The Vanderbilt Club: Going Strong For More Than Four Decades

More than 40 years ago, Westwood’s Sue Young began a career in fitness, a bit by chance.
 
“I actually fell into it,” she said, as we caught up in the lobby of The Vanderbilt Club in Norwood – Sue’s pride and joy. “I was not a big workout person. I played sports in high school and college. Other than that, I didn’t go to a gym back then. I think when I was a sophomore in college, I got a job at the PLAYOFF Racquetball Club in Braintree. I stayed with them for a few years, and then I started working here when it was Racquetball International. At that time, we had 10 racquetball courts and a bar. That’s it, and when I say a bar, I mean like beer, wine, that kind of bar.”
 
How far we’ve come.
 
Racquetball International, on Vanderbilt Avenue in Norwood, eventually became The Vanderbilt Club, and thanks to Sue’s vision and dedication, and most importantly her ability to surround herself with an incredible staff dedicated to excellence, the club has become a staple in the community, providing a state-of-the-art, friendly environment for people of all ages to exercise, socialize and feel better about themselves.
 
“It’s very important to have great classes, and we’ve optimized our studio space, offering more than 85 classes per week. Adding the pool in the mid-nineties was a game-changer,” she said. “It’s one of the busiest pools I’ve ever seen, and it’s year-round because we put the top on and pull it off based on the season. Everybody’s in a happy mood the day the top comes off and everyone’s in a sad mood the day we put it back on, but it’s a necessary evil.
 
“We have many ages here, but the pool really attracts seniors because water is our friend and many seniors can’t jump, they can’t get down on the ground, so we get them in the pool and we have the most fabulous water aerobic instructors – Ginni Burton, Nancy Barry, Karen Colantouni and Kathy Henneberry.”
 
If you really want to get Sue going, just give her a chance to talk about her team – and her clients. Among those who recently joined the staff is Karlene Duffy, the well-known and beloved former Director of Faith Formation at St. Margaret Mary’s. Karlene is currently heading the daycare division at Vandy, a perfect landing spot for someone who has had such a positive influence on kids over many decades.
 
“When I heard Karlene was available, I called her and asked if she’d like to work here?” said Sue. “It was a no-brainer. The daycare is a huge bonus for all of our young moms, and as the kids age, they get more involved. We have a huge kids swim program. Huge!
 
“Another person who deserves a shout-out is Robin Ostrander, who is a Westwood resident. Robin runs our swim program, which is a Red Cross swim program. She and Kathleen Marvelli, who runs the group exercise program – they’re both incredibly important.”
 
As we chatted, Sue was constantly waving to members as they walked through the lobby. If Cheers was a gym, it would feel like this, because everybody seems to know your name.
 
“Doris Edwards – 94-years-old,” Sue proudly exclaims. “She still comes here. Doris has her caretaker give her a hand. Every Wednesday. She’s a legend!”
 
At the risk of embarrassing Sue, it’s not unusual to hear people call her a legend, too. When you’ve made such a significant impact on generations of people, leading with a caring heart and compassionate spirit, you’re bound to leave a lasting impression.
 
When Maddie Walter, who was featured on our March cover this year, suffered her traumatic brain injury in 2015, Sue and the Vanderbilt team quickly stepped up and organized a massive fundraiser that made a significant difference as the Walters navigated unchartered financial and medical territory. Maddie still visits the club for workouts and maintains a tight relationship with the team.
 
This winter, shortly after the Westwood Cross Country team was featured on the January cover, Sue and her trusted confidant, Michelle Berluti, arranged for the varsity team to visit the club for a special workout and spa treatment.
 
“We got Christen Cadigan do a class with the girls,” said Sue. “Her sister, Andrea, led a spin class. Then Michelle ran across the street to Orange Leaf and got smoothies for everyone as they sat in the jacuzzi and relaxed. It was fantastic.”
 
It’s fitting The Vanderbilt Club is the presenting sponsor of each month’s cover feature, because that commitment is a true reflection of the Young family’s love of Westwood. Sue and her husband, Joe, have five grandchildren, and it wasn’t that long ago their kids were heavily involved in the Westwood school system. They both enjoy celebrating our community.
 
“We love Westwood,” she said with appreciation. “My kids were involved in a lot of sports. My daughter, Erin, was a basketball player and my sons were big golfers. They also played hockey and basketball, but golf was their thing. My oldest, Joey, went to Xavierian for four years and he loved it. My other son, Danny, stayed at Westwood, as well as Erin, so we had a good run with Westwood. Erin has moved back to Westwood, so on my way to work every morning I stop and say hi to the grandkids and have breakfast.”
 
So what’s next for The Vanderbilt Club? That easy question got an energetic response.
 
“We have to keep the great classes going,” said Sue. “We have to make sure we have equipment that’s up to date and not with ‘Out of Order’ signs on them, like a lot of places do. We have to keep the classes current – whatever is new and exciting – we have to have it on the schedule. We have Barre classes, Zumba classes, muscle classes, you name it, we have it. Yoga, Pilates is huge here. So, we just try to keep the instructors current with what’s popular and beneficial for our members.”
 
The future is in good hands with a passionate leader and a staff eager to please.
 

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