“You are never really playing an opponent. You are playing yourself, your own highest standards, and when you reach your limits, that is real joy.”- Arthur Ashe
GOOD
Following in CrossFit Crave’s Footsteps, CrossFit for Change Graduates Three Juveniles From its Inaugural Program
In May, CrossFit for Change in Belmont County, OH, celebrated its first graduating class with a major milestone: three juveniles were removed from probation.
The big picture: CrossFit for Change–which is run by JR Shortall, owner of OV CrossFit, and husband-and-wife, CrossFit-coach-and-probation-officer Jessica and Courtney Cook–allows juveniles to remove their probation through CrossFit. All participants in CrossFit for Change classes are currently on probation and receiving counseling, and many of them have been court-ordered to be a part of the program.
The program is not only designed for the kids to get to know fitness but for them to grow, form relationships, and build life skills.
If there have been no new violations at the end of their court-ordered CrossFit term, each juvenile will graduate from the program and be taken off probation.
How it began: CrossFit for Changewas inspired by a similar — and very successful — program run by CrossFit Crave in Celina, OH, that provides CrossFit classes and support to juveniles with criminal records.
“I had always been a big proponent of providing a framework to be able to do more than just our regular CrossFit classes,” Shortall said.
Shortall then took this idea for CrossFit for Change to Jessica and Courtney Cook, a CrossFit L2 certified coach and probation officer for Belmont County juvenile judge, respectively — the perfect team to lead it.
“JR presented the idea,” Jessica Cook said, “I spoke with Courtney and knew it was perfect for us. It’s something we care about, working out and the kids.”
From there, Shortall said, Courtney and Jessica Cook just “ran with it.”
The program: The juveniles in CrossFit for Change work out a few times a week, the structure of each day like that of any other CrossFit class. The classes start with a 30-minute period where the kids can change clothes and socialize, followed up by a warm-up, a WOD, and, to end, a healthy snack.
A big emphasis for the Cooks has been to make CrossFit for Change as accessible as possible by removing obstacles like transportation — they pick up every kid and bring them to CrossFit classes — and apparel. (On their first day of class every kid gets to pick out a new pair of CrossFit shoes.)
“We didn’t want them not to come because ‘I don’t have anything to wear. I don’t have the shoes, the transportation,’” said Courtney Cook. “We took away all of those obstacles for them to give them every opportunity to have success.”
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🤔 🧐 Paddle and Portage at the Games?: Included in CrossFit’s “Guide to the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games Fan Experience” is a list of brands that will have on-site activations and retail shops. On the list are perennial CrossFit brands like NOBULL, Rogue Fitness, Assault, YETI and more. Interestingly though, “ISLE,” a company that specializes in making stand-up paddleboards, is featured as well.
Does this mean that we will see a paddle board event at the 2023 Games, maybe paired with a portage component? It’s worth noting that the city of Madison hosts a “Paddle and Portage” race most summers (it was canceled this year); the route for that event takes racers on Lake Mendota, they have to portage through Tenney Park to the Yahara River, and end by paddling to Lake Monona. h/t Mike Halpin
😎 🕶️ 😎 Giveaway Alert: BEAST goodr and Arielle Loewen (BEAST goodr athlete and two-time Fittest Mom in America) are partnering up for a giveaway that runs July 17-21. Enter now to win 10 pairs of Loewen’s favorite sunnies!
New TYR Athlete: Turkish athlete and 2023 Games qualifier, Seher Kaya has joined the TYR Sport Team.
The Road Less Traveled: Brittany Weiss’ Journey to the CrossFit Games Podium
When Brittany Weiss first arrived at CrossFit Invictus, her sole goal was to compete on the Invictus team at the Games.
After starting CrossFit in 2013 following her high school graduation, Weiss quickly fell in love with the sport and after competing in the 2015 and 2016 Regionals, knew that she wanted to do something big.
Remind me: Since 2008, Invictus has sent at least one team to the Games every single year and has been a top contender for a podium position.
It was this legacy that drew Weiss to want to train with a group of athletes who she looked up to and she knew would push her.
In 2021, Weiss made the cut for the Invictus team that would compete at the Games for the first time. She went on to compete with Jenn Ryan, Jorge Fernandez, and Eric Carmody on the Invictus team that took 19th.
In 2022, Weiss returned and took third with Devyn Kim, Jorge Fernandez, and Josh Al-chamaa.
