We are excited to announce that Bree is joining the Ampersand team soon! If you haven't had a chance to meet her in class, she has taken the time to tell us a little about herself today! She brings experience and passion to helping people reach their potential and will be a great addition to the coaching team. For a brief time she will be interning with the coaches and getting the lay of the land! So, feel free to reach out to her and welcome her to the fam!
Hello all, my name is Bree! I am getting ready to intern and coach with you all so I just wanted to introduce myself for those who have not yet met me! I just recently moved back to Nevada with my fiance, Ian and our baby girl, Elowyn, from Saint Louis Missouri. I grew up in Minden so I am very excited to be back in the area, especially with the new edition to our family. Saint Louis was a fun adventure where Ian and I were able to explore a part of the country we might not have otherwise seen. Ian was a professional motocross rider so we spent a lot of time going to races all over the country.
Once race season settled down I began looking for a job and started trying to meet people. Making friends when you’re older is a bit harder than I expected. Luckily one of my best friends who is presently living in Oklahoma came to visit us in Saint Louis and forced me to go to a CrossFit gym with her. I love being outdoors, hiking, camping, cycling and I grew up playing competitive soccer so I always thought I was in pretty good shape until I took a CrossFit class! My friend kept checking in with me until she convinced me to get a membership. Finally I gave in and got one. I was pleasantly surprised by the close knit community that CrossFit provided and I quickly settled in at the box, and made some wonderful friends who I am still in constant contact with!
I have a bachelor's degree in Psychology and always saw myself working as a social worker or going back to school to become a registered nurse. When I moved to Saint Louis I was unable to get a job which was very discouraging; I couldn’t see myself doing anything but working in the mental health field. The more time I spent at CrossFit the more I realized that the coaches were literally changing the members life’s, much like what I wanted to do with my career. I knew that I could fulfill my life’s calling by helping people reach their fitness goals just as much as I could sitting in an office counseling them. Sometimes the only medicine you need is a good workout!
The box I was attending coincidentally was looking to hire a new coach and was hosting a Level 1 certification course the following month. I took the plunge and got my certification and started working with them. Having a job where you are helping change people's lives, is the most amazing feeling. God works in mysterious ways, moving Ian and I to Saint Louis and not allowing me to find a job right away was the greatest blessing.
Once I got my level 1 certification I wanted to train as personal trainer and coach CrossFit so I could be as well rounded as possible and learn the stark differences of the two. While I loved working with my clients at Club fitness, I did not enjoy working in a large global style gym. I started working exclusively at CrossFit, coaching classes and I quickly began building a personal training client base at the box. Working with my clients and the members, watching them meet their goals and become not only more fit but more confident in themselves was so rewarding. One of the proudest moments of my coaching career thus far, was when one of my diabetic clients came back to me after a checkup telling me not only had he lost 40 pounds but his A1C score had dropped considerably and his doctor was changing his diabetic medication. I was so proud of him and in that moment I knew for sure I was doing what I was called to do!
I got pregnant in April of last year, being a coach and an athlete, and pregnant was very interesting and fun. I had to learn how to modify workouts for myself which required a lot of research which stemmed a passion in pre and postnatal fitness. A goal for my future is to become certified in a program specifically for pregnant and postpartum athletes and create my own program to bring to our community here in Minden. Even as a CrossFit coach I was sometimes intimidated by working out. I hear from a lot of women that they would like to continue working out during and after their pregnancies but just don’t know what to do. I would like to help guide these women and teach them correct form and have a safe space for them to be comfortable working out in!
I look forward to meeting all the athletes of CF& and becoming part of the team!
-Bree