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The Shark Bite Show Episode 23: Lady Sharks take over!

Nick 
Welcome to the Shark Bite show; we dive into the stories of our members, coaches, friends, and family of Shark Bite fitness and nutrition. All right, let’s go. Hey, guys, so the first 10 minutes or so, this podcast has some not-quite-great audio, but we can get through those first 10 minutes; it gets much better after that. Sorry for the slip-up. I’m going to choose to blame someone other than myself. Thanks. Already, guys, and girls, I am here with a bunch of ladies from the southwest Florida sharks. I’ve got Jenna Riddle, Andrea Collier, and Valerie Gunning hanging out with us today. This is the first time we’ve tried four different people on the podcast at once. And I’m not 100% Sure it’s gonna work. So you know, we’ll see how it goes. So first off, thank you, ladies, for joining me. My goal here is to tell your individual stories, and we’ll talk about some stuff of the season and how it’s been going. So let’s go round the table. And we’ll start off with Andrew since you are the elder of the team both in experience and age, let’s say that let’s let’s talk about maybe some fitness experiences like what you guys had growing up, and then before you’re on the team, and then also kind of a week as you’ve worked outside of fitness.

Andrea 
Alright, so I’ve been on the team for three years. Nick Clegg sees me very differently, too, which is pretty comical in my first year. And my second year, I had a lot of different things that I told him I was pretty frickin bad at, he’s like, Oh, really, go do that thing like that a deadlift is like you’re going to do 15. I like the heaviest weight you can think of. I’m like, This is wonderful. It’s gonna be an amazing time on my butt. Um, so again, yeah, I’ve been on here. For three years, my background is actually in competitive cheerleading. And I did track and field and would never be able to tell by looking at me because I’m so not hamstrung dominant. And did a lot of volleyball as well. And I don’t know how those real interchanges are like great players. But I know, for one thing, it was very easy for me to walk on my hands because of cheerleading; it was like a self-taught thing. I know, very close by; I think the whole team sports portion of it when we were in a smaller COVID division transferred over there. Because you’re relying upon certain people to be able to do certain studies for us to make certain points, kind of like Jen and Valerie on the matter, which I said you guys are great. You guys are awesome. So yeah, that’s kind of how we are, my background, and how I think I can incorporate those two. And for work, I’m actually a behavior analyst for Collier County Public Schools. And I think that that transfers over because I have patience with Nicholas’s patients, like kids with disabilities.

Nick 
so gotta let you go first.

Jenna 
Okay, what’s up, guys? I’m Jenna riddle. This is my first year on the sharks. Finally,

Nick 
we’re gonna get to that.

Jenna 
And then my background is I grew up playing soccer. I also did ballet for about 10 years, which you cannot tell. I was awkward when they put it in the back of the performances. We got started with ballet, and soccer was my main thing, and I like to compete competitively with that. And then, I got recruited to play in college. I played for two Deewan schools at the University of Arizona. I then transferred to the University of Nevada, Reno, after my freshman year. And so I played there, and yeah, just when we were in season, we lifted, and we did a lot of things like speed, agility. And so sports have always been a huge deal for me and just competitiveness. So just after I was done kind of went through that whole an athlete being done depression thing of becoming a normal person, like a narc is what we call it.

Nick
That’s a super real thing.

Jenna 
That totally, I was like, trying to do my own thing for a little bit. Actually, it was super against CrossFit for a while, just because, like a lot of my friends, the strength background is pretty against, like, you know, moving weights fast. And with bad form, I guess, or like 10 Pull Ups, like the standard is definitely here. So then I finally gave in and tried CrossFit and loved it. And it’s been a huge part of my life ever since. And then yeah, and now I’m here doing the grid, finally. And that’s been super fun. And then, oh, yeah, this will work. I am super not related. I’m a graphic designer and graphic slash UI designer. So basically, like the gist of it, my department makes apps, and then I decide how they will look and design the advertising for them. So a little bit of a split personality thing. Let’s get a break from the gym and then go like 17 sem design so

Nick 
It’s fine. That’s cool. And UI is like a user interface, right? Yes, exactly. Cool. I think that’s actually pretty healthy. I’m like bound. I am about to talk about

Jenna 
Everything about my life is completely balanced and healthy.

Nick 
If you’re not likely to be as valid, just sit there awkwardly staring at the wall. So, without the most awkward member of our team, let’s go ahead and get some of your fitness backgrounds and then what you do for

Jenna
I’m a little bit, but it’s fine. I think I’m the youngest person on the team to buy a lot.

Valerie 
Hannah is 97?

Nick
I always forget. Yes. Yes, she does. Recording its wall. Hannah’s competing.

Andrea 
Wrapping her shirt.

Nick
Hopefully, we’re talking about the current crop again for winter already. Yeah, so Val.

Jenna
It’s what I’m best at. Um, okay. Anyways, I don’t remember what the question was.

Nick 
guys were like 10 minutes. I warned everybody it’s gonna be a little bit. It’s gonna be rough.

Jenna
The background, got it? I definitely like water polo. I wish I did. Okay, um, I always like a mosh-posh sport. I started in gymnastics when I was three and a half. I started cheerleading when I was three because I thought that was what I wanted to do. And then got into a cheer class and saw the gymnastics class. And I was like, No, that one. So then I ended up in gymnastics, fell in love with it, started doing it competitively at AIT, and kind of hung on to that through the end of high school. But I had some injuries and stuff in the middle of high school that made it kind of hard. So I didn’t end up going on to college to do that. And I’m happy with that decision a lot. And played soccer growing up, and I played it in high school a little bit. That was never my main sport. But I really enjoyed it. And when I got to college, I got recruited by the divers to do one-meter and three-meter Springboard diving instead of gymnastics, which I thought would be a good idea at the time, and I got in there. And it was not; I don’t like water. So I don’t know why. I don’t, I don’t know why I thought I would be like, okay with that. But I got into it. And then, when you flip to your feet for 14 years, and someone tells you to flip your head into the water, it’s super weird and uncomfortable; I didn’t want to do it. And also, water really hurts when you don’t land in it correctly, which I did not land a lot incorrectly. So I was just not having a good time. I only did one season. And realize that I enjoy being in life and being in the weight room more than being at practice. And I was always excited for the days when we got to leave practice early to go to lift, and nobody else was excited about that. So I was like, I think I’m in the wrong. So after that, I joined our powerlifting club at Springfield College, where I went up to school in Massachusetts and got into powerlifting a little bit, but I always got a bunch of slack because I did everything fast. And if anyone knows powerlifters, they don’t move very fast. So I was doing these sessions that you’re supposed to do in an hour, an hour and a half, and 25 minutes and then just doing a bunch of extra stuff. Uh, so after that, I got into weightlifting a little bit and still got bored of it. So everyone told me to do CrossFit. And now getting into it. I’ve only been in CrossFit for about a year and a couple months now. So I’m still pretty new to it and figuring out my place, athlete in the sport, but it’s been really fun. So now I’m in the grid because Nick harassed me into doing it. I didn’t think he was serious because, like I said, I’ve only been doing this for a year and he was like, do this really cool, high-level high-level thing with us? And I was like, I can’t do that. And he was like, yes, yes, please. And I was like, I was like, No, and I really didn’t think he was serious. And it was three days before you had to sit at the roster. And he was like, Can you please? I was like, Okay, fine. So that’s how I ended up here. And now, like, fell in love with it. I can’t; I could never even imagine liking it as much as I do because I didn’t know what to expect going into it. But we went to our first match. And I was just overwhelmed but in the best way possible. So it was really cool.

Nick 
This episode of The SharkBite show is sponsored by athletic Recovery Services. ARS is all about keeping athletes moving. Well, moving on. They specialize in athletic injury management, overall athletic well-being, and therapeutic massage. Check them out at athletic recovery. services.com. So it feels a little jumpy.

Valerie 
Like our first match, that was good. Wow.

Val 
That’s fair. At least

Nick
I messed up the audio a little bit; it should be going well. Now, you’ve suddenly got here a little bit better. And if you want to know why, let’s continue.

Val 
You’re doing great. You’re getting into it.

