Athlete of the Month

Each month Overland Park CrossFit recognizes a member who exemplifies our values and motivates others in the gym to push themselves with encouraging words. August’s Athlete of the Month is Tony Clodfelter. Tony was chosen because of the extra time and effort he puts into working on his weaknesses, his willingness to patiently let his body heal from an injury, his desire to learn and improve his technique on the snatch and clean and jerk, and his overall positive attitude that he carries with him to the gym! His hard work is paying off and we love having Tony as a part of our OPCF community! Learn more about Tony below.

How long have you been working out at Overland Park CrossFit? 3 years

What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit workout? This is more challenging than I thought and I will be back. Do you remember what it was? Sadly, I don’t.

What has been your favorite workout so far? Anything with an Assault bike

What is your favorite cheat meal? Minsky’s Pizza

What did you want to be when you grew up and where do you work now? I wanted to work with computers and now I work at Cerner working on computer software.

What do you like to do outside of work? If I’m not at the gym, then I’m walking my dog or going fishing.

What advice would you give a newbie just starting at OPCF?  Take your time to enjoy the experience and as you put in the time on the movements, they will get better.

What is your favorite/least favorite movement? Favorite movement is the Assault bike; least favorite movement is the burpee.

What’s one Crossfit goal you have set for yourself to accomplish this next year? Get my T2B to be more efficient.

What changes have you seen in yourself since starting at OPCF? Just being overall happy in all walks of life.

What is your biggest improvement or proudest accomplishment thus far? Biggest improvement would be my consistency coming to gym.

How do you fit working out into your weekly schedule?  I look over my weekly schedule and see what time works best for me (usually 4:30 or 5:30 after work).

What is something you have always wanted to do but haven’t yet? Sky diving

 

Each month Overland Park CrossFit recognizes a member who exemplifies our values and motivates others in the gym to push themselves with encouraging words. June’s Athlete of the Month is Amanda Ice. Amanda was chosen because she always has a very positive attitude and cheers on the other members in her class. She has already made a ton of progress when it comes to being able to complete many of the more difficult skills (such as pull-ups, rope climbs, double-unders, etc.) since having her baby and it’s very exciting to see! She has an incredible work ethic and inspires those who get to watch her work out. Her hard work is paying off and we love having Amanda as a part of our OPCF community! Learn more about Amanda below.

How long have you been working out at Overland Park CrossFit? Since December 2020

What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit workout? Do you remember what it was? My first CrossFit workout was in February 2015 and it was an AMRAP of burpee box jumps and thrusters. I remember wanting to throw up and thinking how unfit I was!

What has been your favorite workout so far? My favorite workout is DT! I love any wod that includes a bunch of weightlifting!

What is your favorite cheat meal? Chips and queso

What did you want to be when you grew up and where do you work now? I honestly had no idea what I wanted to be or do when I was younger. Now I’m a project manager at Cerner.

What do you like to do outside of work? I love to hangout with my family, go to Chiefs and Royals’ games, take my dog for walks, and play volleyball.

What advice would you give a newbie just starting at OPCF? CrossFit becomes less intimidating the more you do it. You may not see changes day by day, but after 6 months or so, you will be able to look back and see how much stronger you’ve gotten and healthier you feel.

What is your favorite/least favorite movement? My favorite movements are snatches and double-unders and my least favorite is running. I would rather do ANYTHING than run haha!

What’s one Crossfit goal you have set for yourself to accomplish this next year? Coming back from giving birth in Sept. 2020, my goal in 2021 is to regain my midline/core strength that I had pre-baby.

What changes have you seen in yourself since starting at OPCF? Since starting at OPCF, I have become stronger both mentally and physically.

What is your biggest improvement or proudest accomplishment thus far? My biggest improvement has been the strengthening of my core. I still have a ways to go, but I’m already seeing improvement and it’s really encouraging! I have also hit my max clean and close to my max snatch so that’s been exciting as well.

How do you fit working out into your weekly schedule? I love working out at the 4:30pm class because it’s right after I get done from work and it’s such a great time to de-stress after a long workday! I try to get in at least 3, usually 4 CrossFit sessions a week.

What is something you have always wanted to do but haven’t yet? I’ve always wanted to be able to do a muscle-up! Some day it’s going to happen!

