Athlete of the Month

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Athlete of the Month

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All of us who work out here at Mission CrossFit SA train hard. We are all on our own journey in pursuit of a higher level of fitness, health and ultimately, life. It is not an easy journey, but it’s worth it. It requires hard work, sweat, discipline, and perseverance. The journey is filled with challenges, obstacles, and sometimes-even setbacks. And although every person’s road is unique, it is not a solo endeavor. We are in the pursuit of fitness together. Like a team, when a person is knocked down, the group responds by picking them up. Equally as important, when someone succeeds, their accomplishments are enjoyed and celebrated by the whole. To that end, every month, one person will be recognized for their outstanding achievements in fitness, whether they are in or out of the box.

This page is dedicated to that individual who portrays what CrossFit is at Mission CrossFit SA. It is someone who pushes hard, never gives up and wants to accomplish something each day they step foot inside our gym. They are chosen by their peers and lead by example. The athlete doesn’t necessarily lift the most amount of weight, or win every WOD, but instead they have passion and desire for what their individual goal is. Work hard, everyone is always paying attention, and you could be next!

2017 March Athlete of the Month

Mission CrossFit San Antonio March 1, 2017

Congratulations to Emmalind Aponte, known to us as Emma, for being selected as the March 2017 Athlete of the Month! Emma has been a loyal member for the last 2 years. As a busy working mom you can find Emma at a mixture of classes, as early as 6:30 am to even the 6:30 pm. No matter the class time she still makes it in to crush the WOD’s. Even through a small shoulder injury you still found Emma at Mission modifying the WOD’s. For those reasons and many more, she is definitely deserving of the title for Athlete of the Month.

Favorite WOD: Omar and anything with double unders

Least favorite WOD: Karen ( only time I wish I was taller)

Favorite lift: Thrusters ( Always kick my butt but I love the challenge )

Least favorite lift: Overhead squat

Story: I’ve never played a sport but the truth is that I’ve worked out most of my life; mostly cardio oriented because I never liked the ‘machine circuits’. I would enjoy a training discipline for a while, get bored, then move on to something else. Five years ago, I would never have imagined myself moving a barbell and relishing it. I got into CrossFit about 3 years ago encouraged by my husband, he thought that I would like it but I was full of doubts. I had no experience with barbells, kettlebells, or wallballs, and the movements were so intimidating. Nevertheless, my thirst for something new was the other push that I needed.

I did my first WOD and have never considered stopping. I’ve had my ups and down but never gave up. I feel stronger than ever in my life and I am no longer intimidated by the barbell. I love that any work out can be scaled and still be a challenge. I never get bored because every WOD tackles a different set of skills. CrossFit has all the elements that I enjoy: it challenges me, it is fluid, and it keeps me healthy.

When we moved to San Antonio two years ago, we tried other boxes and it was Mission that I felt could become my box. My intuition was right because I do not see myself anywhere else, I love the community at Mission. I think all the coaches are great. I admire how Megan and Drew always strive to make Mission the best box in town. I never thought that I would say this but I know that I will be doing CrossFit till the day I stop breathing.

2017 February Athlete of the Month – Mike Loveall

Mission CrossFit San Antonio February 2, 2017

Congratulations to Mike Loveall for being selected as the Febuary 2017 Athlete of the Month! You can always find Mike being one of the first ones to arrive for the 5:30am class. You can count on Mike to come in and give 110% on every single WOD. Most importantly you can hear him encouraging on his fellow athletes to finish the WOD. For those reasons and many more, he is definitely deserving of the title for Athlete of the Month.

Started CrossFit: August 2013 @ Garage 23 Crossfit, Leesville/Ft Polk, Louisiana

Favorite WOD: Hero WODs, Annie and Grace.

Least Favorite WOD: Anything with handstand push ups or muscle ups.

Favorite Lift: Deadlift, Back Squats, Overhead Squats, Front Squats, Cleans, and Snatches.

Least Favorite Lift: Bench Press, Strict Press.

