Dale Sanford
Performance Coach/Co-Founder
Hometown: Poughkeepsie, NY
Buford, GA
College: University of West Georgia
Degree: Sport/Fitness Management – summa cum laude
Certifications: USAW, USATF, ISSA, NESTA-BMS, CPR, USAT (Sept 2010)
Email: dale@buildpeakcompete.com
Dale Sanford was born in Poughkeepsie, New York but is a native of the metro Atlanta area. He finished his undergraduate education at the University of West Georgia and shortly after moved to Memphis, Tennessee where he now calls home. Dale has been training individuals and continuing his education in the fields of biomechanics, health, and human performance for the past 5 years. He has worked to become a certified USA Weightlifting Sport Performance Coach, a USA Track and Field Certified Coach in sprints and distance events, an ISSA certified personal trainer, a NESTA certified Biomechanics Specialist, and is certified in CPR/AED through the American Heart Association. For the past 3 years, Dale has specifically been working with athletes to help them maximize their athletic potential and has had up to 7 athletes sign Division I scholarships in a single school year.
Today, Dale is an avid cyclist, triathlete and all around endurance junkie. He is consistently at the top of his age group and excels on two wheels. Dale competes in all distances, and all types of endurance events. Thus far this year Dale has 2 first place finishes in road races and one first place time trial finish, along with several other top 10 results. He recently completed the Lake Placid Ironman with a time of 10:50:12, finishing 252 out of 3013 people (52nd overall on the bike!). If you see him at a race or around town, come say HI! He would love to talk to you about how BPC can help you reach your health, fitness, or sport performance goals!
Bryant Funston
Performance Coach/Co-Founder
Hometown: Farmington, NM
College: New Mexico State University
Degree: Education
Certifications: CPT, USAC, CSCS(Coming Soon)
Email: bryant@buildpeakcompete.com
Bryant Funston has been involved with strength, conditioning, and program development for over a decade. He has trained both himself and others in a variety of different sports. He is a certified personal trainer and USA Cycling Level 3 coach. He is currently studying for his CSCS certification, and expects to have it by the first of the year. Bryant has also put his personal training certification to use over the years, helping numerous clients achieve their fitness and weight loss goals.
Bryant’s dedication to strength and conditioning paved the way for him to become a four year basketball letterman for New Mexico State University, a Division I school. At NMSU, Bryant gained valuable performance coaching knowledge by training under a National Strength and Conditioning Coach of the year. He also went on to break 3 basketball strength records, one of which was also a school record for consecutive pull-ups. This helped earn him National Strength and Conditioning All-American honors in 2005.
After college basketball, Bryant sought out a new challenge in the sport of cycling. By applying the principles of periodization to his strength and conditioning program, Bryant was able to move from a Cat 5 to a Cat 2 cyclist in his first 2 years of racing. Bryant has won numerous races in TN, CO, MS, and NM. He has placed 3rd at the Tour of the Gila, and 1st in the legendary Ironhorse Bicycle Classic Criterium in Durango, CO. Bryant presently races for the Marx and Bensdorf cycling team based out of Memphis, TN. When out on the road it is easy to tell who Bryant is. He is the one attacking.
Ben Knoernschild
Running Coach
Hometown: Memphis, TN
College: Christian Brothers University
Email: ben@buildpeakcompete.com
PR’s: 5k-15:32, 10k-32:47, 1/2 marathon-1:12:45, marathon-2:35:02
Ben Knoernschild was born and raised in BPC’s home base of Memphis, TN. He grew up playing just about any sport he could get his hands on. While in high school, Ben concentrated on Soccer, but ran cross country to stay in shape in the off season. During his senior year in high school, Ben decided to concentrate on his running career and finished high school with a sub 16 minute 3 mile PR and a 4:30 mile, which was 4th in the state of Tennessee.
In college, Ben ran as a scholarship athlete for CBU and was their top runner all four years of his college career. He was awarded 2nd team All-Conference honors for three of those four years.
Today, Ben is one of Shelby County’s top runners. In 2009, he was the county’s top finisher in the Saint Jude marathon. He has won the MRTC Road Race Series, and has competed in almost every local race out there. He has been active in expanding the running community, hosting group runs for Fleet Feet Sports, including the infamous “workout night.” Ben is also a successful cyclist, making his way to a category 3 athlete in a very short period of time.
On top of 12 years worth of running experience, 5 years of working for Fleet Feet has given Ben substantial knowledge on the intricacies of the running gait, as well as basic biomechanics an sports nutrition. If you see him around town, ask him how he can help you achieve your goals. If you see him on the run, good luck catching him!
