Last night I got the pleasure of coaching the 6:30 PM and 7:30 PM CrossFit classes. I cannot remember the last time I had the privilege of coaching a evening CrossFit class. Normally I teach the Olympic lifting classes in the evenings when I am able. The folks in that class was super attentive and watching them do overhead squats and pay special attention to their technique was affirming to the quality of the coaching at our gym.
However, I found myself in disbelief as class began to get started. Starting this week and through the state meet on January 18, CrossFit Deep is running a competition prep program designed to prepare our athletes, who desire to be competitive in the sport of weightlifting, for the state championship meet. As I was preparing to coach the 7:30 CrossFit class, I looked at the gym and realized that the Olympic lifting class outnumbered my CrossFit class 4 to 1. They were 18 Olympic lifters yesterday evening all with their eyes set on competition and all focused on the work in front of them.
What’s more is I would catch some of their lifts out of the corner of my eye every now and then and the vast majority of those athletes were technically very proficient. There snatches moved really well off their hips, there jerk footwork was precise, they even squatted with speed and depth like Olympic lifters.
It dawned on me that three years ago CrossFit Deep took a chance on a 23-year-old young coach and let him start an Olympic lifting class at the gym. Fridays at 4:30 PM with four people we went to work. Three years later we have a competition Olympic lifting class with 18 adults who are there for more than just six pack abs and large biceps. They are there to get better at the lifts and compete in the sport of weightlifting.
It was a cool moment for me last night as I looked across the room to see a gym full of weightlifters where three years ago I could not of dreamed of having that many people in one gym and especially that many people with such good technique. Huge props to Jason Riggins for his help in developing this but to see that progression from start to today was an emotional reminder of what God can do with someone who’s willing to put his heart to something.
Three years ago if you ask me to envision what our Olympic lifting classes would look like there’s no chance that this is what I would picture. I could not be more proud of our lifters after last night and could not be more proud of our gym. The growth and affirmation I receive daily at that gym is exceptional.
Thank you CrossFit Deep Ellum members for being so patient with me as a new coach and trusting me to do my best to grow for you. Thank you for holding on and for investing your hard work and effort into our Olympic lifting program. Last night was a cool moment for me. Lord willing what will happen over the next three years might also imitate this growth.