Six Places to Grab a Beer in Madison During the CrossFit Games
Cheering for the Fittest on Earth in the hot sun can be exhausting, so much so that by the end of each day, you will probably want to sit back, relax, and crack open a cold one. You’re in luck–Madison is a great city to grab a craft beer!
Here are five of the best places to check out over Games Week.
This unique brewery opened in 2020 and boasts creatively named beers and unique flavor combinations. The menu is constantly rotating and they serve food as well. There is a second location on the northern side of the city on North Street.
Capital Brewery produced its first keg in 1986, sold its first can in 1997 and continues to serve brews so good that they have won over 240 medals. Bring all your friends from North Park and head over to the massive Beer Garden that can seat over 1000 and enjoy some music as you kick back.
Black Rose was started by Kyle Metz, a long-time employee of Funk Factory Geuzeria, a Lambic beer brewery that moved sales online. They boast a tasting room where you can sample a curated list of beers and soon wine and ciders. They offer charcuterie and cheese plates in house but also welcome outside food. Enjoy the dog-friendly patio, and try to beat your friends at pinball!
GOWOD Gears Up For Another Year in Madison, Offering Fans Access to Big Names in The Sport
The well-known mobility app, GOWOD, will make its third appearance at the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games this year, bringing with it many opportunities for fans to meet and learn from CrossFit celebrities like Mat Fraser and Chris Hinshaw.
GOWOD is known for its personalized mobility programming and has been endorsed by many of the elite athletes in the sport, such as Justin Medeiros, Brooke Wells, and Scott Panchik. The company will be taking over CrossFit Big Dane for the entire week starting Monday, August 31 through Monday, August 7, and are entirely free.
The details: GOWOD will be offering a range of classes throughout the week at CrossFit BIg Dane, which is located just about 8 minutes from the Alliant Energy Center.
During the course of the week, five-time CrossFit Games champion Mat Fraser and his team at HWPO Training will be offering 13 workouts to fans.
Highly-esteemed coaches, including Chris Hinshaw, John Singleton, Max El-Hag, Justin Cotler, Matt Torres, will also be offering classes at specific times during the Games week, as well as Strongman Rob Kearney – the Lb for Lb Strongest Man.
Further, CrossFit celebrities, filmmakers Heber Cannon and Marston Sawyers—The Buttery Bros—will be hosting a special workout on Wednesday afternoon. Craig Richey & Zack Telander will do a LIFT OFF in front of the community.
Other partners this year include NOBULL, LSKD, GORUCK, ICE BARREL, Podium, and RX Smart Gear, among others.
The full schedule is available on the GOWOD website and Instagram.
The big picture: “It’s now become our thing to takeover CrossFit Big Dane every year to provide an amazing experience to our community, explained GOWOD’s CEO Thibaud Saline, as last year was a huge success, with more than 2,000 people attending various events throughout the week.
When asked why GOWOD goes to such great lengths to provide an experience for fans in Madison, Thibaud Saline explained it’s what the company is all about. “Everything we do is about the CrossFit community. This is why GOWOD has been created: to help them move better, recover faster and stay injury-free. It was an obvious decision for us to take over CrossFit Big Dane again and provide the opportunity to train together and have fun in Madison,” he said.
Thibaud Saline added: “GOWOD counts now 1.2M members worldwide, and this would have been impossible without this incredible community, as well as CrossFit affiliate owners and coaches. For us it’s an opportunity to give back and provide an amazing experience to our community.”
Their ultimate goal is simple for next week: “Become the place to be outside of the Allianz Arena.”
To register, simply book a time for a free drop-in here. Registration opens Monday, July 24 at 12 p.m. ET.
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On Saturday, August 14th, CrossFit Fargo in Fargo, ND is hosting the Hero WOD “Wallin” to remember Fargo Police Officer Jake Ryan Wallin, 23, native of Saint Michael, MN, who died July 14, 2023 in the line of duty.
Officer Wallin served in the Minnesota National Guard and was deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq. After his return to Fargo, he was sworn as a Fargo Police Officer in April of 2023.
Members of the Police, First Responders, the CrossFit Community and everyone from the General Public are invited and encouraged to participate. Scaling options will be available for all abilities.
“Wallin”
With a 20/14# vest
3 Rounds for Time
1050m Run
7 Weighted Box Step-overs (50/35)
14 Air Squats
23 Burpees
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