Nick
I was hearing it really well; they weren’t. So Val, you just gave a great story on your athletic background. And I’m not sure if anyone wants to hear it, but we’ll pretend they did. What do you do now? What do you do for work now, um,

Val 
we’re not going to talk about what I do for full-time work because that’s boring. But the more exciting part of what I do is being a coach at your Naples gym, Sharkbait fitness, nutrition Naples. And that is the part of my work that I really enjoy. So that’s been cool because that’s what I went to school for. And so, my degree is in exercise science, and coming out of school didn’t really know what I wanted to do with it. And though I explored all of my options with it. Did like the physical therapy route. I kind of dabbled with route work with professional athletes and worked with kids like a bunch of different things. So I wasn’t finding my niche and wasn’t enjoying the field at all, like never wanting to do nutrition. So I was kind of like giving up on it a little bit. And then I randomly came across you and ate it worked out for the best.

Nick
Well, cuz, remember, one of the things we connected during your interview process was that we both have backgrounds, right? I’m an athletic trainer, and she’s an extra science background. We both worked in PT routes with professional and college athletes, and that stuff sucked. They’re the worst. Yeah, that was a little fun, like physical therapy was cool because we were helping people. But those people, a lot of them, didn’t really want to be helped. They were just there because it was part of an insurance process. And, like, if you wanted to get money from somebody for a car accident, you had to, I don’t know if I can legally say this or lie about a bunch of stuff so that a doctor would send you to PT, and then you go to PT for X amount of days. And like they had no interest in getting better or furthering whatever situation they had, you know, but I remember telling me this, like, I found my niche, and that’s working with adults, you know, in cash-based business. We definitely can’t call we do physical therapy. But what you do in a gym is just like that, you know, and it’s I remember I went to a course a long time ago with a physical therapist. He said I get to see four patients a day. You see 60 in a day; if you coach a couple classes, we get to affect change so much more significantly that way. So it’s cool to hear you say that because we’re six months into it now, and I’m glad the fire is still there. So yeah,

Val 
Is that how you guys met? 

Andrea 
Like just through an interview, or did you already go to the gym?

Val 
Yeah, no, it wasn’t even facing to face because this was like pretty in COVID and everything to like, he just called me. Then I went up to the Fort Myers gym later that week, and then I did a workout meeting in person, but it was pretty much like it was all business-based.

Nick
Yeah, we were in the beginning. We did a four-month internship, right? Yeah. Where she worked at our cape and our Fort Myers gyms was a paid internship, but she worked at our two other gyms, and we got her to acclimate. It’s kind of the SharkBite way, and we got a lot of feedback from some of our long-term members. And I mean, it was pretty clear across the board that she was made to work here. So, yeah,

Andrea 
for your full-time; I’m sorry, I just need to know.

Val 
I’m a loan processor remotely for a mortgage firm. And they’re, like, based out in North Carolina, so I just do a bunch of boring computer stuff. Oh, yeah, that’s, I mean,

Jenna 
That’s a lot of those people.

Nick 
Those people just keep calling and won’t pay.

Andrew 
I haven’t got any school.

Nick
or so. So back to the sharks. Are all three of you like different areas of experience with the sharks? Like Andrew, you’ve been on the team for three years now. Jenna, I know I’ve explained this word; you are going to Jason; you’ve been around the team for about four years. Yeah. And then, like you’ve said, you’re brand new to it. Right? Yeah. What has your experience been so far? Well, first, actually, that backup was real quick; like, how did you get on the team?

Andrew 
So I’ll just start since we kind of do this; you go for it. So I was living in Orlando for 10 years. I started CrossFit, I think, five years ago, and I became pregnant. And I had my son in Orlando, and on the day he was born. This is not really relevant, but it kind of

Val 
Just like me, I said, I became a magic magician. Anyways,

Andrew 
so I had fun. And the next day, I moved back down to Fort Myers. And I started at CrossFit, I think, three months after I had my son, and I walked into the gym like I’ll never forget this, and hanging up was like that poster back there. A bunch of posters of people from,

Nick 
like, Derek and Newton and Kevin, right. Yeah.

Andrew 
And Haley. And I’m like, all those people are people I’ve seen workout, and they are so freakin amazing. They’re great athletes, better athletes, and now we’re at my last gym. And I’m like, What is this like, sharks thing? Why do they have uniforms on like? This doesn’t look like a normal CrossFit thing. So I started working out more toward the afternoon time; this is a little manipulative, but

Val
because playing cards, yeah,

Andrew 
because Derek would work out in the afternoon or coach in the afternoon class. And then Newton would come in around 430. And so I would be there for a while working on skills I had before my pregnancy and when we get my strength back. So I wanted to build a relationship with Him. Because when they were cool people and to their amazing athletes and three, they had their faces up on the gym.

Nick 
Yeah, for him. It was a no; Derek and Newton are awesome. Especially nudie, like he’s not on the team anymore. But Newton is maybe one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. So.

Andrew 
So I ended up being friends with Newton first and asked him about the sharks. He’s like, Oh, you’d be a great fit. And I’m like, you’ve literally never seen me before. You see me doing some wall balls. I don’t see any pictures on the wall. The thing they do. And then I, like, watch Derek. Oh, my God, that guy’s so strong. And I’m over here, like squat cleaning 180. It’s like crashing down on me. And I’m barely standing it up. But that was, like I said, four months after I had my son. So I built a relationship with Derek. And we were good friends. And we both talked about how I could possibly be on the sharks. And that was to come to the Combine. I was super nervous. I remember the first day I walked into the gym and looked at it; I think it was Alexis. And I’m like, she’s so in shape. Like, what am I doing? And the news was there, and I’ve seen him do the double touches and the freestanding handstand push-ups. And those are two things that I never really tried or knew how to do. And I’m like, This is so out of my league, like what am I doing? And then Derek was like, just go like, we need ring muscle ups. We need ring muscle-ups. We need, you know, someone that can do handstand walking, and I’m like, All right. So I went, and I think I did chest-to-bar pull-ups ripped. And then I had to go during muscle ups, and my hands are just so bloody, and I think you only maybe do three. You’re like, that’s enough. Just like, thank God.

Jenna
I might have been like some backs jump pistol thing as well. And both me and Alexis were there, and I think we’re the only two girls there.

Nick 
Yeah, for that season. Because that was the last Combine. We did. Yeah. And

Andrew 
She was lifting weights, and I was not. And then you offered us a spot on the team. And I have to say, this is my favorite out of all three years. And this is my favorite team.

Nick 
I think, yeah, because I’m

Andrew
here. Yeah, for both, for sure. Both of you guys. For sure. But it’s as if any of you guys have watched our first match like I performed like a piece of garbage. Like it was just so bad. But our whole team was kind of like a disaster. I’ve never been. Our first few seasons weren’t necessarily like that, Matt specifically, and I’m like, Oh, this is not good. And then we practiced. And then I got to know everyone at practice through our stupid text messages. And I’m like, this team is full of talent, just great personalities. And so all hard work and driven seminars also have real jobs outside, which is also cool. We’re not just all fitness people all day long. We have things to do. She’s a mom, I’m a mom, you’re a dog, mom, that counts. So I know, we kind of went off, but to bring it back. This is my favorite season. And, even though the Combine was, a couple of years ago, like we just keep getting better talent without that, you know, and I think that’s awesome, too.

Nick
Yeah, Jenna, I can’t remember. Did you ever come to a common? I honestly don’t remember? No, I did not know. So for anyone listening who doesn’t know what I’m talking about, the way we used to get players on the sharks is every year, we would hold a combine. The Combine is like our trial. Right. So we didn’t have that by the time you came around. Well, I mean, the real reason what happened is I think it intimidated a lot of people.

Jenna
So it did. Yeah, that was one of the big reasons I didn’t go: I knew a few people from my gym who went, obviously Serena and being one of them. And I was just kind of like, yeah, I literally can’t do handstand push-ups. Like I can’t do a lot of these things. And yeah, it was intimidating. I was just like, I don’t have time for this. I don’t know what this is about. Like,

Nick 
yeah, it’s funny because the Combine almost did the opposite of what we were trying to do. We were trying to show people like, kind of with you, Derek; Derek had been talking to me about you and your individual skill set before he came. We were looking for people who could do things, not the best athletes, right? Because, like you guys know, I’m not the best athlete. But I’m really good at a couple of things. Q Quinton, on our team. He’s not a crossfitter in any way. But he can do a couple things better than anyone in the league. That’s what we were trying to find. And what the Combine was bringing in was CrossFitters, who would do one of two things, they’d either be a little bit too intimidated, or they would get their feelings hurt when they found out that they weren’t as good as pistols as they were like another as another person was, who couldn’t clean as much as them, you know, because the CrossFit mentality says I have to be really good at everything. And really great is the exact opposite. You can come to one of our tryouts and be good at three things, and we’re done; you’re on the team. Look at Mike’s right-like syndrome when he plays in his next match. He’s gonna be faster than anybody else in the league and handstand push-ups. He maybe isn’t our best thruster or, you know, our muscle opera, but he’s gonna. He’s going to earn his weight there when he does it. You know? Do you know what? So? How did you end up getting on the team this year? I’ve been trying pretty hard for about four seasons now.

