Lifelong Friends Bring D1 Training to Newport Mesa, Creating a New Home for Local Athletes

COSTA MESA, Calif. (Sept. 15, 2026) – D1 Training, a leading fitness enrichment concept utilizing the five core tenets of athletic-based training, opened a new location in Newport Mesa at 1781 Newport Blvd on August 8. The new group fitness facility employs a sports-science backed training regimen led by certified trainers to help people of all ages achieve their sport and fitness goals. 

D1 Training Newport Mesa is locally owned and operated by Brian and Vanessa Hogan and Josh and Amy Walz, who join a roster of impressive existing franchisees, including former professional and collegiate athletes. Additional D1 partners include NBA star Chris Paul and Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow.

Their ties to the area go back nearly 50 years. Brian Hogan and Josh Walz grew up together in Newport Beach and were teammates on the Corona del Mar High School football team in the mid-1990s, both going on to continue their athletic careers in college. Vanessa Hogan and Amy Walz attended crosstown rival Newport Harbor High School, where both were multi-sport athletes and became lifelong friends, and Vanessa went on to compete individually at the Division I level in tennis. Four athletes, two rival high schools, one community that shaped all of them.

That connection now runs into the next generation. Both families raised children through local youth sports, and Josh and Amy’s oldest son currently plays football at Claremont McKenna College. Hogan and Walz spent more than a decade coaching youth sports themselves, which gave them a firsthand look at the need for more structured, high-quality athletic training for young athletes. Motivated by their experience as parents and coaches, they set out to give back to the community that shaped them by building a place where local athletes can gain confidence, develop their skills and reach their full potential.

“Josh and I played football together at Corona del Mar in the mid-90s, our wives played for Newport Harbor, and between the four of us we have almost 50 years in this community,” said Brian Hogan, co-owner of D1 Training Newport Mesa. “The coaches and teams here shaped who we are. Opening D1 in Newport Mesa is how we give that back to the next group of kids coming up.”

D1 Training offers four age-based programs including Rookie (ages 7-11), Developmental (ages 12-14), Prep (ages 15-18) and D1 Adult. Each fitness program is based on the five athletic-based tenets: dynamic warm-up, performance, strength program, core and conditioning, and cool down. Outside of group workouts, D1 Training offers group, semi-private, and one-on-one training with world-class coaches. The goal is simple: to continue to train athletes who are dedicated to their sport or fitness goals, regardless of age, or athletic background. 

“Brian, Josh, Vanessa, and Amy are the ideal candidates to bring the D1 Training experience to the Newport Mesa area,” said the brand’s Chief Operating Officer, Dan Murphy. “We’re thrilled to welcome them to the D1 family and are confident in their ability to show the Newport Mesa area what they’ve been missing out on. D1 is a one-of-a-kind fitness experience that’s built around the individual and meant to help people meet their athletic goals. Our strong network of franchisees embodies our core values to bring the D1 Training vision to life, and we know they will do just that in Newport Mesa and its surrounding communities.” 

Strategically expanding across the nation through franchising, D1 Training has more than 170 facilities open with over 100 additional locations in various stages of development. The brand is currently seeking financially qualified business builders, former athletes, and entrepreneurs, who share a passion for fitness and youth sports, who are ready to make a positive impact on their community.

For more information on D1 Training Newport Mesa, please visit https://d1training.com/facility/newport-mesa, or call (949) 989-2927.