What is Your Why? : Coach Wes
What is Your Why? : Coach Wes
When I started the sport of CrossFit, I had no idea what I was getting into. From my first, private class with Jeremy to the present day, each day offers a new WOD to challenge me both mentally and physically. Many may know my story, while there are many who may not; I have struggled with weight issues my entire life and never fully accepted who I was because of it. The further I dug into the sport of CrossFit, I found my confidence and self-esteem rising with each passing day. I found it fun to work out and compete against myself and others through friendly competition. I found that I could do things that I was never able to do as a kid or teenager, a huge confidence builder.
After two years in the sport, the thought of coaching began to cross my mind but to put myself in front of a group of people was way out of my comfort zone! I am a shy person so to be the center of attention, was not a position I wanted to put myself in. It was an idea that just did not go away so easy with my interest and confidence growing in the sport. I feel like one of my gifts is encouragement and support to those in my life so the avenue of coaching was one way to use that gift. Through some pushing from my wife and some long talks with another, I took the giant leap and got my coach’s L1 cert.
It has been one of the best decisions I have made in my life! The interaction that I get to have with others and seeing them reach their goals is so rewarding. Many athletes get frustrated and discouraged with their workouts and don’t see the little steps that they make every day. Whether the athlete performs a new one rep max, their first box jump, their first rope climb, their first pull-up, or a first push-up, they are all milestones in that person’s life that will only lead to more milestones and I was fortunate enough to be a part of helping them reach it. It can be something as simple as a full squat for some people that battle mobility issues. Until you have seen it over and over, it’s hard to grasp just how much work must go into range of motion exercises to make some parts of the body work the way God intended for them to work. To see an eleven-year-old kid and a sixty-three-year-old adult get their first headstand and have the same reaction is unforgettable. The excitement and confidence that is gained from that one small step is priceless. It is great to have personal achievements in my own fitness life, but seeing the joy on an athlete’s face in any class is worth so much more to me.
Many people have encouraged me along this journey, and I want to return the favor to the sport and be an encourager to every athlete that takes part in my class. Helping others achieve their fitness goals in life, is something I do not take lightly. Building that personal relationship with each athlete is vital to helping them take that next step in life. Athletes are giving me one hour of their day to help them become fitter and healthier in a safe environment so I’ve got to make the best of it, day in and day out. My goal is to give 100% to my athletes, just like I ask them to give me a 100% in class, they are never alone!
