Jen Velez

When I think back over my life as an athlete and my evolution into coaching, I realize that I have not always been the way I am now. Sure I have always been an energetic person with a love and enthusiasm for sports, but I have had many experiences that have truly shaped me into the person and coach I am today.

Throughout my life I have relied on sports for community, stress release and structure. I played soccer for 10 years and dabble in Cross Country, Wrestling, Softball, Basketball, Cheerleading, and even bowling! Along the way I had some great coaches but it’s taken me many years to realize that I have learned from each and every coach that I encountered. When I decided that I wanted to be a coach, my goal was to be a positive impact in the loves of others, just the way my coaches had been for me.

During my Junior year of high school I was injured during a soccer game, eliminating any chance of going on to play in college. Immediately after this happened, my family relocated to Florida. Both experiences took an extreme emotional toll on me, and led to not being involved in any athletics for several years. After a once in a lifetime trip to Thailand, I decided enough was enough and I needed to return to the only constant my life had ever known. It was then that I walked into a CrossFit gym for the first time and my life has never been the same, in a good way!

As someone who struggles with mental health, I am passionate about helping others find their inner strength and confidence. Exercise is about so much more than the number on the scale or how you look in the mirror. It's about finding pride in yourself and knowing you are capable of so much more than you give yourself credit for.