There are several of hidden gems across Coachella Valley, whether it’s a small business or even talent. When it comes to Category 5 in Indio, it’s a little bit of both. They train talent from every level and even some guys that have seen the biggest stages.

Co-owner Joel Felix says, “Category 5 training is here for everyone. It’s a place where they could come and just develop really.”

They hope walking through their doors will open doors for in the future.

President of Category 5, Rafael Lamas says every trainer there is focused on each individual’s growth and giving them a safe space to grow.

“You know, we take kids of all levels, all ages and we just have a system where they can plug in. It doesn’t matter what skill level and we just progress them from that.”

He also agrees the Coachella Valley holds a lot of talent as well.

“This valley is very talented to me and you know, that’s why we can take any kid from any level and we feel like we could develop them. It doesn’t matter if someone told them that they’re slow, they come here and get fast.”

They train and work with several top tier athletes, including Kapri Bibbs, a former running back for the Denver Broncos when they won Super Bowl 50. Bibbs has seen the biggest stages and training camps over the years but calls Category 5 something special.

“One thing I’ve noticed honestly inside of the valley is that the players out here, you know, there’s not a lot of, I guess resources for them to actually get better, especially at a young age. These kids, they’re ready to go out and play their sports and live their dreams. So it was always great when you got people like Fox and Ralph in Category 5 training to really just push them to the next level.”

The former Colorado State University standout also applauded the diverse workouts put together by the Felix and Lamas.

“It’s very intricate here. You know what I mean? The movements, the everything that they do here. It’s kind of funny because if you look at Ralph or Fox, you can tell there are two different body types, you know, and it sticks out because Fox is the fox and Ralph is Ralph, you know, we call him ‘Wreckin Ralph.'”

The gym also has a football camp coming up on July 29th, at Indio High School.

Felix says, “It’s a great time to get some knowledge, get some skill working. We have some great athletes who can play ball from all across the world. So it’s going to be an awesome camp for the community just to come together, going to be at in high school.”

And Lamas is excited they can bring something positive and one of a kind to the east Valley to help inspire the next generation.

“It’s something big for this community because not a lot of people out here really see that high level of players come out here or even come from here. So what we’re trying to do is inspire, you know, that spark and these young guys by bringing out these high level athletes.”

Category 5 Training looking to open doors for young athletes