Ever since I can remember I was interested in the human body. I set out to be a medical doctor out of high school.  I decided to major in Exercise and Sports Science while at the University of Florida after seeing the movie American Flyers.  There were several scenes in the movie set in a university human performance lab and I was instantly hooked.  Exercise Physiology remains my favorite college course.  With that major, I found athletic training and then physical therapy.  Save for a brief “mid-life crisis” in 2003 where I applied to medical school (I got in but didn’t go) I’ve never regretted not being a medical doctor.

I graduated Physical Therapy School in 1997 and earned my Doctorate in the early 2000’s.  I’ve been blessed to help hundreds, if not thousands of people overcome injury and illness.  However,  I always felt like there were more ways to help others.  Wouldn’t it be better to help prevent injury and illness?

I won’t bore you with the story of how I got involved with CrossFit in 2009, but that’s when I started to realize a way that I could start to help more and more people, not just in the doctor’s office; but with an the addition of a gym that would a way for us to help more people with other common health issues. Obesity, heart disease, diabetes and mental health disorders have been on rise for the last 40 years and I wanted to find a way to gather the pieces together in one spot in effort to help as many people as we could.

The truth is that when I first opened, I looked at CrossFit as a way to help people get stronger and lose weight. Pretty simple. And that is still the most common reason for people seeking our services. However, what I was not expecting was the power of a community of like-minded people and the support they would offer one another. Members of all ages, socioeconomic status, educational backgrounds and belief systems would start as strangers and, in a matter of days or months, would become the catalyst for great change.

So, why is your health important to me? Why will I ask you difficult questions when you make excuses for “needing to take a break” or “needing to check my finances first” or my personal favorite, “I don’t have the time”? Why will I question your priorities when most of your friends and family will just keep quiet to avoid the uncomfortable questions?

It’s because I’m selfish. Not selfish in that I want more members in a business. I’m selfish because my 4 daughters have many years left on this planet. And the healthcare crisis will be one that will continue to bankrupt people and our country. Not just financially speaking. Declines in your health will also steal time from you, and your ability to do what you want on your terms. Our position puts us on the front line in a health care revolution. In order to leave this place better than when I got here, and in turn, create a better planet for my daughters, I must help to lead people to better health. We need to be healthier. We need to be happier. And we’ve done that for thousands of people already. But that’s not enough. That’s why I care.