This past week 306 officially turned three. I compare the evolution of our gym as being similar to that of our kids, often referring to 306 as my fourth child.
In year one, our gym was a newborn, it required 100% of our attention and was vulnerable. I worked non-stop in that first year fostering it's development and attended to its every need. Rebecca and I did everything we could to ensure that the gym would make it through that critical first year. We embraced our community and our members. Our benchmark boards included a 305 pound deadlift for ladies, a 475 for men. A sub three minute Fran and you made the board. We finished fourth in the Open and began to add coaches to our staff. As that first year came to a close we had grown so fast that we put a wait list in effect for a few months trying to manage that growth.
Year two resembles the life of a toddler. Going through some growing pains, trying to instill a little more independence and getting stronger everyday. Our gym would establish a strong presence within the CrossFit community both in Saskatoon and Canada West. 306 could be seen on the podium at numerous events and we would again have a strong showing in the Open. Richard and Marc would be added to our list of experts and help forge our development in powerlifting and weightlifting. Our community continued to grow tighter. Our deadlift board now included only scores in the 500s for men and 300s for the ladies. Our Fran board now needed a sub 2:45 to be board worthy.
Year three resembles a young teenager. Confident, strong with unlimited potential. Our membership base is secure, allowing us to make big investments into athletic development. We would renovate upstairs permitting us the ability to bring in onsite physiotherapy and massage therapy. We would officially partner with PolyHealth, providing our athletes the nutritional guidance needed for peak performance. We added another 1000 square feet of gym space dedicated to the strength sports and that would pay huge dividends. Two of our athletes take over provinicial records in weightlifting. Jessie Byudens becomes our first Canadian champion in powerlifting. Our deadlift board now includes a 600lbs lift and a 395lbs world class lift on the ladies side. Our Fran board continues to improve with now a sub 2:35 needed to get on. Path to the Podium is born helping athletes focus their efforts and reach their potential.
Looking forward we know our foundation is strong. We believe that as we mature we can officially become one of the premier training centers in Canada. We will continue to focus on quality of development of all our athletes, breaking down any barriers that may stand in our way. Rebecca, myself, and all of our staff, are dedicated to providing all our members with the best possible experience and help everyone achieve their potential.
Thank you 306 for making all my dreams come true, every day I am surrounded by incredible athletes and kind, generous people that I often forget that this is a job and I am not just dreaming.
-Coach