 

Each month Overland Park CrossFit recognizes a member who exemplifies our values and motivates others in the gym to push themselves with encouraging words. January’s Athlete of the Month is Ricardo Perdomo. Ricardo was chosen because ever since he made the transition from Bootcamp to CrossFit, he has started coming to CrossFit classes 5-6 times per week; he continues to push himself in every workout; he has completed several workouts RX; he always brings a positive attitude to class and rises to the challenge of conquering movements that he doesn’t like or that are difficult for him. His hard work is paying off and we love having Ricardo as a part of our OPCF community! Learn more about Ricardo below.

How long have you been working out at Overland Park CrossFit? 6 months total: 2months of bootcamp and 4 months of CrossFit.

What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit workout? Do you remember what it was? It was a Saturday morning bootcamp class and it kicked my butt, but I knew I wanted to sign up immediately. 

What has been your favorite workout so far? The first RX metcon I finished.

What is your favorite cheat meal? I have several but the one that stands out is fried chicken. 

What did you want to be when you grew up and where do you work now? Anything with computers. I work for Carmax as a CXA II on the Transaction Support Team. 

What do you like to do outside of work? I draw, paint and love to spend time with my family. 

What advice would you give a newbie just starting at OPCF? Be consistent. Research the sport by looking at videos, podcasts, competitions etc. You will find great motivation in that and then listen to your body. When is time to slow down, slow down. You want to keep it fun.

What is your favorite/least favorite movement? Favorite: bear crawl; Least favorite: overhead squats 🤢🤮. 

What’s one Crossfit goal you have set for yourself to accomplish this next year? To do “Murph” (#scaled4life).

What changes have you seen in yourself since starting at OPCF? I’ve gotten stronger, faster and have more energy throughout the day.

What is your biggest improvement or proudest accomplishment thus far? My blood pressure is normal now without medication. 

How do you fit working out into your weekly schedule? I make it a priority.  It’s a lifestyle. Your health is important. 

What is something you have always wanted to do but haven’t yet? Travel to an Asian country and experience their culture.

Each month Overland Park CrossFit recognizes a member who exemplifies our values and motivates others in the gym to push themselves with encouraging words. December’s Athlete of the Month is Janelle Balarashti. Janelle was chosen because of her consistency and dedication to staying fit over quarantine this spring; she never lets an injury or soreness keep her from getting a workout in; she always comes to class with a positive attitude; she graciously accepts the coach’s feedback and implements it the best she can; and she is just an all-around super hard worker that is very inspiring! Her hard work is paying off and we love having Janelle as a part of our OPCF community! Learn more about Janelle below.

How long have you been working out at Overland Park CrossFit? 1.5 years

What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit workout? Do you remember what it was? “Oh my gosh, this is hard! Can’t wait to go back!”

What has been your favorite workout so far? No particular favorite but I like the RFT workouts best so that I know a specific number.

What is your favorite cheat meal? Tacos….all the tacos!

What did you want to be when you grew up and where do you work now? I always wanted to be a teacher. Now, I work for The Family Conservancy on our Early Care and Education team. I’m able to take my passion for children and families and use it with early care and education providers throughout the metro. 

What do you like to do outside of work? I love to go hiking, lose myself in a good book, and always like trying a new recipe out for yummy, healthy dinners.

What advice would you give a newbie just starting at OPCF? Just keep coming back. Leah and the other coaches always have scaling options for if something seems impossible.

What is your favorite/least favorite movement? Least favorite movement is overhead squat….definitely room for improvement there! Most favorite movement is probably deadlift.

What’s one CrossFit goal you have set for yourself to accomplish this next year? One CrossFit goal for this next year is to finally be able to get a strict pull-up.

What changes have you seen in yourself since starting at OPCF? I’m definitely more self-confident and have a higher self-esteem. As I’ve gotten more fit (still so far to go!), I’m more comfortable in my own skin and more willing to take on new challenges and those things that just seemed impossible before now.

What is your biggest improvement or proudest accomplishment thus far? My proudest accomplishment thus far is that I keep coming back, especially when I see a WOD and think “I’m going to be scaling every move, why bother”. Those are the days that I make myself go and feel so much better for doing it.