Jenna 
Yes, yeah, totally. So um, it’s definitely something that I was thinking about last year, just like COVID. And like some personal things that happen. I was like struggling the street, struggling hard, and just looking to branch out and try different things. And so Serena was talking about at the gym, she was talking about? Just like the little mini-season like the mini-match

Nick 
the one tournament we had last year? Yeah. Where we turn the entire season into a two-day thing. Yeah, exactly. And we didn’t participate on the second day because

Jenna
I thought, oh, man, I should have thought of that. And it was, like, way too late. And I mean, it’s COVID season. So it’s like, just Yeah, I should show. But so then, like it was on the back of my mind. And then so, I actually worked with Alina,

Nick
Alina, if anyone doesn’t know, is one of the head marketing staff for the Florida grid League.

Jenna 
Yeah, exactly. And she had kind of, like, mentioned it at the beginning of this year. And then I think it was right when you were starting to sign players. Actually, Joe used to work with us too. And so Joe and Alena started a Slack group. Like through work. And John was like, Jenna, why don’t you play for the Shark? Yeah, like not like, hey, like you want to play because I was like, yeah, yeah. Like I was like, Yeah, I’ll do it. I’m ready. So I had prepared myself like I was ready to do it. And like branch out and ready to start this. Like, no matter if I was gonna suck or not, I didn’t care. I needed the feeling of like a team thing and trying something new. Yeah, so I was just ready to do it.

Nick 
That’s what I say. I tried to do exactly that for four years. Currently, Joel was able to get it in 10 minutes. That’s a bullshit approach, so how many texts do I have from 10 Other unread today? Would you please play with us this year? Man, that’s here at a comp in like two weeks, and you just pretended you didn’t see those texts. That’s fantastic. Oh, really bad. So you kind of already said your story, right? Like, I just convinced you three days before signing time, right?

Val 
Yeah. Some going into it was like the opposite of Jenna; the team aspect of the grid actually terrifies me. And it’s something I’m, like, super uncomfortable with. And so going into it, I was like, I don’t know if I’m gonna like that. And I obviously have gotten into it now and have just realized that it’s a whole new ballgame. And everyone carries their weight a little bit differently. And it all comes together as a really good unit. But I’ve never had that on a team before. So I wasn’t sure how that would play out or how to, like, where my spot would be on the team and, like, how I would fit into what the overall goal was. So that was super scary for me. And part of the reason I was, like, super hesitant to do it. I was just like, yeah that many people depending on me, it’s just not gonna work for me. Whenever I’m in it, anything like gymnastics, CrossFit or whatever, like I, if I just taught myself like, no big deal, like work on like, work on what you have to work on. And then, you go back and do it again next time or whatever. But whenever there is, how many people are a team, I don’t know, a bunch of other people. Depending on you, and like watching you cheer you on, you’re like, if I don’t do this, it’s like, that’s on me. That’s my fault. And then it’s letting everyone down. So it’s a lot of pressure. I don’t know if I was ready for

Nick
that. So first off, you are. But I think that’s a really cool thing, right? Because a lot of our players over the years, we’ve had five seasons of this now have been a mixture of individual and team athletes. And it’s cool to see which individual athletes can switch to team athletes and which can’t, you know, the first year, we had a girl who was a competitive skier. Right? She didn’t start with the team that day in the first match. Oh, yeah. Like she paid her fee to come on like a uniform was made. She put in work on the mat. And I don’t mean she wasn’t playing like she wasn’t starting. And you guys know that grid starting doesn’t really mean anything. It’s an arbitrary term; you can not start the match and play more than anybody else. She wasn’t a starter and never answered the text again. Wow. Right. And like, that was like an individual athlete mindset, you know, unwilling to make any change there. But then we’ll have other individual athletes like he was a good one, you know, Q could have a great argument for yelling at me for not playing anymore. Still, instead, he says, like, what does the team need for me? Amen. Let’s do this. I mean, I think the person who implemented the best year was Derek. Derek was one of the first three people signed to the team. He wasn’t even that we didn’t have a team when he was already signed, you know? And he could have been like, I’m big dawg, I get everything. Because we had players on the team that was like that. And he wasn’t, if I took him out for some reasons he thought he’s supposed to be in, you know, I gave him a real reason for it today, bro; I think you’d be best here. I think this person will be better here. He was like, whatever the team needs. Yes, you know, and he was nowhere near the athlete he is now, but he was a lot stronger at the time than the average strength specialist in the league. So he had a very good argument for, like, you should be playing me, you know, but instead, he was like, whatever the team needs. Amen. I got it. And that kind of set the tone for a lot of other players, you know, because especially that first two seasons before any guys were on the team, we had a couple players that were not that way, you know, they were like, I’m the best athlete, I should do everything. And that didn’t lead us to our success. I know that for me; you guys feel free to chime in. I like that feeling of pressure for the team you’re talking about. I’ve been doing CrossFit for 10 years, and I do not care what my scores are. I don’t care about local competition, except when I’m having fun with a friend. Like, I’m just not getting up for that; you know, we do a workout here. And if for you, the guys beat me like my, I don’t go home and cry, you know, put me in the grid, I’m like, I’m gonna beat that. I’m going to kick that to ask because I got 17 other people in green relying on me. When I go out for muscle-ups, I’m fully aware that I weigh 100 pounds more than the guy I’m competing against. But I know that like Francisco is getting ready to flip a tire or something. And he’s waiting for me to finish, which drives me a whole lot more. Yeah. Like, I wouldn’t care about it. If it was me alone in the gym. How do you guys feel? How does that pressure for the team make you guys feel?

Jenna
So I’m gonna like you. I’m like, and especially with the grid, like what I’ve realized, just like after the first couple of matches, is like most of the movements I’m doing are my jam. If I see these in a workout, like normally on any given day, I’m like, oh, hell yes. Like, I’m about to merch on these. Like, I’m just gonna kill it because it’s like wall balls or rowing or something like that. Obviously, no rowing, people think. Yeah, yeah. But so yeah, it’s just kind of like, it gives you competence. Like you said, you have to work on stuff you suck at with CrossFit. And it’s just not always fun. But with the grid, it’s like, it’s like, okay, like, I am super good at wall balls. Like, this is what I was chosen for, like, I know that, like, my team has confidence in me to finish them well, and it gives me confidence that like someone else is like, like, yeah, they trust me that I can do this. So like and snap more.

Nick
Yeah, that’s a cool feeling. Yeah. So it’s funny because it’s kind of the opposite, right? Like I say, most of the players on the team get used to the things that we’re really good at. There are a couple of us like you, me, and Kevin. Where it’s like, man, we got to fill some holes here. Yeah, like

Andrew 
a random, yeah, great player like I do. I never do anything consistently. Yeah, always different stuff. But you know, I want to combine those things. It depends. I have major anxiety when I go out there. And, like, the day you put me in for deadlifts, I am going to crap before I get there. Like, I have no confidence in myself that I can do these, like, my deadlift is a puny little thing that all these girls can probably PowerClean like, this is not going to be good. And I’m going to look like such an idiot. But I did it. You know, and then randomly, I got put in by Muslims, but I was okay there. But if I can get my anxiety under control, I am okay. Like, for me, your last match. I’m fine. Like hanging powerfully, the jerks. Great. I love those. I love cycling barbells, but I was blacked out. I looked at the water and liked the water. You know, just staring like she doesn’t really give a crap. And I’m like, I’m going out there with these two people who are totally fine. And I’m like, I’m gonna hit the floor. Immediately when I touch this barbell.

Val 
For the record. I feel like I will throw up all over the start line. Like before every single race. I told them because they came over there. Like, that’s so funny. They came over to me before one of the races, and last night, she was like, are you okay? And I was like, yeah, I feel like going up there all the time.

Jenna 
The winner of the last match. I literally don’t. Yeah, like I blacked out. For example, I have rope burns on my thumbs from just sliding down the rope with my hands. I was like, I don’t even remember.

