WELCOME COACH CAROLYN
We have some exciting news at the Cove, as we are bringing on Carolyn P. to the Cove coaching staff. For the past month, she has been shepherding new CrossFit athletes through our CrossFit 101 program. We all know Carolyn as a fierce athlete and a ring leader of fun both inside and outside of the gym.
To introduce Carolyn to the community, we asked her some questions so you can get a better feel for her as she will be soon hitting a class near you.
How long have you been doing CrossFit?
Over two years
What do you love about CrossFit?
As a member, I have loved the fact that all I needed to think about is getting in my car and showing up. There is already a dynamic workout planned when I arrive, and I get to spend an hour of my day with a group of athletes all tackling that same challenge together. Camaraderie provides a deeper purpose for WODs and builds consistency (showing up again each day) through social accountability. You can’t get the same experience at a regular gym. CrossFit’s dynamic programming elements – gymnastics, powerlifting, and metabolic training have provided a space to practice skills I never thought were possible for me. It’s nearly impossible to be bored.
What do I love most about the Cove?
I never expected to make as many friends of diverse ages, generations and walks of life as I have at the Cove, and it has been the kindest gift. K-12 and higher education systems are designed for you to bond with mostly people your own age. When I left that structure and ventured into the “real world”, it was jarring to redesign a social structure that felt authentic and met my hierarchy of needs. The Cove has become my favorite structure for sustaining healthy habits, taking the correct risks, pushing past limiting self-beliefs and building diverse community that prompts belonging like I had never experienced before.
Why do you want to be a coach?
I was fortunate enough to have been introduced to the Cove through my family and have since built fulfilling relationships of my own that I am very proud of. The connections expand as I lean in and pay attention. I had recently attended the military retirement ceremony of a Covie we know and love, Mike Sears. He is arguably the most resilient and perspective-provoking athlete I have ever had the pleasure to know. Mike had a very tough hand dealt to him yet he strives to overcome every challenge that aims to knock him off course. Mike’s story puts a lot in perspective for me, especially how the sport of CrossFit is so much more than physical fitness. CrossFit is community. It’s so much more than showing up for class each day, it’s about showing up for your people. I want to be a coach because I understand that life is messy, and people keep coming back against odds to get fit AND feel connected to community. I want to continually serve both missions of fitness and community. I am naturally a lifelong learner, and coaching is a great outlet of accountability to refine skills and lean into the stories of members that I can serve. It is my goal to do right by them.
Any things from coaching foundations the past 3 weeks?
Foundations is unique and special from a coaching perspective because it continually allows me to hit the reset button. Each new athlete I meet has a different reason for taking a chance on this program, moreover, taking a chance on themselves to pursue a better life. That could mean getting fit, finding a community, taking a new risk, or anything in between. Whichever reason brings them to consider CrossFit training is valid and it is my responsibility to provide a warm welcome and spur their existing curiosity into tangible solutions that being a member of the Cove can provide.
