I grew up working on a farm, so I have always been a physical gal. I was homeschooled throughout my life, but dropped out early and started working at age 14. I've worked in various industries and jobs, such as kitchen handing, groom/farm handing, commercial abseiling, activities instructing, to now physical rehabilitation and coaching! At age 17, I started lifting at a Globo gym, and a couple of years later joined a Crossfit gym. My first coaching job was at the first CrossFit gym I attended, and subsequently ended up getting a full-time job in a rehabilitation gym, and a part-time job in Bootcamp coaching. The difference in these environments has given me an appreciation for the benefits of strength training for long-term health. As a coach, I love seeing how people can change their perceptions of what they're capable of through training; it is epic to be able to help people get out of their comfort zone and see how proud they are of themselves afterward. I never had the opportunity to play sports growing up so being able to compete in CrossFit now is a dream come true for me. I thoroughly enjoy the pressure of competition and having the opportunity to do my personal best. The competitive accomplishment that I am proudest of so far is coming 13th in New Zealand Nationals last year.
A turning point for me was realizing that I was constantly experiencing a westernized view of health and sports. Everything I was seeing talked about around health and fitness was compartmentalized into physical things such as your weight, what size you are, your performance markers, how much you eat, and more. I never heard anyone speaking of the importance of having healthy relationships, or looking after your mental health as an important aspect of health. For me, my athletic performance is directly linked to my mental well-being, relationships, and circumstances. Understanding this has been a long learning journey, but it has allowed me to get to a place where I work with my body and mind rather than against it. I am very proud of this and very excited by the level it allows me push to with training and competing.
My purpose for coaching is to provide an environment for others to learn about how to train effectively, push themselves to achieve their goals, and of course, have a good laugh! I'm very passionate about helping people to do things with the right technique. Whether it be for olympic lifting, gymnastics, rowing, or running. I love working with people who are keen to learn and willing to try new things. I get a lot of satisfaction from being able to support people through the crazy journey of learning about all the aspects of fitness. It always pushes me to continue my learning journey!
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