Andrew 
what I say is like that. Right? You like love, like waiting for us to watch you do it and cheer us on and win, right? Yeah, no, I don’t know, I hit mixed. And you’re like, I can do without it. Because I’ve messed up a couple times. And I remember that. And then that sticks in my head. Do you know what I mean? Like, the good times? The bad times? So I’m all over the place with that. I don’t really have a good answer.

Nick 
Yeah, that’s fun, I think, but for me as the coach to see how everybody else handles that, you know? Yeah. Because we better like gamers, you know, like Francisco Francisco’s a gamer, right? Like him, when the pressure is the highest. He performs the best, for sure. You know, and you can see it in his preparation as he goes out there. You know? Have you guys ever seen queue before he goes,

Jenna 
Oh, he’s like walking around aimlessly. 

Nick 
That’s 5 minutes before, but like a minute before, he goes cute and turns into the little demon. He’s like an angry face on his walk around, like flexing at the walls. It’s wild. Yeah. Because five minutes beforehand, he’s like making fart jokes. He’s like, Have you guys seen the newest Pokemon cards? And then, like five minutes before, he turns into a little demon, which is why he kills everybody. It’s because he likes to turn on this. Killer mode. Yeah, teach me. Yeah. It’s just really cool to see the variations. Like, I’m really happy that currently, he’s doing the behind-the-scenes stuff because we get to see that. Yeah. Does anyone else have any funny ones? Do you guys notice people?

Andrew
Well, I mean Francisco. That’s a really great one. Yeah, they don’t talk to anybody at all paces. Yeah. In some, like the last match. He just straight up was like, I’m worried. Like, I don’t know about this. And I’m like, you have literally done this 5 billion times. I’m not worried about any of this right now. Like you are, this is what you’re doing? Like it’s not, you’re not going to fail at all. But I don’t think so. Kevin is the most composed frickin person I’ve ever met in my entire frickin life.

Jenna
Serena is pretty similar. She’ll just be like, laughing like, I’m ready. I’m ready to go. Like, okay, I’m gonna go really quick. Oh, well, it’s a rope climb. I don’t know.

Nick 
For the first couple of years, I was really helpful. So Kevin, Serena, and I would be making jokes on the sideline, and I’d see people like, you know, with pants shooting face on, and they were like, I don’t know what to do. And I’m like, I guess we gotta go. We gotta calm these people down. Because the two of them don’t get super anxious. At least not visibly, you know?

Valerie 
I mean, I feel like you. You kind of bulldoze through people all of a sudden, like you’re not there, and all of a sudden you’re bulldozing, like yelling at people to cover things, your veins are popping out of your neck.

Nick
A lot is going on. Man, admin, you guys got to at some; I was talking to one of the other coaches about this; it’d be really fun to have some of the player’s coach a match, you know, because of the number of things that go on, I don’t want to I don’t, I’m going to opt-out of that. It’s pretty insane. I’ve had a couple of players coach portions of it now, you know, like, like Rachel’s done some Francisco’s held down on a couple. Lately he was on the team for a couple of years, and it’s a whole different experience because you have to change your brain from what you’re doing so fast. You know, the league got that video of me coaching you on the mirror, not mirror, I’m sorry, I’m ladder, and then running back to the start line. And then coming on to go on my turn.
The coaching for me is really fun, because like I like playing, that’s fun, but the coaching is fun, because like, you’re playing a chess game. It’s changing in real time constantly, you know, based on people’s facial expressions based on what they’re able to do at the moment, you know, this team that we have right now is pretty good about it. But we’ve had previous teams where it’s like, yeah, I can definitely do 10 and cleans, but they hadn’t tried it leading up to it. And they didn’t factor in the fact they did six races before that, and their grip is shot. Their legs are tired, and they don’t know what that feels like, and you have to decide what’s going to change as a person’s going into their death zone. You know, and you got four people on their knees back at the start line, you’re like, which one of them is about to get sacrificed to come up here and help, you know, soccer? Yeah, yeah, we like that’s really fun for me. I struggle about whether I want to play coach more because those are both really fun and exciting things in very different ways. You know? So we are to see our two matches about halfway through this season five. What have you guys experienced with the team this year, the season this year, and your thoughts on our match performance? And we can all say in the first match, we sucked, you know? Like, throw it out. Nobody is saying

Jenna
I love it. Yeah, yes. I love it. It was like I’m just like such a big believer, and everything kind of like falls into place when it should. And this was like everything I needed at the time. Andrea mentioned crazy group texts, and my favorite thing is going on at all hours of the day.

Nick
Because when John and Charlie decided to have a 20-minute conversation, it was just a bad conversation.

Val 
You specifically messaged back, and I’m so glad this happened in the group.

Nick
Yeah, so this is why we hate group chats.

Jenna
that someone has an Android too. So like, every time someone like Kevin laughs at a comic, you like to get the actual text. But anyway. Yeah, I love the group text. I literally just love it. It’s so entertaining. Like, everyone is so hilarious. Um, and yeah, after the first match, we obviously didn’t get the result we wanted. We got beat pretty badly. And everyone was kind of like, boohoo about it. But I left, and I was, like, amped up. I was like, This was amazing. Like, this was so much fun. Like it’s so fun, like feeling like you’re good at something and helping a bigger picture other than yourself. I mean, like I said, I grew up playing soccer. So team backgrounds. So just having that again like other people to lean on. And yeah, just like the support you and cheer you on like a dog while you’re doing stuff that you’re good at. It was so much fun. So I love it.

Nick
Yeah. What do you guys think?

Andrew
I kind of like saying my piece, you know, earlier, like I think this team is my personal favorite team. I think our personalities just really mesh well. And never once do I step near Jenna or Val or Serena, Cara, Rachel, no one makes me feel like crap, whatever. Like, I don’t feel stupid. When I’m standing next to dinner. You’re like, Hey, you’re gonna do ladder-like, what? I could do a couple, you know? I’m gonna clear it. You’re like, let’s do it, you know, like, and that’s important to me because again, like, I’m like that weird grid player that has a lot of random talents. I’m a good crossfitter, not the best grid Clair, even though I’m trying to get better at that. So just the way that ever makes me feel and the camaraderie like it’s so laid back but intense simultaneously. It’s the best way I can explain it because everyone was like it when we practiced. Do you know what I mean? We were joking around, but when it was time to actually do something, no one was messing around, you know, which showed during your last match. But I think the last match felt different than the other matches. And I don’t really know why. I don’t know if it was, you know, everyone was calm and collected and just went out there and did what we had to do at speed. We needed to do it. And it was just like, Yes, I don’t know. Yeah, it was just said; everyone thought they needed good. Yeah, yeah, it was not. There’s no tension. And I don’t know if, again, that was because we practiced. But like, I don’t know, I just love this year, that’s, it’s been my

Nick 
favorite. Over the five seasons, when I think about our best matches, they weren’t even necessarily all wins. But, like our best performances, they all have that in common. You know, it’s like everybody knew what they were trying to do. Obviously, nobody had, like, just blown off any of the responsibilities leading up, you know, because we’ve had that happen like we’ve lost, we’ve won matches, where we didn’t actually perform very well, we just performed less badly than the team we were playing that day. You know, they’re the matches when we, when we think, give me the best feelings. If you talk to the longer-term players, I think I’ll kind of stick out or ones like that, you know, I think our most exciting match ever was the one where we lost the tempo in the conference finals, probably for the opposite reason, because we shit the bed in a lot of ways. But then overperformed like crazy in some other ways. But I don’t think about that, like, that’s my favorite match. I think about that. I’m like, I want to go punch somebody. It was terrible, you know? But, like, yeah, you’re right. Like this match. Everybody kind of did their roles. They knew what they were supposed to be doing. Nobody was like, what’s, you know, what’s, what’s my job again? What movement is out here? You know, everybody knew everyone had their stuff practiced. We weren’t getting faults.

Jenna
I will say it helps to have really good practice. Yeah, beforehand and with everyone there.

Andrew 
Like this year, like coming from like, this is my third year, like now that you’re just talking about that, it is kind of like Darwin. I thought everyone on our team could do basically everything, right? So this year, it’s easier for me to tell you that I know what they can do. I’ve seen them. This is not the case. I don’t even think about doing this. Yeah, I mean, like, can I do 10? Hang or seven? Hang snatches one time? Yep. But should they go in? Yeah. Do you know what I mean? Like, it was easier for me to realize, okay, this is what I’ll probably be better at, you know, as opposed to before, I’m like, Yeah, I can do all this, like, send me in. But no, that is not really the case. So and because, you know, we all have, we can all have a fallback plan, which before we didn’t really have fallback plans, we had people that were really, really, really good at this. And no one else. Do you know what I mean? Like, the triple touches, the double touches. We probably have five people on the team who can do double touches or more.

