Meet the Coaches- Rachel

What credentials do you have?
CrossFit Level 1 and 2 Trainer
CrossFit Kids
USAW Referee
... And excited to be taking my USAW Level 1 Coaching course on Nov 16 and 17!

When and why did you become a coach? I became a coach in June of 2015. Crossfit was the only hobby I had ever stuck with (drums, flute, acting, lacrosse, field hockey, and rugby never lasted very long) and had an unbelievable, positive impact on my life. I love hanging out at the gym, sharing my passion, and seeing what it did for so many others. Coaching was a great next step and allowed me to become more involved in the community!

What is the impact you hope that your coaching has on athletes? I hope that I help our athletes realize their true potential. Potential isn’t the same for everyone and can develop in different forms, but everyone can experience it and the result always comes with a sense of accomplishment and confidence. I’ve seen it when someone jumped on a box, climbed a rope, PRed a lift, or simply got through the baseline workout. It is that result that helps you realize something new about yourself and can translate outside of the gym. It’s universal and it’s powerful, and I hope that all of our athletes experience it!

What hobbies and interests do you have outside of the gym? Besides being the unofficial spokeswoman of Chipotle Mexican Grill? The gym is my second home, so it’s hard to find anything else, but I’m pretty food motivated and am always looking for the next restaurant to try or healthy recipe to test on Bryan!

What did you do/or do you do for a career outside of coaching? I am a media planner/buyer (aka advertising). I work primarily in the financial and healthcare sectors and am an outdoor specialist for our agency. Remember the first episode of Mad Men when they point to the corner and go “those are the media guys over there”? Yea that’s us!

What are your goals and interests as an athlete? I’ve been fortunate to not just work with/for but also be coached by some of the best - KOP is truly amazing! With their help I’ve been fortunate to hit a lot of milestones that I didn't think to dream of walking through those doors a few years ago. Pull-ups first, then bar muscle ups a bit later down the road, pushups (of all kinds) are a reality now...all of which leaves me feeling #blessed when I look back at where I started. More recently I’ve become more passionate about Olympic lifting. I’ll have the pleasure of competing with my best friend/wifey at the AO finals this year, something we’ve been working really hard to get to. I’d love to see my totals increase and what opportunities open as a result. Nutrition has become an even bigger part of the fitness equation, and I’m proud of the strides I’ve made in becoming less of a human vacuum and finding balance. Some days I fall off the wagon (and land in a booth at Cheesecake Factory), but I’m enjoying the self-study journey! Mentality is also a big part of our sport and I hope to keep developing perspective and fortitude. I said I would stop doing CrossFit when I stopped having fun. My #1 goal is to keep having fun and never stop!

Favorite quote(s)?
 “Comparison is the thief of joy.”
 “Today is an important day.”