Story: My CrossFit story is similar to many others. I was on my own fitness journey and had been for many years. I was a high school athlete and was experienced with functional fitness from my time in the Army. With work and life, my fitness journey was more of a unguided stroll. I had been familiar with CrossFit and finally decided to join in August of 2013. Like many others, I was immediately hooked. As I continued down this path, the philosophy, connection of the distributed community, and the accountability of the local box community really appealed to me. I appreciate the dedication and efforts of the affiliate owners. Drew and Megan, and my previous box owners, have invested their personal time and money in our personal development and to foster a supportive community. I appreciate the 5:30 a.m. crew that help keep me accountable. Tucker, Eric, Lee, Veronica, Lina, Dr. G, and the other people that show up before dawn make the early morning much more bearable. Of course my favorite Mission athlete of all is my wife, Ellie, in the 8:30 crew. The best part of my Crossfit journey is that it grows every day, with every workout, with every movement of life. Let’s continue our stories, Team Mission.

January 2017 Athlete of the Month – Wes Weissgarber

Mission CrossFit San Antonio January 4, 2017

Congratulations to Wes Weissgarber for being selected as the January 2017 Athlete if the Month! We couldn’t think of a better way to kick of the new year then selecting an athlete like Wes. Since he joined Mission, he has been a regular at the noon class, rarely not seen during the week. He has recently kicked his skill work into high gear by staying after class every time he attends to practice his pull-ups, muscle ups and any other skill he’s working to develop. He never packs his gear up before the last person finished the WOD and continuously cheers others on around him. For those reasons and many more, he is definitely deserving of the title for Athlete of the Month.

Started CrossFit: 2011

Favorite WOD:Fran

Least Favorite WOD: Anything with double-unders

Favorite Lift: Snatch

Least Favorite Lift: N/A

Story: I’ve always been an active person. Throughout my life I’ve competed in many sports, team and individual; all have required different levels of training. Of all the athletics I’ve done, none have shown me the gains and physical improvement that CrossFit has. The drive for competition and self improvement creates an addictive environment that I look forward to everyday. The workouts are always intense, the coaches are knowledgeable, and the friends keep it chipper! As long as I’m able, I will push myself at MCF and enjoy the time with my friends here. Cheers!

December 2016 Athlete of the Month- Crystal Reisner

Mission CrossFit San Antonio December 1, 2016

Congratulations to Crystal Reisner for being selected as December 2016 Athlete if the Month! Crystal is one of the most genuine, hard working and dedicated people at Mission. You will always see her staying after to work in more skills and pushing herself beyond what she thought possible. She will great you with a smile and cheer you ok until the end. For those reasons and many more, she is definitely deserving of the title for Athlete of the Month.

Started CrossFit: May 2014

Favorite WOD: Diane

Least Favorite WOD: Isabel

Favorite Lift: Jerks, HSPU, T2B

Least Favorite Lift: Cleans

Story: I began working out in July 2011, when a friend gave me a Groupon she was not going to use. Before this day, I had never in my life every attempted to workout before. So walking in this gym for me was a huge step. I was at my heaviest, 180 pounds, and didn’t like myself very much. I drank alcohol regularly and did not eat anything healthy. I worked out for almost a year before I started to lose any weight. It was very deciding at times; often left me feeling sorry I ever started the process. After the first year, the gym hired a nutritionist and began working with me on my eating habits. This was another obstacle I had to work really hard at because it included my husband and his daughter eating healthy with me. It actually ended up being the greatest thing for us as a family. We enjoyed cooking together and trying new recipes. In April 2014 the gym changed the way the transfer could work with us, so I decided to make a change.

In May 2014, I, along with Cassie and Claire, came in to try out our first free class at Mission. We all really liked it and decided to make the change permanently. The coaches have always been friendly and very helpful. I really enjoyed how everyone cheered for every athlete to finish; no matter how long it took, even finishing the workout together if need. It was all very inspiriting to see the camaraderie.

I have now been working out for over 5 years and can honestly say it is still weird to hear people call me an athlete or for me to sign up for competitions. Five years ago, I could not ever do a single full push up and I have scars on my knees to prove it. Now I can complete a WOD like “Fran” in just over 6 minutes. It is just amazing to have some of the best coaches in San Antonio teach me to be a better me every single day and never complain about it. This alone is why I enjoy my daily grade with Drew, Meagan, Mike, Junior, Rebekah, Beth, Amy, Ryan, Julianne, and the newest coaches Roland and Lacey. You all make the world a better place with your smiles. Love you guys!