Nick 
10 We have 10 people on the team, and we can do 15. That was no, yeah.

Andrew 
That wasn’t like that. Yes. The fallback plan is also a security for all of us. Yeah, yeah.

Nick
But what have you thought about the first few matches? Because they were, you got us a lot in both, but they’re, they’re very different matches,

Val 
I am still processing them a lot. After the first match, I liked what we finished, and I was overwhelmed by everything that had just happened. And it all happened so quickly, it was like within an hour. I was like, you said so much. So fast. But I was like sitting there on the floor. And everyone thought that I was upset about nature and everything. I was like, No, it was actually really cool. I just don’t know what just happened. Rains are confusing. And going into the first match for two weeks before it. I was anxious to make myself sick and could not train like I could. So I was like working myself up so bad about certain things you were expecting me to do. And I was like, I can’t do those. And, like, not once have you put me out for anything that I couldn’t do. And obviously, you have much more faith in what I can do. And I don’t, but that goes. I think back to liking my background a lot and not having a lot of likes; I don’t trust myself a lot. So I trust other people that like to make calls for me. And so after the first match, going out and doing things that I didn’t think I could do well, like getting through them anyways, was a little more reassuring. And then, going into the second match, it was pretty much all things I was way more comfortable with. So leading up to that, I was definitely less nervous and less anxious and excited, like ready to go. I was like, let’s do this. There were a lot of barbells and handstands walking for me that day. So those are two of my favorite things. And I was like, I got it. Let’s go. And so it’s all been a super positive experience in very different ways.

Nick 
Cool. I think that’s funny because you just said that. That’s all. It was like barbells and handstands, right? Yeah. And like for those who don’t know, you, and anyone listening, have weaknesses. We have a team at this point that, like, those don’t show, you know, we have the opposite. Like you said, we finally have people who can do many things, you know; I mean, Mike and Fernando have barely played, man. And they would start on some other teams like they have skills that would be very, very, very useful. And in this doubleheader coming up, like they’re going to show those, you know, we have people who can do far more, like you said, kind of across the spectrum than we used to have. And what’s cool, too, is we also have some specialists, right? Like, we’ve gone through these waves on Team trips; we go back to year one, we had CrossFitters. And that was like, just like a wrapper. Like, that’s what we had on our entire team. And then we had one kid who was, his name’s Kyle, obscenely strong, right. His movement patterns are really poor, though. So he couldn’t perform. He couldn’t play because he couldn’t perform to a grid standard, but he was one of the strongest dudes in the league. He was 16 years old, you know. But aside from him, right, then we had Shayla too. She was a gymnast at the University of Florida. Right, but we didn’t really know how to use specialists yet. So she really never played. And that’s not her fault. Anyway, there were just other things she couldn’t do. And we needed, like, Serena to be out there instead when Shayla might have been faster, you know, but we had all CrossFitters with them, right. And then, as the years went on, we added more specialists. And that’s where we found Q.
In his first season or two, Francisco was kind of a specialist as well; he was very specifically like one-arm things; he was just faster than everybody else had them. Then we’ve gone back to having a ton of utility players. But with specializations now, you know, like, I think that’s one of the reasons you’re saying we’re successful is we have people like Francisco. He was very much a utility player now because he was a strength specialist. Still, we can also throw him out of the ring muscle ups; you know, you have Rachel, who joined the team as a bodyweight specialist. We can put her out there for most mirrors, like, you know, we have players who can do all kinds of cool stuff like that. I think that’s really important. What have you guys noticed in your training? Like, how has it changed since you’ve been on Zoom?

Jenna
I mean, I try to do a lot more grid-specific things. And like, so like you said earlier, I’ve always kind of been grid adjacent with just training with Serena. So like, before the season, she would always do grid movements, like, we will be doing the same workout and if something called for like chest bars, she would literally and still does this, like she just did this the other day. So double digit for chest sparse. Just so she’s getting those reps and, like, she knows that she’s going to be good for it. So I’ve totally picked that up from her. Just stole that from her, or like, just do something like some skill work before or after my normal working out, I guess. It’s been totally fine. I mean, it’s not like I’m losing anything like CrossFit-wise. Like it’s, it’s still the same, like concepts, basically. So it’s basically the same, just a little bit more specific. If I’m, if I know that I’m potentially going to do something specific.

Nick 
Match. Are you guys anything different? Yeah,

Val
I’ve definitely humbled myself a lot in training because this was one thing I told you whenever you first, like, really wanted me to do grid and do the sharks. I was like, I don’t even know you’re so strong. I was like, Yeah, but I’m not fast. I was like, I was watching this stuff on YouTube. And I was like, Nick, I don’t

Andrew
I wish you had a video showing her; yeah, cleaning jerks from the day she picks them. Yeah, she’s like, I’m not fat.

Nick 
when she changed her entire form in five minutes. Yeah, literally.

Val
Cool. Cool. Um, but yeah, that’s been a super big adjustment for me is like moving through things and trying to keep good movement patterns and sticking to my roots of really like technical lifting, also very quickly. So like, just CrossFit, in general, has helped with that. But doing things in the way that you do things on the grid is a completely different ballgame. So I really learned a lot of movement patterns going into CrossFit. And I’ve learned many movement patterns getting into the grid. Still, it’s giving me an excuse to train twice a day without people thinking I’m psychotic.

Andrew 
I don’t, so mine’s a little different because I’m a single mom. So I literally have an hour at the gym. So I do exactly what Serena does. I was just telling you I did the same thing. I changed our trust to double touches. And I think the thing that’s been different with me is I see all these women that are so much stronger than I am and faster, and that’s what I tried to capitalize on in CrossFit. So if you ever watch me in a costume competition, I don’t stop. I just go. And that’s how I do well. But I realize, like, so let me back up, sorry, like all over the place. So like for the string thing, I’ve set a number in my head, but I’m like, this is it, this is what I got, you know what I mean? And then I want you PowerClean to a five, you PowerClean to a five. And I’m like, screw this in your dream. Why don’t you just step up and try these women? Like, I know, you don’t train like, like, excess amount of time, you know what I mean? Like, you’re not just like a fitness person all day long, every day, like some people are. I’m like, I’m not built like you. But maybe five more pounds. If you just freak in and try, these women are doing it; they have the thought process that, you know, they just go for it. And they try. So that’s kind of built my self-confidence in gaining a lot of strength. And then, like the speed, watching Kara with her, like her double touches, triple touches. You know, I’m like, you can speed things up. So my training is a little different. And it’s been different every year. So this third year, it’s just watching everyone wanting to get stronger and doing it within, you know, our normal CrossFit classes stronger and faster. So mine is just like a personal thing. You know,

Jenna
I have to comment, do I think that that is one of my favorite things about the grid? Also, because you have so many people who are specialists at specific things. Like, I can go up to Q and say, Hey, can you help me with my muscle ups or whatever? Like, I’m super struggling with those, like, like, like Andrew said, like, wow, you can powerfully into a five like, how do you do that? Or, like, can you give me some tips? Or, I don’t know, even just like something to aspire to watch someone move. I think that’s super cool, too.

Nick 
I totally agree with that. Right? Before I started playing the year, you joined the team, or was it the next year? I can’t remember who it was. Yeah. So the previous years before that, and like I, there’s no chance I could have been on the grid, not any chance at all. And just being around, say, like Derek or Jake, right. Jake Dillard from the bloodline, copying some movement patterns and seeing how they do things. Right. Like I remember, I remember Jake’s first two combines, like the state record for muscle ups, like the lead record, not myself; sorry, triple touches, right. And I remember, like, I didn’t tell him this, but I was like, I’m gonna beat that dude. You know, like, I want him to be successful because He’s on our team, like, but I’m gonna chase that shit. I’m gonna catch up to him, you know? And then five years later, we both have double that number. No problem, but I wouldn’t have had that if Jake hadn’t been on this team. And I hadn’t watched him in practice. And I wasn’t critiquing his movement, and then being like, Okay, I see what he’s doing with his hands or feet. You know, I still have muscle-ups from Serena. I was like, Well, what are the things she’s doing?

