The Florida A&M University recreational center has many young and talented trainers. Sean Montford, with his caring style and high work ethic, stands out from the rest of the pack.
Sean Montford, 20, is a third-year allied health pre-physical therapy student from Miami.
“I started working at the gym as a freshman as work study in the fall of 2007 and then I started my internship in the spring of 2009,” Montford said.
Montford has dealt with an extensive amount of training last fall and completed an internship this past spring.
“I wanted to work at the [recreational center] because I like making people happy, and its always good to see people working out,” Montford said.
According to Chip Heimbach and Leeanna Treadwell, two people who work with Montford, what makes Montford stand out are his people skills and how he makes himself so relatable to others. He is a constant motivator, not a pusher, and stays positive while training others.
Treadwell, a second-year early childhood education student from Tallahassee, has been working with Montford for three and a half months now.
“Sean is a really good guy; he is the best trainer here,” Treadwell said. “I say that because he is a gentleman and has been positive with me since day one. There are a lot of good trainers here but he’s the best. He cares about you so much he’ll call to check up on you and ask how you are and if you’re still coming.”
Montford works with anyone who needs help and is dedicated to getting work done. There is no targeted crowd to whom he trains with.
“I try to cater to a persons needs and try to make sure people are satisfied,” Montford said. “I’m not going to turn anyone down who needs my help.”
Montford continues to work with his clients even when they would like nothing more than to give up and go home.
“When someone is at the point where they want to give up I switch up the workout, to keep them entertained,” Montford said. “I remind them why they are here and show them results from when they first started, so they can see for themselves how far they have come.”
Dedication, hard work and determination are three extremely important elements needed in life, especially in physical training, according to Montford. He tries to instill those values in everyone he works with, enforcing it in a kind and caring way.
“He has the strongest work ethics I’ve seen in a long time,” Heimbach said. “He is hungry to do a great job and he’s humble with a good heart.”
The reward for Montford is always watching hard work pay off while helping others go beyond their limits as individuals.