Jones, 29, relates to his athletes with tough love. While pushing one player to get through a weightlifting drill, he mentions, “You want to average double figures next season? Well, this is what it takes.”

Jones conducts his training at Basketball Academy in an all-purpose room affectionately called “the dungeon.”

“You get parents who will actually come in and tell you they want their kid pushed hard,” Jones said. “As they get into their fourth (to) sixth week into the program, the parents start to see the results.”

Now that he’s done playing, Jones said his payoff is seeing the kids he trains become better athletes.

“I take personal satisfaction in when I can see a kid come in here and see a kid transform not only their body but their mindset and their ability to think on the field in their sport,” Jones said. “That’s when I give the pats on the back to myself, when they can transform what I taught them. It kind of brings a smile to my face.”