Jenna 
I actually stole a lot from them. It was kind of nice. When I moved here, we had totally opposite strengths. Like she would literally cry before any big set of ball walls or like running. And I’d be like, Yeah, let’s go. And then, like before any gymnastics, I would be the one crying. So I would literally just sit there and watch her. Like, I could not string together chest bars before moving here. And I would just watch her move.

Nick 
It makes such a big difference. And I remember not being able to clean anywhere near what I can now. And then I watched Derek do his hand cleans, and I was like, I’ve been doing this wrong for six years. Yeah. And then what’s also cool about that with greed, is it like, I know you have been, I know you’ve been because I do. But have you guys been faulted yet? Anything? Yeah, I didn’t have you yet.

Jenna
We’ll just sit and write for fun. Cool. And I thought I could do him. But yeah,

Nick 
you’re at fault if you’re like, I don’t want that to happen again. And then you realize, like, my movement patterns aren’t as good as I thought they were. Yeah. And, like, if it hasn’t happened a lot yet, it will. You realize, like, I gotta train differently, like I have, I have to train. Well, I don’t need to just get the best score in the gym; I need to stand up on my cleans. I need to ensure I go below parallel on my wall balls on my chest bars. And initially, my chest touches the bar. Like, I remember that was one of the biggest things the year before you were on the team. I had probably been getting good CrossFit scores and workouts right, as had many people on the team. And we were getting kind of embarrassed in some matches because you’d see someone do set at 20 Pull Ups and after you, like, I don’t know, 37 to get 20, you know, or a bunch of hand cleans, and nobody’s stood up all the way. These are like really stupid little things. But that forces you to change your training, right? And then because you’re moving more efficiently, all of a sudden you’re getting stronger, you’re getting faster. And then I’m noticing, like at a local comp when people I know had been beating me for years, I’m now beating significantly. That’s like, maybe training well matters, you know, right. And if not for good, I wouldn’t have got that. Yeah, I can definitely remember One of the years of love and Brawl, a couple of teams that were usually 15 places ahead of me, and my partner and I just smoked them. And I remember what happened was they were giant sets of hang cleans. And up until that point, I didn’t know that I’d ever practiced standing up before I went to the next one. I know that sounds dumb, but that’s just like a thing. You don’t do CrossFit classes. It’s not just my gym; go to any CrossFit gym; you’re gonna find that. And now, like, I’m doing sets of 15, No problem. And so it’s my partner. And that was because of the group training, you know, yeah. I know that for me. My favorite thing about the team and league is the camaraderie we get outside of the matches; you know, the matches are fine, right? But, like, gyms in our area didn’t talk to each other. You know, like, I know that Serena and I were friends long ago, and eventually, I became friends with Jake and Zach from the bloodline. Still, before that, gyms didn’t like intermingling, you know, right. And ever since year one, I feel like we all have 10 gems we can go drop in at. There’s no problem now, right?

Jenna 
Yeah. Yeah, well, it’s super fun too. Because I mean, if you’re doing a local comp, and you’re competing against everyone on the team. I am, admittedly, a little bit more of an introvert, like not the most social person. I mean, I’ve competed against like Andrea, Emily terrifying. Like, we go through, like, Hey, everybody, Hey, and I just do not talk. So. Yeah, so it’s fun, like, getting to know everybody I’ve always been competing against for the last five years. I literally just

Andrew 
I was talking to my friend the other day about your thing; dude, you know how insanely scary she is. She’s one of the nicest, funniest people I’ve ever met. And like, you would never get that, you know, like at the local coffee, we’re competing against, you know, each other. You know, and I mean, I’m kind of the same way. I’m not super social on this. Like, I know you because I am awkward. So I don’t really want to. Yeah, I don’t want to start off like that. But, like, that’s the next competition, people. I can calm down a little. No, or little. Yeah, it is cool.

Jenna 
It makes it more fun. Yeah, for sure.

Nick 
I love that part. I go through every local copy. I just feel like I’m hanging out with my friends. There’s like a lot of them now. Not just the people that go to my gym. Yeah, I feel like I can sit down in any tent, and I’ve got people that I can hang out with

Jenna 
there. And now it’s like, instead of an intense, like, I’m gonna break your neck. It’s more fun, like, Hello, we’re friends, but I’m still gonna break your neck.

Andrea 
Yeah, right. Exactly.

Nick 
Yeah, like the bar, like, Dylan’s gonna kick my ass in any cop we ever do. But you can bet I’m gonna go harder. Now. If I’m going to say he does him, I would have three or four years ago. Yeah,

Andrew 
so funny. This is kind of random. But when we did a series of cupcakes and kilos, we had a clean complex into a jerk. My boyfriend remembered your score but couldn’t remember mine. She was like 220, Right? 250. And, yeah,

Jenna 
it always gets sketchy when you’re using kilo plates anyway. Yeah.

Nick 
What are some of the favorite things you guys have done on the grid so far? So like, what are maybe some movements, some races? We’ve done? What are some things you’ve liked learning?

Val 
Okay, um, I obviously liked Jack and Jill’s handstand walks in our second match. And then

Nick 
That’s one of my favorite races of the whole season. That’s so much fun. Jack and Jill is my favorite race in general. But that one is my favorite. Yeah, you killed that.

Val 
And then sprint relay with the when I did the med ball handstand walk for that race I really enjoyed. I really liked the first match’s triad, which was the most painful race.

Nick 
It definitely is. Yeah. Yeah, you, we were in that wondering,

Val 
so bad. But it was just like that pain cave-like thing I’m, I think that I’m good at it, and it’s like, hot, you’re like it’s hard, but like it’s gonna be over. It’s like you just go until you can’t anymore.

Nick 
Yeah, try. I’m just gonna try this kind of CrossFit. But with rules. And I

Val 
remember it wasn’t supposed to be in everything in that, and I was they came, and they’re like, you’re going to be on everything at some point. And I was like, very cool. Well, that is for me. It wasn’t even that. It was like I ended up doing giant sets of everything. I did all the clusters by myself and went into the handstand push. And then, thankfully took me off the burpee Box Jump overs after three. I was like, I’m gonna die.

Nick 
I wanted to leave you there.

Val 
You should have and then went back out to do the shoulder to overhead, and you’re finished. Serena was like, okay, and then the handstand walked backward. Normally, I was like, Yeah, I’ve done handstand walks and like underfoot whatever, but I was dead and literally fell on my head three feet from the finish line. I was like, I can’t.

Nick 
In the guy’s version of that race, the male tried, and then I was at one point Francisco and I looked at each other like, slow down. We’re doing the handstands, and we’re both the two largest people, by far doing handstands, and I think we both could have done the 60 key, or like, what’s the point? Like, we’re so far behind. And this hurts a lot. A little bit, you know? Well, cool. Andrew, what about you?

Andrea 
So I think we’ll start with my favorite race that I’ve done, or that I personally like, is to try it again. Like I’m a good crossfitter. So trying it is usually just a lot of things that I can do well and quickly. But I had so much fun doing it. Like I’ve always wanted to be rear.

Val 
or front squat as nature. I’ve done it twice.

Andrea 
No, no, I don’t think I could not. But I also enjoy Jack, and I think those are me unless it’s handstand push-ups because you can count me out of that. But they’re just. I love the waterfalls. We haven’t seen that in the past, like, a couple of matches. Yeah,

Nick 
the wonderful thing is so cool.

Andrea 
And so one of my favorite moments was I suddenly switched out from double touches to bar muscle ups. So I could go to hang cleans, and I’ve never done a waterfall, and I wasn’t ready to do bar muscle-ups. So I went out there, and my first friend and Jake were up simultaneously. Like that was not right, Andrea, we got it immediately after that. And that was so cool to like a waterfall, and then he sent him out and like, oh, I’m finishing these up. That’s so awesome. You know, because I usually watch people do that. But, um, so that was really cool. And then, obviously, one of my favorite moments is hanging clean because it’s just something I cycle quickly. Even if it’s heavy, which is a random thing you don’t, you just don’t like to think that I’m gonna be okay with that. And I’m

Nick 
decent. Yeah, count me as a doubter. Because I didn’t believe that until the tournament, like your body. Your body type shouldn’t be good at that. Yeah, you’re so damn fast in that tournament. So

Valerie 
So yeah, I’m not going to lie that I didn’t really think that you were the last practice when we had the tryout. Yeah, like try out for our lives, what was it? What did we call it to lift off? Yeah, yes. She cycled them so fast that I was honorable.