How do you fit working out into your weekly schedule? I deliberately block time off on my family and work calendars each day so that I make sure I am taking care of myself and my own self-care needs.

What is something you have always wanted to do but haven’t yet? I’ve always wanted to do a family hike up Pike’s Peak, hopefully in the next couple of years.

Each month Overland Park CrossFit recognizes a member who exemplifies our values and motivates others in the gym to push themselves with encouraging words. November’s Athlete of the Month is Cameron Osburn. Cameron was chosen because of his willingness to prioritize good movement patterns and technique over lifting heavier weights. His work ethic is very evident in the way that he continues to push through workouts even when it gets really hard. He never gives up and always tries his best. His hard work is paying off and we love having Cameron as a part of our OPCF community! Learn more about Cameron below.

How long have you been working out at Overland Park CrossFit? Since October 2019, I believe. I’d been talking to my former coworker/now boss about CrossFit for a few months before coming in. He used to coach at a CrossFit gym in Olathe. He spoke very highly of his experiences and so I finally decided to jump in.

What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit workout? Do you remember what it was? My first class was a Saturday bootcamp class. I’m fairly sure it was Leah and Cody coaching. I thought the first workout was tough, but it was what I was looking for as far as getting into CrossFit.

What has been your favorite workout so far? I enjoy any workout that has heavy lifting in it. Building to a 1RM, especially when I’ve been working on that particular lift for a few weeks, and then seeing the progress is usually a mental boost. Plus, I honestly like those lifts.

What is your favorite cheat meal? I don’t really have a cheat meal; more like cheat snacks. Graham Crackers or Nutty Bars are currently the cheat snacks of choice and I don’t keep those in the house unless I’ve done something good.

What did you want to be when you grew up and where do you work now? At one point, I really wanted to be a pharmacist. Then I got to college and figured out I didn’t like Chemistry that much. I work at Garmin in Olathe as an Industrial Engineer, supporting improvement projects and the warehouse systems in the Distribution Center.

What do you like to do outside of work? I’m a homebody (especially right now) so I spend most of my time outside work with my wife and children. I enjoy watching sports, cooking shows, and any bingeable streaming shows. Recently I’ve been into cooking Thai and Indian style food and always love a good cup of coffee and the occasional gaming session (Roonskie on Xbox and PSN).

What advice would you give a newbie just starting at OPCF? There are actually a lot of little things that helped me. I think my main bit of advice would be to just go to classes and trust the coaches. Don’t stress about times or max weight (but do track them so you can show where you started). Find the best class times for you, make a schedule you can commit to, then come in and do the workouts. Once you get into a good rhythm, you can start stacking things like nutrition and setting new goals, but building the base starts with getting in the door first. The coaches are there to help with form and every OPCF coach has been great with constructive criticism and motivation.

What is your favorite/least favorite movement? Favorite: Deadlift – I’ve always felt once I started deadlifts seriously that they were the best for multiple reasons. Lease Favorite – Any and all versions of Snatch lifts. They are the only lifts that I’ve done in CrossFit that scare me. I’ve been going lighter on those for this reason and also to make sure that I hammer home form to gain confidence. I want these to become a favorite instead of a least favorite.

What’s one CrossFit goal you have set for yourself to accomplish this next year? My goals: Bench/Deadlift/Squat 1RM total over 1000 again, and 1 strict pull-up with near perfect form.

What changes have you seen in yourself since starting at OPCF? Generally lifting and working out help me mentally and with everything going on, which has been the biggest change.

What is your biggest improvement or proudest accomplishment thus far? I feel like I’ve seen the biggest improvements in my conditioning and endurance when lifting and going into the metcon. I’ve gotten more confidence to go a bit heavier during the workout to where I’m not as worried about being gassed during the metcon.

How do you fit working out into your weekly schedule? For me, I had to shift my personal schedule to include the 5:30 AM class (Shoutout to the Zero Dark Thirty group!). This provided me with the best way to fit working out into my schedule while not negatively impacting how my wife and I balance our lives at home. Plus, working out first thing in the morning helps me feel more energetic through the rest of the day.

What is something you have always wanted to do but haven’t yet? I’ll answer this in 2 ways: for a long time I’ve wished I had some kind of higher level artistic skill like playing piano or painting. Otherwise, I haven’t traveled to England/Europe or Japan, and both of these are trips I’d like to take.

