CrossFit Athletic Group

In case you were wondering... yes, I had to rely on Google to let me know that syndrome had an "e" on the end of it. Syndrom looked oddly incomplete upon second glance.

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The first time I noticed Only Child Syndrome in the Champions Club was with Woorden during her senior year. She got comfortable with the place and she was our only consistent high schooler here. Plus she is literally an only child. Once I recognized that for what it was, I thought back on a few other instances of Only Child Syndrome we've had in the gym. See, Only Child Syndrome isn't just for only childs, it can affect anyone from any family background, and not every Only Child has it. I've unknowingly had Only Child Syndrome in the past - most notably when we were getting the boot from Foley and I was throwing a hissy fit about it. The Foley kids were victim to Only Child Syndrome when the Mott invasion was happening with the Jabaras, Banets, and Saporito. Anyone remember Jada and Buckle and Massman?

On a meta level, I've also noticed that the Champions Club, as a whole, has Only Child Syndrome. That's because you're the only precious child of the monster-calf-having, hot-16-bar-spitting, mid-range-jumpers-are-not-a-lost-art Chris Sinagoga.

I literally have nothing to fall back on. And I remind myself that before every single session.

This has led you guys to be spoiled out of your minds. You can call or text any time you want, you can get in at odd hours for make-up workouts or other reasons, you get can get babysitting and nutritional counseling and physical therapy and an L in 1-on-1 just by asking. But, like I'm sure parents of only children think, you guys are worth it. And I mean that.

Only Child Syndrome isn't something you can really put a concrete definition to. It's just something you know when you look at it, same way you know when deadlift technique is unsafe or you know when a kid is from Hazel Park. It is difficult to overcome, but not impossible. The best way I've seen comes from steady, consistent doses of struggle in as many different areas as possible. That is because Only Child Syndrome only appears when struggle is happening. If the Only Child Syndrome person does not have the option to quit, then progress will be made eventually.

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"Up to this point, we have been the best kept secret, not only in CrossFit, but in the state of Michigan." - Building a Champion pt. 10: Today and Tomorrow

In the macro sense, the only thing the Champions Club has really had to compete with for time was basketball - which is why the 6:30 pm session is not 7 pm. But a half hour compromise is really not much in the grand scheme of things, especially when we start at like 6:43 anyway. Well, college football Saturdays too, I guess. But that should be understandable.

Right now, however, there is this little snag in our operations that looks like the phrase, "10 people or less." Those 4 words, however long they will be snagged on our pant legs, might present the Champions Club with a precious opportunity for struggle. The competition comes from inside, rather than outside. In 2017, having 10 people at a session was cause for a riot and rebellion. Here was our 5:30 pm mobility session on August 7, 2019:

• Coach T
• Sam
• NuNu
• James S
• Jay
• Shakes
• Anthony B
• Karissa
• Dylan H
• Nick Banet
• Jennifer
• Bewick
• Lindsey
• Fry
• Mrs. Pip
• Flees [Ed's note 5/28/2020 - is this a typo?]
• Budo
• Owen
• Mr. Bennis
• Bromm
• Evan
• Mrs. Bennis
• Cory
• Mrs. Nevarez
• Nick H
• Mr. Carey

Go ahead and pick 10 from that group. Then realize that if Bennis, Colussi, or Nevarez made the list, they are bringing carry-on luggage in the form of psycho fit babies who are the gym's future and also count towards that number.

I understand there are ways around that magic 10 number and I stand by my word that if you sign up for a session, I will get you in that session. I'm also asking you understand that you aren't an only child any more. Sometimes Michael Banet wants the last piece of pizza in the fridge, but Erika ate it already. The more often that happens, the better off Michael will be.

Banets left-to-right: Anthony, Elizabeth, Jennifer, Erika, Nick. Not pictured: Jacqueline (Summer 2013-2018), David (Summer 2013), and Michael (sneaking to the fridge as this picture was being taken)