Deadlift: 305
Squat: 235
10K Row: 51:22
CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from Southern Oregon University (Give 'em the beak!)
In early 2018, my favorite gym and community closed, a CKO Kickboxing franchise in Shoreline, WA, leaving me searching for my "third place.' I hopped from gym to gym trying to find that same community and environment I had before. At most other gyms, I felt out of place, for a variety of reasons, but I finally found my people in a CrossFit gym in the spring of 2018. I was intimidated at first, some movements felt awkward, and I was always the last to finish the workout. There were many times I felt like I should just give up because I'd never be as fast, strong, or fit as the other members. In those moments of defeat, I was reminded of a quote from my coach at CKO Kickboxing: "if it were easy, everyone would be doing it." While some days are harder than others, most things in a CrossFit gym never get easier, because we constantly push ourselves harder, to beat our last score, to try an advanced movement, to PR a lift. So while I may still finish the workout last or be a little slower than others, I'm know I'm still lapping everyone on the couch.
At the age of 15, I was diagnosed with Epilepsy. Throughout my teens and early twenties, I was seizure-free, that is, until 2016 when I suffered two back-to-back Grand Mal seizures. If it were not for my parents, who found me seizing, and the incredible medical staff at Northwest Hospital in Seattle, I would not be here today. During my recovery, I decided that I would no longer be ashamed of my diagnosis and that I would live every day to its fullest, no matter how cliche it sounded. Though I'm not religious, I know that I'm still on this earth for a reason and I have purpose still left to fulfill.
CrossFit has shown me every day what my body is capable of despite a diagnosis that tried to hold me back. As of December 2024, I'm proud to say I'm 8 years seizure-free. My purpose for coaching is to show others what they are capable of and that they can do hard things, even when life tries to stop them from doing it. Everyone is deserving of the feeling of greatness; it's not just reserved for those to whom it comes naturally.
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