Nick 
The Aswan German in the one tournament last year when they were doing the live stream. There was an announcer, and the announcer was apparently only new players from Miami’s names and nobody else’s. And I remember they go on the camera, they go to Andrea, she’s doing hang cleans. They go to the other side. The Girl on that team, I remember, was doing hang cleans. Andrew is doing like two-to-one, two-to-one speed here. And the camera keeps flashing back and forth between the two of them. They keep being like, Miami player is doing great, and then go back to us and be like, yeah, so fucking fast. She’s going so fast. It makes no sense. And you didn’t even get a shot for that. But I wanted to make sure I gave it to you because I remember being like, Oh my God.

Jenna 
Like, unpopular opinions. I freaking love those double kettlebell front squats.

Andrew 
very unpopular. Also, like just.

Nick 
even though,

Andrew 
like, Okay, you’re gonna do all 15. I’m like, let’s go. And then you see this huge growth from the aces, like doing the seven having to pass off of, like,

Nick 
There was one thing I was good at. So I practice those every day, probably for three months, right? Because I was like, Man, I suck at squatting. I’m not really that strong. This is my nightmare. Do you like it but the way I tried worked out that time we were missing somebody. I remember whom I mean, Kevin and I were in that one, a guaranteed, and I’m practicing every day. And I got to the point where I could do ring muscle ups and toe bars without passing out. And I was pretty scared. But I was like, I got it. I can do this. I do. I do my muscle-ups. I had to go clean up some for Newton. And then I walk over my kettlebells, and I’m like, here we go. I bend over. Francisco shoves me out of the way and picks him up.
I’ve never been pushed into that hole. I’m a large Dude; I don’t get pushed very easily. And I was just like, Oh, I love this guy so much. Like he didn’t say anything to me. But he knew that I was like, he’s a lot stronger than maybe that’s not a secret. He just didn’t ask who moved out of the way. I moved on to the deadlift. And I was like, yeah. Jenna, what about you? What are some favorite big movements or races you’ve done? Or are you looking forward to it?

Jenna 
Um, I’d say, overall, the last match was probably my favorite. It had a lot of movements that I liked in it, like, like, I mean both the ringers; I would have been excited to either one of them. So, yeah, I like the rope climbs. I like wall balls, and how Have you cleaned like? I’m like, Andrea was just like really weirdly good at cleans. So I liked all the stuff I did in the last match. I also just kind of like growing up more of a tomboy. I have this weird brute strength like an inner, angry monster. Yeah, like entering anger that I like, I need to get out. It may not be the prettiest, but it’s like, I will do everything in my power to, like, get it out. So I also love being able to do these weird, odd object things and, like with the dudes, yeah, right. Especially beat up. They’re kind of going against them. Yes. Like I love like, you know, being on like the flipper and in on that heavy clean at the end. Like, I love that so much that I’m like, oh, yeah, I can do the same way as you. It’s fine. We don’t really like

Nick 
we didn’t really recap on this, but I remember I told the league’s videographers that you get a camera on Jenna for these claims; this is going to be cool as hell. And then I remember that mid-race. I kind of sabotage you a little bit. Because I was, I came down from the muscle-ups faster than I originally planned. Yeah, right that you did. He doesn’t know what I’m talking about. The game plan was 15 brain muscle-ups. Yeah, I was gonna do something like 10. And then Kara was going to come out and finish them up. Right? What happened was I made a mistake. I misunderstood the time; we had to make a substitution. And I was two seconds too late. So Oh, okay. We couldn’t make one. I didn’t even know that. Yes. Okay. So here it couldn’t come back in. Right. So I think the way we talked about it was like, I’m gonna do 10 You finish up? Yeah. But then I am on like muscle until I realized, oh, shit, if we do that, Jenna has to go right. From muscle ups to cleans. Yeah. And we lose our advantage. So I did those things and thought I’d be six as fast as possible. And then drop down. I don’t know if you can hear me. I was like I’m doing it because you definitely don’t want to shut up.

Jenna 
Yeah, well, you also kick the ball away. And then it just was not securely there. So I was like, these are just not going to get

Nick 
It was cool because it worked out perfectly. Yeah. I think that that’s one of those really underutilized skills in grades. Right. It’s like an adaptation. Because there wasn’t enough time for me to explain to you why we were doing it. You know, we were doing it because we had to do it. Right. I was gonna do a big set. You do a short set. I’m going again because I’m not getting 15. At least not fast. Yeah. We don’t want to have me do a bunch. You do some, and then PowerClean. Right. And you just, like, shut up, did it? And because of that, we won that race. Yeah. Have we not done that if we lose that race?

Jenna 
Well, luckily, I love muscles. Yeah, too. So it worked out.

Nick 
I think that’s like a really, that’s hard to explain. That’s intangible, right? Not every player has that. Serena has another one, right? Like you can. I can alter it mid-rep, and we get there’s no like wound when we do. Just shut up and do it and not just do a duel. Well, you know, and you did that in real-time. And I remember, like, I’m doing the math in my head as we’re going, and I’m like, Alright, so if I can get like six here, she can get like three or four, and then I’ll finish up, and we’ll be okay. Like, but she looks at me like she’s brain-dead. I don’t know what happens next now because you could have just been like, what?

Jenna 
Yeah, well, actually, because I had just finished the rope climbs. And so I was super tired. And you came over and told me, and then I stood there like, alright, like, I’m ready. And then you’re like, do you know your groups?

Nick 
Because I just want to make sure I don’t miss that. That was super impressive. Because it was a risk, right that I took in the mid-race without any ability to communicate that with you. And you handled it perfectly, you know, if he kept saying as long as he gets three or Okay, and then you got four, and I was like, We’re fine. We’re good. It’s a little touching. Go for a second there because I can only keep that pace. I was moving back for probably six or seven tops, you know, so I had to do 10 or 12, which would have changed. And that was really good. Yeah. That was awesome. It’s really, really fun. Yeah. Like, I love that part of the grid. And I almost don’t know how to tell people about that part. You know, it’s like we had a plan to get smacked in the face. Plans got to change in real-time.
You could just kind of cry in the corner. But instead, we make an adaptation, and it works out really well. And I think that you guys have heard me say this. That’s why we did much better in the second match than in the first match. Right? In the first match, man, we were just like getting smacked and taking it and just being like, man, we suck like that was it. We weren’t adapting. We weren’t doing good things. In the second match, we had a couple hurdles, and we just said, ” Are we got them? We’re good at getting super excited on the sleds; we could have lost that race since then. Serena stepped in, and she picked this situation. I might have slapped the hell out of him like we move forward. Good. We adapted well to that, you know, whereas that could have been a lost race there. Yeah. If you want to talk about the wringer not wanting to give, can we give a little insight into how that went? Okay. Yeah. So for anyone new, I’m talking about the ringer as a new thing that the league is doing this year. In each match, you throw a gladiator out there. They go against the other team’s best person In a thing in a movement type, right? So like, one team chooses the one they think they’re most likely to win, and the other chooses one they’re most likely to win. And then you put your best players out there one-on-one, no team. It’s kind of against the team aspect. But it’s it is like, kind of a star-making thing, you know. And we had chosen rope climbs for ropes for a time. The other team had chosen a farmer carried at 4000 pounds. And I was confident, I think you were confident too, like, whatever we put you on, you were gonna win. Yeah, we were, we were going to win, and I felt confident about it. I was like, you’re gonna win. Either the rope climbs, or the farmer carries it, and then it is like the other one. We just got to see what happens. Why do we go with a real question?

Jenna 
Yeah, so we were going to do Q on rope climbs first. But the girls had a height advantage. So what was it? 12 feet. And it was,

Nick
The girls had to go to 12 feet, and the guy’s gonna go 15 feet.

Jenna 
Yeah, totally. So when I practiced them, I was getting them in one pool for the majority, like three of them. And then the last one would be like two pools. So I mean, I’m, I’m super long. I’m like 510. So yeah, it was just a little bit easier for me, I guess, with the height advantage. And then it was literally like down to the last second. I think it was like right before, right. And we were like, which one are we gonna do? I don’t know.

Nick 
Yeah, I think we were going back and forth with it. Four minutes for the match. And it was like, oh, man, here we go. Like I asked you, which one do you feel most confident about? Yeah.

Jenna
I was like, I know I did. I said that. Oh, yeah. You said the farmer was curious. Farmer scary. Because I mean, I just love a good brute strength type of thing. And rope climbs are a lot more technical. So I was like, oh, man, I’m going to mess my feet up on this, which I did. Many times. But yeah, I just think the height advantage was the ultimate.

