The doors of the Victory Training Center at 125 1/2 North Main Street in River Falls opened on March 1, 2007. After only six months, Victory outgrew its original location in Kevin Black’s basement. It was a great problem to have and by October, 2006, a lease was signed on the current location and construction began. It took six long months to prepare the VTC. When the doors opened, we hit the ground running and haven’t looked back since. However, over the past three years, many River Falls natives have shared stories about the historic three-story building.
Pat Vocovich from Mendota Heights, MN purchased the building in 2006 during a public auction held by the City of River Falls. Pat was a graduate of River Falls High School and had a vision of renovating the building and providing the community with unique opportunities to stimulate the local economy. Currently, Victory School of Wrestling occupies the top floor(s), Second Chances is on the main level and Pat’s old-fashioned candy store operates in the basement and is accessible from River Walk Road along the Kinnikinnic River. Pat has been very involved in the lives of the athletes through the summer months and has supported the vision of Victory.
The building is over 100 years old and is one of the original landmarks on Main Street in River Falls. Most recently, it was the River Falls Fitness Center & Racquetball Club. In 1977, it was converted into the fitness center when three locals built four racquetball courts in their free time so they could play racquetball together during their lunch hour. It became a very popular place in town and free weights and exercise equipment were added to form the River Falls Fitness Center. High level athletes met to lift weights and train for various weight lifting competitions as well as high school and college sports, plus those interested in general fitness. Aerobics, day care and tanning were also made available. It was a “hot spot” in the 80’s and 90’s.
Before the fitness center and racquetball club, the location served many others in a variety of ways, including a furniture store, movie theatre, armory and roller skating rink. In the “roaring 20’s,” friends congregated to innocent fun and skated around the cement floor. As an armory, a special metal wall was added to the north wall of the upper balcony (now parent’s waiting room) and used as a shooting range. Almost everyone in River Falls has a memory attached to the location that is now the Victory Training Center and home to Victory School of Wrestling.
Great job, Kev! Keep up the good work!
The only complaint I have with Victory was that it wasn’t established earlier when i was in high school. What a great oppurtunity for the youth of today. I have seen Victory change the lives of a few wrestlers. Develping mental toughness and great people. The future is bright. I wish Victory the best!