July Athlete of the Month

Jessica Brown

Jessica's story is one of perseverance and inspiration. When faced with an incredibly difficult life situation, she made the decision to commit to the changes needed to thrive. A healthy lifestyle helped her change her perspective on life, and over the past year she has shown incredible gains, both in physical and emotional strength - Jessica is a key member of our gym community. She is motivating to others and is an extremely hard worker, accomplishing new goals each week and celebrating the wins of those around her - from two friends that she introduced to Fit Crew last year to her niece and nephew that drop into FitYOUTH classes.

Congratulations, Jessica!

 

Tell us about yourself.

I was born in California but grew up on Anna Maria Island. I am a registered nurse and I absolutely love what I do! I don’t have much of an athletic background to speak of, but I played baseball and basketball as a young kid. My most recent athletic endeavor was adult kickball, but that budding career was cut short because of a broken tib/fib…...go hard or go home, right? I have always been active but as far as athleticism goes I consider myself more of a dabbler. 

 

How did you get started at Fit Crew?  

One of the ER docs I worked with, Jeff Farmer, told me about Fit Crew, so I decided to see what all the hubbub was about. I started coming there a little over 2 years ago. When I first started at Fit Crew I was amid one of the toughest periods in my life. I was working too much, involved in a very volatile relationship, and during that period I started abusing substances. Last year around this time I decided to reevaluate my life and make some real changes and I dropped off the Fit Crew roster for a minute. When I came back to the gym I was ready to work, and I was greeted by some of the best and most compassionate trainers I have ever met. This last year I have had a lot of challenges to overcome but it has also been the most rewarding. Coming to Fit Crew and being part of this community of inspiring and caring group of individuals has been transformative for me.  All the trainers at the gym know my story and they have been so accepting and encouraging towards me and I am incredibly grateful to them for that. 

 

What has been your proudest athletic moment?  

I would have to say my proudest athletic moment thus far was a legless rope climb. I was physically strong enough to do it for awhile but through the encouragement of Robin, another Fit Crew member, I was able to accomplish it. I think it was the first moment I believed that I was capable of anything I put my mind to at the gym.

 

What’s your favorite exercise? Least favorite? 

 My favorite is anything that involves climbing or a barbell. My arch nemesis is that ski erg, but I try to never let it get the best of me.

 

What do you think makes Fit Crew different from other gyms that you’ve tried in the past

So many things! There is such a sense of community amongst the clients. Some of my most accomplished moments have been born from the encouragement of someone sweating right next to me telling me I could do what I thought I couldn’t. The trainers really get to know the clients and what they are looking to get out of a work out and in my case push and teach me accordingly. Fit Crew also finds ways for us to connect outside the gym, whether it’s a holiday party or a girl’s yoga night, they are always finding fun ways to keep the community strong. As often as I can, I bring my niece and nephew to Coach Josh’s FitYOUTH class on Saturday and they absolutely love it! I can’t forget one of my favorite things about the gym, the owner’s dog Trigger, he’s always there to greet me at the door with open paws.

What do you like to do when you’re not training at Fit Crew?

 Any outdoor activity, especially if its at the beach. Volleyball, paddleboarding, throwing/chasing a frisbee, climbing Rockwall’s, mountain biking…….I think you get the gist. I spend a lot of time with my family and friends. I especially love spending time with my niece and nephew, those kids just get life. I really enjoy playing the ukulele, although I am not very good at it, but I don’t let that stop me. 

Tell us a fun fact that we might not already know about you.

I really love climbing trees. I loved it as a kid and I never grew out of it.