Your 2019 Superlative Awards and Iron Buffalo Winners!

Every year during our Anniversary/Holiday party we like to take a minute to recognize some of our members. Over the years these superlatives have been lovingly deemed the “bitter burpee awards” but they are ALL from the heart. We could recognize every single one of our members with an award of some kind, but let’s be honest… there is only so much random stuff in the closet that we can give away 😉

In all seriousness, we are so grateful for all of you. We’re grateful for the hard work, the smiles, and most of all, your personalities and the things you bring into this community to make it so great.

THANK YOU for 11 great years! We’re excited to see what the 12th holds!

 

 

The Traffic Jam Award – Daniel Arrendondo

Daniel owes the most burpees for being late to class… but he always runs in with a smile and is READY TO WORK when he gets here! Daniel, thank you for making us smile and for working so hard in every single class!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Tenant in C-300 – Jacki De Los Santos
Jacki has LIVED at the gym this year with 165 check ins (since we switched to our new system!) and we can see the results! She celebrates her wins and we are so proud of her growth! Congrats on all your hard work, Jacki!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. & Mrs. Liftmas – Alec and Angie Bobst

These swolemates stole our hearts when they joined the gym! We love seeing folks sweat with their sweethearts! These two came in with a “can do” mindset and we believe anything they put their minds to and work together on, they will achieve! Send some love to your gym couple of the year!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ol’ Reliable – Scott Stookey

He never misses a beat! 5:30 am and he’s at the door with a story and a smile. Fun fact- Scott and Gen worked together for 9 months 3x a week at 5:30 am without fail! Scott has kept that consistency with his group class schedule and we can always rely on him to be there!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a 3 part award! CrossFit Austin = CFA = Community, Fitness, and Adventure. These are our 3 pillars and these folks live the life!

 

Community – George and Denise Valdez
Not only has this couple (and now their beautiful daughter!) been a part of our community for many years, but they are always supportive of their fellow athletes, cheering them on in class and gathering the crew for Thirsty Thursdays! They set a great example for new folks coming in and are always happy to make a new friend. They are a couple of friendly faces we are super grateful for!

 

 

 

 

Fitness – Marco (Alien) Torres
When life gets hard, work harder. Marco has truly made fitness a priority in his life this year! He’s put in the work with additional plus programming and extra open gym time to train for his sport, roller derby, and we SO PROUD of him! He made the Mexican National team again this year! Way to use your fitness, Marco!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adventure – Marco Ramos
What we do is about so much more than the hour in the gym! How are you using your fitness outside of the gym!? Marco is a big adventurer! When he’s not in the gym, you can find him deep in a cave, hiking, climbing, swimming, and who knows what else?! He takes his fitness out into nature and pushes his body to its limits. THIS is why we train! We train to live!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rookies of the Year – Joel Guajardo & Katie Alfsen
These two hit the ground running! It’s been a joy to watch their growth since joining CFA. Their desire to learn, openness to coaching, and drive to do the work is all we could ask for in a new athlete! Congratulations on all of your accomplishments so far! We’re excited to be a part of your continued growth!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Longevity Award – Paul (Buck) Patek
We lovingly call Paul our “teacher’s pet” because this guy does ALL of his homework! Since day 1, he has been in it for the long haul. Paul understands the importance of the accessory work, the soft tissue, the recovery and he spends the time to make sure his body is both prepped and taken care of day in and day out. Because of this, we’ve seen more improvement and growth in Paul than we see in a lot of athletes. He also knows that it doesn’t happen over night. Patience, diligence, and that long term mindset have set him up for success.

We’re so proud of you, Paul! We’re proud of your work, your dedication, and your support! We’re so thankful to have you as a member and as a FRIEND and we look forward to moving with you for MANY more years!

 

 

Coach of the Year – Dylan Wall

Let me begin by saying we are so proud of our current team. We truly believe this is the strongest coaching team we have ever had in our 11 years. This crew brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and joy! They are humble, they are always hungry for more, and they truly work together as a team.

With that said, we wanted to recognize Dylan for going above and beyond this year! Dylan has grown the Austin Weightlifting program massively, built the youth strength & conditioning from the ground up, and taken HUGE leaps in building his future career. This year, he stepped out of his comfort zone and into the role of Coach for Life with us. Additionally…. and we never thought we’d see it 😉 but Dylan also crossed the boundary from weightlifting to CrossFit and has become a CFL1 coach. He’s regularly gotten into classes to expand his own coaching repertoire and to grow himself as an athlete and a member of this community.
We learn something new from Dylan every day about things both in and outside of the gym and we are honored to have him as a part of this team.

Heart warming moment – After winning this award, Dylan approached us humbly and said it wasn’t just his… it was the Team’s award. THIS is why we love and are so proud of this crew. Thank you for being you, Dylan.

 

 

And last, but certainly not least…

Our 2019 Iron Buffalo Award Winners – JoAnna Brand & Sayyed Naghaviani 

The buffalo represents a headstrong and steadfast figure. It is representative of good health, strength, and stamina. It represents a humble confidence and a work ethic that is unmatched. It is calm and steady, but also extremely protective of and dedicated to its herd.

The buffalo has also held personal significance to Tim and his family for many years. If you haven’t see all the buffalo figures, pictures, etc in the gym, take a look around! The buffalo symbolizes so many amazing qualities and it is with the greatest honor that we recognize these athletes as our male and female Iron Buffalos!

Stand by for full interviews from both of those folks in January!

Jo & Sayyed – Thank you for being pillars in our community. Thank you for working hard, staying honest, and supporting our team and our CFA family. Day in and day out, we see your efforts and over the years we’ve come to know the love and goodness within each of you. 

We are proud to have you in our lives.