Nick
Yeah, it was almost too much to give up. You know? Yeah. Q is fast. Jones fast. Like, three feet is a full pole, for sure. You know?

Jenna 
Yeah. So so, yeah. And then Nick stepped in on the farmer’s carry. And that was crazy, too.

Nick 
That was cool. Because I can say this on camera. I was sacrificing myself there. You know, we were trying to make a decision. Continue, Mike. Yeah, we’re like, how do we not use one of our stronger guys for this? Right. But how do we not risk it being such a distance that we lose two points? You know, Mike and I picked up the PharmaCare a couple times? Chris, that’s a coach of Tampa. I don’t know if you’re gonna hear this. We purposely didn’t put me near PharmaCare. At any point. We had Derek and John, and Francisco picking it up. So that they thought a stronger guy would do it because we didn’t want him to throw the bonus flag.

Val 
Well, yeah, I don’t know if anyone else signs. You had Miko back with you? Yeah, to like the farmer series that was back there before. And he was like, I just want to see if you can pick this up. And he’s like, I don’t know if this is the mental year, the women’s week, and I picked it up. And I was like, that’s the men’s way, and I was like, that was told.

Nick
Because she picked it up, right. And then I picked it up, and I was like, Jesus.

Val
I don’t know if I can go anywhere with it.

Nick 
Because I had the exact same thought, and that was the girls.

Jenna 
I mean, say when I practiced it, it was so heavy. Like I kept telling her, I was like, There’s no way I’m doing this.

Nick 
I grabbed up that’s with our three sharks, guys. That’s it, guys. You three have to be going to this farmer Gary. Like, we have to make it look like it’s you guys. Because if they realize it’s me, they’re gonna throw up on the US flag. You know, because Ricky is really strong. You know, and obviously, that didn’t help him. But yeah, if they’d throw that bonus lag, even though it would have helped us, I think most of us can honestly say I probably shouldn’t have won that. That could have been a really bad situation for us. And I think we gave them a little bit there. I was pretty proud of it. 

Valerie 
It was so crazy, too, because I kept stocking Tampa’s page and some of the girls on their team who can deadlift like 450, And I was like, Oh, she’s for sure doing the farmers carry like, I was nervous. I was like, Nick, she’s gonna do it, and she’s gonna kill it. Like, she’s gonna pick this up like handbags. And she was the one who wrote five against the same person. Yeah.

Nick 
Tried to use the height advantage, but I mean, yeah, we won that. Yeah. Yeah, that was cool. That was super fun. I would say that I wasn’t for the ringer points before they even started, but they’ve been pretty exciting so far. 

Jenna 
I love the I love watching. Yeah, I think they are awesome. I think they’re fun, too. Yeah, even the

Nick 
The first two, like when we lost them in the first match. I mean, Francisco lost by one-hand slip. Literally, one answer the Misurina did an extra rep. Especially last.

Valerie 
row. Yeah. So crazy. And it’s so fun, especially because I mean, like, Serena is one. She was laughing. She’s like, they’ll never put me on burpees like we were practicing it joking around, and then Nick’s like, Oh, you’re showing, but she did so well. Yeah. So I told her I was like, she’s never allowed to think that she’s bad.

Nick 
I put her on years one and two when she said she was bad at RBC when she was in the top five, and really? Yeah, it was nothing serious bad at all. I know that about you, and I’m glad I don’t have to do that again.

Valerie 
Yeah, it’s a little more chill. Yeah, it was like my heart was going to explode out of my chest. Yeah, like

Nick 
I wasn’t nervous about it. But I love that I don’t have to go into another match, possibly doing one. Like, it’s just nice to know that that’s not on my shoulders. I

Valerie
I think you were probably not nervous because you’re like, screw it, like, I’m sacrificing myself, and I’m gonna lose. Whereas you were like, You have to win. Right? You know, you’re gonna we know you’re gonna win. Do you know what I mean? 

Jenna
Yeah, like, whoa. Carrying the stuff down the thing.

Nick
That was hard. That was, like, That was super challenging. Yeah. Well, I texted one of the other coaches from the South Conference. And I was like, yeah, he’s telling me his players’ times, you know? And I’m like, Yeah, don’t worry, they’re gonna be much faster than mine. We’re like laughing back and forth. And he asked me to send them the video, and he’s, like, up both of my strengths specialists.

Valerie 
You did well at it like

Nick
that’s that one right there. That was, like, experience from the army. Just moving with weight, weight under load. You know, many people will take off at a run, and you just can’t do that. Man. You just got a baby step in the hallway. Yeah, March, you know. Unless you play us, in most cases, you run out. I was pretty sure something had happened on the other side as I was going, but I was so scared that if I turned my head to look, I would like myself. So I was just like, we’re doing. Do you guys have any other stories you want to bring up? He had a question you wanted to ask each other. Is there anything you want to want to maybe get into before we finish up? This episode of The SharkBite show is sponsored by rebuilt meals. Natural and healthy, prepared meals delivered right to your door. I get them delivered to my house. So many of our coaches and members show up at your house every Tuesday. You get the meals you want to throw in the microwave; they taste fantastic. You don’t have to waste all your time cooking or coming up with what you will eat each day. If you want to use it, use sharks 15 As your discount code. So rebuild meals.com using code sharks 15. Enjoy. Are you guys quiet for the first time? Let’s get ideas.

Jenna 
I don’t have any good ideas ever. I do feel like I have something in my brain. Many words swirl in my head, but I cannot. It’s not like stopping a roulette. The balls are spinning, but it’s not landing on a number. Yeah. So I’m sure if you were to ask me like five minutes again that but

Nick
no. Well, cool. We have a practice coming up. We have a doubleheader on August 14. That’s super fun. I mean, that decides when we go to the playoffs or not. Is that doubleheader, so we have to show up and perform well.

Jenna
so as much as they’re so fun. What if they show up and blow

Nick
we got all hopefully blow up in a good way, not in the way that the first

Val
I have often been thinking about it. I’m like, I’m dead after one match. And I really go have lunch and come back and do it again, and I’m like, what?

Valerie 
Will there be a time in between?

Nick
That’s the question athletes show up to, man. That’s how it works. And I can tell you there will be teams and players who use that as their excuse for why they didn’t perform well, and I’m not going to be one of them.

Val 
Losers Yeah.

Nick
unprompted Do you have anything you want to plug in? I really want to get your designs out there. How can somebody do so? Jen, a graphic designer, said she’s making some really cool thanks for the sharks this year. She’s helping Kelly and me with all of our social media. What if somebody wanted to get some graphic design work from you? How would they do that?

Jenna 
Um, yeah, I would say you can email me. That’s the best way. So my email is JRIDdesigns@gmail.com. GRID designs like an old nickname, and then you can also find some of my stuff on Instagram @JRIDdesigns. A lot of that stuff is a lot more illustrative than what I posted on Instagram, though. And I guess a lot of the work I’m doing for the sharks is a lot more graphic design. So a lot of the players have just been posting stuff like that. So yeah, cool. And then my regular act, if you want to follow me, is jennariddle_

Val 
Do not forget that there are no jokes here, though.

Nick 
Val, Andrea, how do we find you guys?

Val
Instagram @Valerie_Gunning. That’s all that you need to know. 

Nick 
 I’ll put it in the notes.

Andrea 
And then mine’s embarrassing, but it’s @famousAG, you know, I’m not, but I can be if you helped me with that logo. So yeah,

Nick 
yeah, guys, is anyone listening to this? Our players are always looking for spots. Chips can help promote whatever you’re trying to do. Yeah, seriously. Guys, this has been super fun. We had a good time. It’s awesome. We’re gonna finish up, and again, I’m gonna go and apologize for the first 10 minutes or so. They don’t sound very good. Yeah, come see us on August 14 next year. All right. Thanks for hanging out with us today on the Shark Bite show.

If you’d like to get a hold of us, you can find us on Facebook or Instagram at Shark Bite fitness nutrition or on our website at SharkBitefitness.com. If you’d like to find out more about our guests, their information will be in the show notes. If you’d like to talk to us about getting more fit, feel free to schedule a free no sweat intro to one of our locations in Cape Coral, Fort Myers, or Naples, Florida.

Check Jenna, Val, and Andrea on these social links:
IG: @JRIDdesigns @jennariddle_
@Valerie_Gunning
@famousAG


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