A few people have urged me to clarify why I’m no longer on the leaderboard, and hearing some of their concerns, I think it’s important that I speak up. I’m a mostly quiet kid who lets the rumor mill have its way without it bothering me much, but there are a few things you, as my family, should know. So here it goes…
First, I did not purposefully fail to post a score for 16.4. I was not upset with my performance and then pull myself out because things weren’t going my way. That’s just silly; if things don’t go my way, that’s my cue to work harder, not walk away. In actuality things were going my way, and while this has not been the best of training seasons for me, I was showing myself that I could do it, regardless of circumstance or injury. (In fact, while 16.4 isn’t my favorite, I did put up a legitimate top ten score, securing my place in the top twenty if it had posted). Since “pouting” is something that people are suggesting, I want to clarify why I do CrossFit and why I compete (and yes, those are separate categories for me) in order to set the record straight.
I do CrossFit because I love to train. I love walking into the gym, looking at the whiteboard and thinking to myself, “I can’t do that,” and then walking away an hour later knowing that I did do just that (or a version of it, lol). CrossFit encourages you to do more because you believe more. When I walked into CrossFit for the first time (about five years ago), Daniel Tromello watched as my “max set” of pull ups in a minute was…seven pull ups. Last year, I could have probably done 67 in a minute. That’s why I CrossFit—growth.
I compete for Mike Tromello and for you. It’s this kind of community that sets CrossFit apart from other gyms and Precision from other boxes. And you know it or you wouldn’t be here every day, sweating, talking, growing, stretching. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked into Precision with the weight of the world pressing in on me and then walked out of Precision with a joyous bounce in my step. There is healing in this kind of community. I mean, how many places can you answer, “How’s it going,” honestly and openly? How often can you find so many genuine and kind people in one location? I see your goodness to me and to each other and to outsiders. I proudly put a crosshair on my chest as my introverted way of saying that I love you guys, that I’m grateful for you all (well, not all, but most…Sam is a little shady). Mike is very clear that we are all competitors, that we are all Team Precision, and for me that is very true. I could not and would not compete without you: you are my tribe. You push me when I need momentum; you encourage me when I need courage; you inspire me when I need breath.
So in light of that, I owe you an apology. Please know that my mistake was not me trying to spit on the gift you’ve given me in training alongside me. I wouldn’t have been able to achieve what I did achieve in this Open without fun kids to train with, without close friends to cry with, without exceptional coaches to listen to. So thank you for believing in me enough to help me close out my 2016 Open having achieved my goal of ranking in the top twenty (leaderboard shme-eaderboard). While I’m disappointed not to be able to represent you as well as you deserve to be repped, I’ve always preferred training with you than competing. Now, it’s my turn to return the support. Let’s crush it, Team Precision. With a Wall of Blue behind you, you can achieve anything.
– Jess
