Off-Track and On Course
I’ve been told I need to get back into writing blogs, and when I asked what I could write about, they said, “Firstly, tell your story!” So, here it is: the next series of blogs is going to be about how I ended up owning a CrossFit affiliate. Now is the perfect time for this story, as we’ve just moved to our new, much bigger and better location. It gives me the opportunity to reflect on where I’ve come from and perhaps gain a greater appreciation of what I’ve achieved so far.
From Pubs to Putting Greens
I won’t go all the way back to my birth, but I will start with my childhood. My parents ran pubs, which often meant moving around frequently. Unlike my older siblings, I was fortunate enough to spend all of my secondary school education in one location. However, difficult financial circumstances forced us to move from Portsmouth to West London before I started sixth form.
This change unexpectedly switched my path from a traditional route of A-Levels to playing golf. The culture shock of going from a grammar school in Portsmouth to Hayes College left me feeling isolated and forced me to make a decision. Six weeks into my first year, I realized I had no interest in pursuing a career in IT. Instead, I wanted to pursue a career in golf.
Taking the Leap
At the time, I had only been playing golf during school holidays and occasionally hitting the driving range on my way home from school. I had actually only broken 100 once, which for those non-golfers means I was just above novice in ability! But I loved watching and studying the game, and I’ve always been one to dive into things headfirst, confident that I can outwork any barriers.
I told my parents about my decision, and I think because I’d been forced to move away from all my friends at 16, they just let me roll with it. For the next couple of years, I spent my weeks playing golf every day and my nights working at the pub my parents managed.
Learning Through the Grind
I played golf year-round, rain, sleet, snow, or ice. I was out there in the worst, cheapest waterproofs you could buy! The kind where you stay dry from the rain but are wet from the sweat trapped inside.
This is where I think I learned a lot about myself. In school, I was always the kid who just did enough. Every school report talked about trying harder and having potential, but I had no interest in achieving more than I needed to academically. You could have seen this and marked it as laziness. Looking back, it was really just a reflection that I have no interest in doing anything that doesn’t inspire and motivate me. Ask me to do something that doesn’t interest me, and I’ll do just enough to be acceptable. Give me a task that is my passion, and I’ll work night and day at it.
From Golf to CrossFit: Unexpected Parallels
Although CrossFit hadn’t even been created yet, the decisions I made back then would lead to where I am now, 30 years later. Golf and CrossFit are incredibly similar in many ways:
- Hard work is essential. There are no shortcuts to success in either pursuit.
- Details matter. Small adjustments can make a big difference in performance.
- Mindfulness is key. In both sports, you need to be fully present in the moment to perform your best.
- Mechanics, Consistency, and then Intensity. Master the fundamentals before pushing for greater intensity or results.
- You are responsible for your own results. But…
The Importance of Good Coaching
The one disclaimer to the last point is that coaching really matters. There’s a huge difference between good coaching and bad coaching. A good coach can be the difference between continuing to pursue what you love and quitting because you fell out of love with it.
The importance of coaching became more apparent every year I played golf, and it’s something that is front and center of my attention as a coach myself and when I’m working with our team of coaches here at CrossFit Chiltern. Every word you say and action you take can have a massive impact on the people you work with. You need to be constantly aware of this when you coach.
Stay tuned for future blog posts where I’ll dive deeper into my journey into CrossFit!