Each month Overland Park CrossFit recognizes a member who exemplifies our values and motivates others in the gym to push themselves with encouraging words. October’s Athlete of the Month is Kara Schweigel. Kara was chosen because every day she shows a willingness to do whatever it takes to improve her technique (she asks the coaches questions on how she can get better at different things); she is happy to accept feedback and try to implement it the best she can; she are very positive and always tries her best! Her hard work is paying off and we love having Kara as a part of our OPCF community! Learn more about Kara below.

How long have you been working out at Overland Park CrossFit? I’ve been coming to OPCF since June. I was a member of another KC Crossfit gym for several years before moving to Overland Park.

What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit workout? Do you remember what it was? I remember feeling happy to be back to working out after a forced quarantine break, but also that I was going to be sore.

What has been your favorite workout so far? I like the Hero workouts. I know they’re going to be super challenging, but finishing them feels so good.

What is your favorite cheat meal? Tacos and a margarita

What did you want to be when you grew up and where do you work now? I was (still am) an animal lover and wanted to be a vet when I was little. I definitely didn’t go the med school route, but instead I work in compliance for a pharmaceutical software company.

What do you like to do outside of work? I love being with my family; my kids are busy with sports, which means I’m busy cheering them on. I also enjoy running, reading, and baking.

What advice would you give a newbie just starting at OPCF? Keep showing up, especially on the days that the workout scares you. Don’t be afraid to scale and ask the coaches questions; they’re always happy to help.

What is your favorite/least favorite movement? I really like rowing and anything with a barbell. Burpees and the assault bike are THE WORST.

What’s one Crossfit goal you have set for yourself to accomplish this next year? I’d like to get double-unders and work towards a pull-up.

What changes have you seen in yourself since starting at OPCF? My strength has improved, which is cool but so has my form. I love getting feedback from the coaches on how to be more efficient, how to lift more, etc.

What is your biggest improvement or proudest accomplishment thus far? Showing up consistently, especially when it’s a workout that I don’t think I’ll enjoy or be good at, is something I’m always proud of.

How do you fit working out into your weekly schedule? I make it a priority by looking at my week and making sure I’ve blocked out an hour of my day to work out.

What is something you have always wanted to do but haven’t yet? I’ve always wanted to do a box jump, but they terrify me. I’ll get there though!

Each month Overland Park CrossFit recognizes a member who exemplifies our values and motivates others in the gym to push themselves with encouraging words. September’s Athlete of the Month is Bruce Still. Bruce was chosen because of his dedication to attend every Bootcamp class, his willingness to work super hard, his ability to complete most of the movements with very few modifications, and he always has a positive attitude! His hard work is paying off and we love having Bruce as a part of our OPCF community! Learn more about Bruce below.

How long have you been working out at Overland Park CrossFit? I started bootcamp in April 2018.

What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit workout? Do you remember what it was? I don’t remember the workout but I thought it seemed like a well-structured approach to fitness.

What has been your favorite workout so far? Any workout WITHOUT burpees.

What is your favorite cheat meal? Beef tips and noodles at RC’s in Martin City.

What did you want to be when you grew up and where do you work now? From age 13 I wanted to be an orchestral horn player. I’m now retired from chiropractic practice.

What do you like to do outside of work? Road trips with my wife to visit our kids, working on cars, swimming, and symphony concerts.

What advice would you give a newbie just starting at OPCF? “Scale it” and keep going.

What is your favorite/least favorite movement? Well, of the 9 foundational CF movements, my favorite is deadlift. Old injuries/surgeries left me with ‘kinks’ in my kinetic chain so I usually have to modify the other 8 movements.

What’s one Crossfit goal you have set for yourself to accomplish this next year? I want to get a pull-up.

What changes have you seen in yourself since starting at OPCF? It’s easier going up and down stairs, old clothes fit better, and I have lower blood pressure.

What is your biggest improvement or proudest accomplishment thus far? I did 2 toes-to-bar last week.

How do you fit working out into your weekly schedule? CrossFit first, then other stuff.

What is something you have always wanted to do but haven’t yet? Snorkeling in St Croix or Maui.

