Sports have always been a big part of my life, both my dad and uncle played in the 1994 Soccer World Cup. So naturally, I grew up surrounded by sports. I played Soccer, Tennis, and Rugby through high school and college.

When I moved to the U.S. in 2016, I couldn’t find any teams or leagues to join, and I didn’t have any friends to organize pickup games. To keep myself active I joined a Gold’s Gym that was right across the street from a CrossFit box, and every time I walked to my car, I saw the Crossfitters outside doing crazy things like running with heavy med balls on their back or doing an insane amount of burpees only to lay flat on the ground after working out for 10 minutes. I remember saying to myself: “I used to play 2-hour long tennis matches and never felt like that.” So, out of curiosity, and after watching 100+ videos on YouTube, I decided to give it a try.

I went in for my first WOD, and even though I thought was going to throw up while doing it, the coach and everyone else kept encouraging and pushing me to finish, So I did! And as soon as I regained my breath, I immediately signed up, but most importantly I was finally making friends in this country.

I decided to become a Trainer in 2017 when I saw that CrossFit started an Adaptive Athlete Training Program. I come from a big family with kids that have different kinds of impairments/disabilities. They have always struggled to find a way to be physically active or to play most sports. So I wanted to be able to use CrossFit to help them the same way it helped me, and I believe that the fantastic support and inclusiveness of the community is the perfect platform to do so! That’s what I love the most about this sport; it’s for everyone! No matter what’s your fitness background, age, or any physical limitations you may have, as soon as you walk through those doors, you will always find friends and a supportive community ready help you on your fitness journey.