Katie Hayes: The Path of a Career CrossFit Coach
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024
- Katie Hayes is a Certified CrossFit Coach (CF-L4), a trainer on CrossFit’s Seminar Staff, a former affiliate owner, and a passionate advocate for CrossFit as a way to improve health and fitness. But prior to finding her way, Hayes underwent a transformation that changed her entire trajectory in life.
As a junior in college, Hayes too often found herself leaning on eating food and drinking alcohol to forget about her physical state. Hayes was overweight, unhealthy, and lacking confidence. When she realized she wanted to improve her health and put some distance between herself and her party lifestyle, Hayes moved from Chicago, Illinois, to Jacksonville, Florida, to live with her sister, Meghan Russell - owner of CrossFit Jax. Although she had considered CrossFit before, Hayes says she was too intimidated to walk through the doors of an affiliate.
“The only way I would try CrossFit was at my sister’s gym,” she says. “I was unwilling to walk into just a random CrossFit gym … I remember thinking, maybe (CrossFit) will be the thing that completely changes my life.”
And it was. Major changes to her nutrition habits coupled with a consistent CrossFit routine helped Hayes lose more than 100 lb, regain her self-confidence, and find a new purpose in life.
The next clear step for Hayes was to become a CrossFit trainer. Hayes’ natural presence and rapidly evolving love for CrossFit made the decision a “no-brainer,” Russell says.
After earning her Level 1 Certificate in 2010, Hayes started coaching at CrossFit Jax. Things snowballed from there: Two years later, Hayes was hired on CrossFit’s Seminar Staff. In 2015, she became a Level 3 CrossFit Trainer, and in 2022, Hayes earned the title of CrossFit Level 4 Coach, the highest credential offered by CrossFit and one that denotes an expert CrossFit coach.
Today, Hayes serves to inspire people who are intimidated by CrossFit to give it a try.
“I really understand when people come in with that intimidation factor - and that happens a lot. And I’ve been there, I’ve walked through that stuff and I know how scary it is,” she says, adding with a smile, “but I also know what’s on the other side.”
Note: During the filming of this project, Hayes and her husband were the owners/operators of CrossFit Beaver Menace in Castle Rock, Colorado. Since then they have sold the gym to pursue more opportunities to grow and develop coaches and other affiliate owners within the community. They are still full-time coaches at CrossFit Beaver Menace.
CrossFit - (www.crossfit.com/)
This was a great . It doesnt suprise me that Crossfit Jax and her sister were so intrigal in the journey. I traveled to Mayport often for work and found them near by. Ever since the first drop in they were great, welcoming knowledgable. Even ended up knowing a few people they knew in Va Beach due to Navy ties and Crossfit family. This story just FELT GOOD!
Amazing gym and EVEN BETTER people!! I am so grateful for everything Katie and Graham have taught me! Thank yall for making me fall in love with CrossFit!!
I had the pleasure of meeting Katie at a CFL1 in Boulder last year. She is so genuine and so dang charismatic! This is an amazing backstory, thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much for watching, Crystal! We're so glad to hear you had a great experience!
I also got to meet Katie during my CFL1 in Houston, November 2023. She’s such a kind genuine person, a well as all the other coaches that led the course. Love this community ❤
Love it! so inspiring 🤗✨️
Woohoo! That's my coach! What an amazing and determined woman. So thankful for her influence in my life.
More of this! Well done, Katie!
#CROSSFIT CAMBIA VIDAS!
Muchas gracias por tanto herman@s!
#DIOS les acompañe!!!
What an amazing story. Thank you for sharing your story and being vulnerable with the world.
Crossfit jax. This family 💕💕💕💕💕
Ok guys, you are getting back on track with this. Please don't stop these kind of stories. The DEI garbage is just that. Garbage
Amazing story🎉🎉🎉 love it
I'm just curious if y'all have done a profile on Chris and Megan Russell? Or of TJ? CF EAST and CF Jax, and their stories, and that of their founders, did some amazing things for fitness in Jacksonville, the Jax military community, and it grew all along Florida's first coast. They were instrumental in spreading the teachings of Crossfit and creating the amazing community that exists on our side of the country now. I had no clue how fortunate I was to walk through CFJax's doors back in 2011, but I was lucky enough to get to spend years of my life learning just how special that place was and is. Among the faces that greeted me were April, The Katie P, and Megan. Who all, after my baseline, promptly stomped me into the ground with Fran.
Chris will always be the first to point to TJ and tell you he is where it came from for him. I'm sure part of this is sentiment on my part, but I would love to see the Russells, and TJ, get a profile of their own. They are anchors in the fitness community and Crossfit in the East, since way back in the day.
Also Graham's story is amazing in his own right. They're just a whole crew of rock stars.
These Magic of Crosssfit are so good. Thanks for sharing these.
Katie is such an inspiration!
Love this 🙌🏽
MITICAL 👊❤️