Each month Overland Park CrossFit recognizes a member who exemplifies our values and motivates others in the gym to push themselves with encouraging words. August’s Athlete of the Month is Anna Mollman. Anna was chosen because of her commitment to attending the majority of classes every single week, her willingness to learn new skills and accept feedback, her dedication during open gym periods to work on weaknesses, and the fact that she is a positive and joyful person to be around! Her hard work is paying off and we love having Anna as a part of our OPCF community! Learn more about Anna below.

How long have you been working out at Overland Park CrossFit?  I started working out at OPCF in July of last year.

What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit workout? Do you remember what it was? I don’t remember what my first CrossFit workout was, but I knew from that moment that CrossFit was something I really liked and would continue doing my whole life!

What has been your favorite workout so far? It’s hard to pick just one workout that has been my favorite, but I really enjoy the long chipper workouts that challenge me. One of my favorites was last year when I did murph unpartitioned.

What is your favorite cheat meal? Favorite cheat meal: cheesecake. If you eat enough in one sitting it’s definitely a meal.

What did you want to be when you grew up and where do you work now? I always wanted to work in healthcare so I could help people! I currently am a nurse at Shawnee Mission Medical Center. I spend my nights saving NICU babies!

What do you like to do outside of work? Outside of work I love being at the CrossFit gym, staying active, and going to breweries with my friends!

What advice would you give a newbie just starting at OPCF? The advice I’d give to a newbie starting at OPCF is to focus on small steps towards improvement and just have fun.

What is your favorite/least favorite movement? Favorite movement: FRONT SQUATS. Least favorite movement: strict anything.

What’s one Crossfit goal you have set for yourself to accomplish this next year? A CrossFit goal I’d like to accomplish this next year is ring muscle ups.

What changes have you seen in yourself since starting at OPCF? Since starting at OPCF I’ve noticed I’ve made a lot of progress in my technique in various CrossFit movements.

What is your biggest improvement or proudest accomplishment thus far? My biggest improvement is definitely my gymnastics. It’s still a work in progress, but before starting CrossFit I couldn’t do anything that required any gymnastics ability.

How do you fit working out into your weekly schedule? Fitting working out into my weekly schedule is easy because I make it a priority. I often plan my day around making it to the gym because it’s honestly the best part of the day!

What is something you have always wanted to do but haven’t yet? Something that I’ve always wanted to do is skydiving. I plan to do that by the end of the summer!

Each month Overland Park CrossFit recognizes a member who exemplifies our values and motivates others in the gym to push themselves with encouraging words. July’s Athlete of the Month is Scott Pao. Scott was chosen because of the positive attitude he brings to every single class (even when there’s a movement or workout that he doesn’t particularly like), his desire to improve every movement, and his willingness to accept the coach’s feedback and then implement it the best he can. His hard work is paying off and we love having Scott as a part of our OPCF community! Learn more about Scott below.

How long have you been working out at Overland Park CrossFit? I have been working out at OPCF for 10 months.

What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit workout? Do you remember what it was? I thought that my body was going to feel this workout for the next week.

What has been your favorite workout so far? Anything that involves pushing the barbell is my favorite type of workout.

What is your favorite cheat meal? Korean fried chicken with a cold beer.

What did you want to be when you grew up and where do you work now? I wanted to become a professional race car driver. I’m currently a full-time student at the University of Kansas and majoring in finance.

What do you like to do outside of work? I enjoy spending time with my 6-year-old nephew.

What advice would you give a newbie just starting at OPCF? Make sure you stay hydrated and listen to the coaches.

What is your favorite/least favorite movement? My favorite movement is the push press and my least favorite movement is the snatch.

What’s one Crossfit goal you have set for yourself to accomplish this next year? I really want to get a muscle-up!

What changes have you seen in yourself since starting at OPCF? I’ve developed my mental strength to be able to push myself farther than I think my body can go.

What is your biggest improvement or proudest accomplishment thus far? My progress with handstand push-ups.

How do you fit working out into your weekly schedule? Being a student, I’m able to fit my weekly schedule around working out.

What is something you have always wanted to do but haven’t yet? Graduate from college, which I’ll accomplish this December!

