Whitney Bozzer was first diagnosed with breast cancer at age twenty. Ten years later, she is still fighting after being diagnosed for the fifth time. There was a time in Whitney’s life when she did not believe that sharing her story mattered. However, when Whitney discovered Barbells for Boobs (BFB) last year at her local CrossFit Affiliate, everything changed.
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Kaleena Ladeairous just moved from Greenwich, CT to Miami, FL to take on the role of Head Coach at CrossFit Armed. Just two weeks prior to her move, Kaleena competed in the 2015 Reebok CrossFit Games with her team, CrossFit Milford, where they finished in an impressive second place.
Though this was Kaleena’s first podium finish, she is an extremely experienced athlete and coach. She is a five-time individual CrossFit Regional competitor (2011-2015) and 2013 CrossFit Games individual competitor (19th place). Her certifications include: National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), CrossFit Level 1 and 2, CrossFit Mobility, Strongman, Endurance and Gymnastics.
I sat down with Kaleena one morning at CrossFit Armed after a WOD to talk about her recent success, her move to Miami, and her plans for the future. It was a great opportunity to get to know my new coach and to find out what it takes to compete at the most elite level of CrossFit as a team and as an individual. We also talked about more than just her own training including how she plans to develop herself as coach in a new state at a new gym. But first… let’s talk about the Games...
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April Fashlete of the Month
Name: Sadie Wells
Occupation: Coach at Reebok CrossFit Miami Beach
Sadie Wells finished the 2014 CrossFit Open in 11th place in the competitive South East Region. She's earned herself an individual spot at the 2015 Atlantic Regional, which will take place May 15-17. Sadie has been climbing the ranks of the leaderboard year after year at an impressive pace, even after a serious injury in 2013. As opposed to feeling defeated, Sadie chose to learn from this setback and use it to shape her into the athlete she is today...
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Name: Shondelle Solomon Miles
Age: 40 and Fabulous
Occupation: Owner of CrossFit 954/Coach
There are two main criteria for being chosen as a "Fashlete":
1. The individual is committed to health and fitness in a way that has changed her life in significant ways. You can't help but look at her and say: "Oh WOW".
2. The individual uses her knowledge and experience to help others do the same. She will look right back at you and say: "Now let me show you how."
As long as I've known Shondelle, she has always had that "Oh WOW" factor. She attacks life with an intense energy, often with her two young kids in tow. She loves life and wants you to love it too. Since graduating from Columbia University in 1996, it has been Shondelle’s personal and professional mission to improve and transform lives via the vehicle of health and fitness.
Shondelle opened Synergize!, a multifaceted small-group personal training center after graduating with her Masters in Sports Medicine from University of Miami. Additional certifications have followed and she has no doubt become an expert in body fat loss and weight management for men and women.
BUT… being an expert is not enough. Some of the best coaches are the ones who seek out experiences in which they do not necessarily excel. A true leader will face her own fears in order to become stronger both mentally and physically. And once the fear is conquered, she will lead others down their own dark and daunting paths until they too find the first break of light...
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Name: Mindy Coby
Occupation: CrossFit Kids Coach at Practice CrossFit, 2nd Grade Teacher
Mission: To teach young girls that they are strong, capable, beautiful individuals who can achieve literally anything they want to.
"Getting teen girls involved in our program is like pulling teeth... these girls don't have any women in their lives that promote fitness, strength, and health, so they have little or no desire to try it themselves. To them, exercise is for people who are fat, which is such a shame. I'm starting to finally connect on a personal level with a couple of them, so I'm looking for little things to slowly bring them into the program.” -Mindy
What does it take to change mindset of these young girls? How can we as a community – whether you are a parent, teacher, coach, friend, etc. – reach young girls who do not value fitness as part of a healthy lifestyle? And most importantly, why is it so important that we do? Mindy has some great answers...
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