NOVEMBER 2016 ATHLETE OF THE MONTH – STEPHANIE RODRIGUEZ

Mission CrossFit San Antonio November 2, 2016

Congratulations to Stephanie Rodriguez for being selected as November’s Athlete of the Month! Stephanie has been a major part of our community since the day she joined Mission. She instantly made an impact on our community and built some tremendous friendships. She embodies what it means to be a die-hard CrossFitter and loyal to a community. Whether you see her out lifting everyone at the noon class or bringing in some home-baked goods, she always has a smile on her face. We love having her be apart of our community and look forward to many more years with her. For those reasons and many more, she is certainly deserving of the title “Athlete of the Month.”

Started CrossFit: October 2013

Favorite WOD: Grace

Least Favorite WOD: I hate all WODS with 400m or longer runs

Favorite Lift: I love to squat!

Least Favorite Lift: No, haha…..the bike?

Story:
When I started CrossFit in 2013 I instantly fell in love. I no longer had to go to the gym to lose weight. I went everyday to be stronger, faster, and a better athlete. I was hooked. In the end of 2014 I found my CrossFit home at Mission. I was happy 🙂 In September of 2015, I suffered an injury and needed surgery. I was in a cast for 3 months and took 6 months off from Crossfit. I was miserable, depressed, and trying to find my way without CrossFit in my life. My family, my husband, and all my doctors didn’t want me to go back, and told me to expect that I would never even be able to do a normal push up again due to my wrist. I took a couple months trying to make it work at a regular gym, but eventually found my way back to Mission. I was out of shape, nervous, and embarrassed. I had to scale and/or modify almost every movement, but Drew and the coaches never gave up on me. They helped me modify every single day so I could still push myself. Each day got a little better, and each week I found myself being able to do things I couldn’t do the week before. I found myself having so much fun with my noon squad that I barely thought about my injury anymore. I went to the gym everyday to have FUN, laugh, and sweat a little. Here I am now, one year post surgery and I am competing again! I honestly can’t even put into words how much everyone at Mission, from Drew, all the coaches, and each and every member mean to me. You guys make every single day better, and I love you for it. Home away from Home.

October 2016 Athlete of the Month – Christopher West

Mission CrossFit San Antonio October 1, 2016

Congratulations to Christopher West for being selected as October’s Athlete of the Month! Chris along side his wife, Collanne, are some of the longest standing members of our community. They have been members since 2010, just a few months after we officially opened. Since that day Chris has been apart of every big change, event and community gathering we have had. You can always see him throughout the week in class, and then again on Saturday’s with Collanne and their two young girls running around. We love having him apart of our community as he truly portrays what it means to be a member of our community. For those reasons and many more, he is certainly deserving of the title “Athlete of the Month.”

Name: Christopher West

Started CrossFit: May 2010

Favorite WOD: “Krisanne” – this is the gender reveal workout Collanne and I did for our first child.

Least Favorite WOD: the “Badger” – awful, just awful

Favorite Lift: None – but I like pullups and double unders

Least Favorite Lift: all – but specifically overhead squats and snatches

Story: My wife Collanne and I started doing CrossFit in May 2010, just a few weeks after Drew opened Mission at the old old location next to Florio’s. We have always considered ourselves part of the Founding Fathers (Collanne included) and I believe we are the only remaining members from that very first old guard. CrossFit has been such an important part of our lives and gives us the competitive aspect that we were missing since our collegiate careers ended. I have seen the many changes of Mission, from gym to gym, coach to coach, class to class, but still feel that no matter what class I attend there will always be supportive members and coaches doing what they do best. I have made some fantastic friendships at Mission and I absolutely love my noon classmates and coaches. I still can’t do a full depth squat, I still have flexibility issues and back problems, but I continue to be supported (and heckled at times) by all of the members and coaches at Mission – something I look forward to everyday. I know I speak for Collanne as well when I say we can’t wait for the next 6 years at Mission and getting to know more amazing people at our gym.