Each month Overland Park CrossFit recognizes a member who exemplifies our values and motivates others in the gym to push themselves with encouraging words. June’s Athlete of the Month is Michaela Myer. Michaela was chosen for several different reasons including her participation in every single Zoom class, her attendance to all of the Zoom workshops that OPCF has put on during this stay-at-home period, her engagement with the OPCF Community FB page, and for the way she has committed to improving her nutrition and fitness habits even while being stuck at home! Her hard work is paying off and we love having Michaela as a part of our OPCF community! Learn more about Michaela below.

How long have you been working out at Overland Park CrossFit? I started consistently going to OPCF at the beginning of March (right before all the lock down stuff…….I have great timing!)

What were your thoughts after your first CrossFit workout? Do you remember what it was? I don’t remember the whole workout but I remember it had squats while holding a plate in front of you. I also remember after class I sat in my car for about 5 minutes and then called my mom crying because my arms hurt so bad I didn’t think I could drive home!

What has been your favorite workout so far? I surprisingly really enjoy The Chief as well as Grace. I think I like The Chief because there are rest times programmed into the workout. I feel like when I know a rest is coming, I tend to push myself a little harder. I like Grace because I just feel super strong afterwards!!

What is your favorite cheat meal? A whole lot of Mexican food! I absolutely love going to Mi Ranchito and getting their cream cheese chicken enchiladas with some queso and guac. Yummmmm!!! Might have to work really hard this week so I can have that this weekend!

What did you want to be when you grew up and where do you work now? Starting in 6th grade I was set on being an accountant. (I know….super exciting and really dreaming big!) I got my degree in accounting and then realized it was a little boring for me! So I moved into analytics because it was still a lot of numbers and math, which I’m good at, but it seemed more exciting. It’s honestly been a good fit for me because I get to work with so many different people and am challenged daily. By the time this is posted, I will have started my first supervisor role for customer support and analytics at Compass Minerals.

What do you like to do outside of work? I really love going hiking! My dad and I often take a week and head west to go on hiking trips. My favorite hike was when we tackled Angels Landing at Zion National Park. It’s one of the scariest hikes in the world and I had the best time!! Outside of that, I really love going off roading with some jeep friends, going to the dog park or hiking with my pup, watching sports, or just sitting outside on a nice day and reading a book.

What advice would you give a newbie just starting at OPCF? Check your ego at the door. You have to come in open to whatever happens. If you have a certain “standard” in mind, you’re not going to fully enjoy what you are doing. And don’t compare yourself to anyone else in the gym. Focus on your workout, your weight, your time and just compete against yourself. That’s how you get better every day!

What is your favorite/least favorite movement? My favorite would be cleans. Especially some heavy power cleans or a high rep count of light power cleans! My least favorite would be wall balls and the Assault bike. I feel like I can never breathe effectively during either of them!

What’s one CrossFit goal you have set for yourself to accomplish this next year? I really want to focus on being consistent with my workouts and my diet. I want to get down to a size I’m more comfortable at and can move better at. Then, I would really like to do a CrossFit competition!

What changes have you seen in yourself since starting at OPCF? I’ve become a lot more confident in myself. And this surprisingly came earlier in my journey than I thought it would! I didn’t think I would gain confidence until my body looked a certain way or I could lift a certain weight, but instead, my confidence has come from this amazing community! It doesn’t matter if I finish first or last in a workout, or if I do the most weight or the least weight, the cheers and congratulations after finishing a workout are the same. Everyone here just wants to see everyone win and that will make anyone feel very confident!

What is your biggest improvement or proudest accomplishment thus far? When I first started CrossFit at OPCF, I could barely run a 200 without walking (which was really defeating since I used to run marathons). But just the other day I ran a mile without walking! I know that may not seem like a huge accomplishment, but my cardio has been the hardest thing for me getting back into CrossFit. That one mile showed me that my dedication to this journey is already paying off!

How do you fit working out into your weekly schedule? I just make it a priority. I tell myself it’s something that I absolutely can’t miss, like a doctor’s appointment or something. I’m not going to lie, there are still days I have to really force myself to go. But once I see everyone’s face, I’m always so glad I did it.

What is something you have always wanted to do but haven’t yet? I really want to be able to do kipping pull ups, handstand push-ups, and muscle-ups. I know it’s going to take a lot of work to get there, but I’m more motivated now than ever!!