CrossFit Athletic Group

UPDATED WITH 100% MORE BUBS

AND UPDATED AGAIN BECAUSE I ALWAYS FORGET ABOUT RACHAEL KROLL. SHE DESERVES BETTER...

...........

So with this being the last day most of the College Kids will be around until the spring, I thought it would be fun to do a little ranking based on how they performed over break and the kind of shape I think they'll be in come Summer.

1. Alyssa Jabara

Highlights: 285-lb. deadlift at Lifts 4 Gifts, good kipping pull-ups

Lowlights: still can't do double unders

Notes: Alyssa seemed like a girl possessed this winter. She was in almost every single day and did not seem to lose as much from a good Summer as I thought she would. I also noticed a serious tone to her that I had not really seen before. She's headed into her junior season on the softball diamond at Concordia and she's got that starting catcher spot locked in tunnel vision now.

2. Noah Heide

Highlights: Filthy Fifty, that sleeveless hoodie thing, kipping pull-ups

Lowlights: that deadlift/box jump workout, and the thruster/burpee one after

Notes: Due to some kind of witchcraft, Noah has habitually suffered lower back pain every winter since 'Nam. We had a brief stint of that after his first workout back (that deadlift/box jump one that made everyone sore), but we've seen him recover well enough to the point where he's at full strength now. He also routinely stays after the morning session is done to work on footwork, throwing, and other quarterback drills. Missing the Christmas workout cost him the top spot, but he will also be in for this next week, so he gets bonus points.

3. Josie Junkin

Highlights: Filthy Fifty, running jump ropes, overhead squats with the 15-lb bar

Lowlights: when she tried to add 5's to that OHS bar, allowing those hooligans to wrapping-paper the basketball hoop

Notes: The Josie Junkin I've seen the past two weeks almost made me completely forget about the headaches she caused Jesse, Jay, Jacob, and I during our adolescent years. Almost.

Josie was a quiet addition to the Champions Club this Summer who all-of-a-sudden finished in the top 5 for attendance. After some digging, I found out that she had done virtually nothing while away at Michigan to keep up the fitness she gained during the Summer and I was worried things would regress. Well they did, but not nearly as much, and not nearly as long as I though. In fact, yesterday she had one of the best Filthy Fifty times out of anyone in the gym. And the tequnique on things like overhead squats and push-ups looked good. She even let two spotters hold her upside down for about 7 seconds in something that resembled a handstand.

4. Ally Kauzlarich

Highlights: attendance, handstand walks

Lowlights: feet still can't stay together

Notes: Ally is literally always at the gym. But she is by-far the most quiet in our group. In fact, I've decided to do the next Behind the Champion on her, so be on the lookout for that. She's one of those people who's always good to have back, even though you don't really know a lot about her. I have zero complaints for Ally over the past few weeks, and that is about the highest compliment one can receive.

5. Lindsey Eason

Highlights: all of Lifts 4 Gifts, cheering on everyone working out

Lowlights: every time she walks into the gym, Taylor Swift radio on Pandora, please take down my picture from your mantle

Notes: As much as I hate to admit it, Lindsey is quickly becoming one of those Shakes-types that just makes things go during a session. She's fit enough to where she won't lag too far behind in any workout (or she'll just cut reps), and she talks to anything that moves. So best bet is to stay completey still and she might ignore you. 

6. Luke Heide

Highlights: Filthy Fifty, kipping pull-ups, longsnapping, running wasn't horrible

Lowlights: cheating in Spike-ball

Notes: I'm not gonna lie, I was not expecting Luke or Noah to retain much from the Summer. But I was pleasantly surprised to see their form didn't look too bad. Luke rounded his back on deadlift set-ups early on, so I yelled at him and he fixed it. Unfortunately he was gone for about a week, which is why he's so much lower than his brother on the rankings, but he's got an extra week too which helps place him ahead of...

7. Cecilia Steinwascher

Highlights: running/thrusters, running/overhead squats, running in general

Lowlights: cheating in Spike-ball, that weeklong vacation

Notes: Cecilia got off to a really good start on her return, but like Luke, the vacation let the likes of Lindsey, Ally, and Josie crawl ahead of her on the power rankings. She also wouldn't let us hear the end about how sore her calves were after box jumps. Still a useful couple weeks of workouts for the soccer star.

8. Ricky Carey

Highlights: snatches, the double-unders on the Filthy Fifty

Lowlights: attendance, sit-ups on the Christmas Eve Workout

Notes: We got to see Slick Rick for only about a week this Christmas break, but it was an entertaining one nevertheless. He missed out on Lifts 4 Gifts and the Filthy Fifty, but Ricky is always Ricky; he'll be ready in whatever shape he needs to be in should the desire come his way.

9. Kris Campbell

Highlights: gracefulness on box jumps, kipping pull-ups, bringing in the Spike-ball thing

Lowlights: stretching out my hoodie, that deadlift/box jump workout, forgetting the Christmas Eve workout was on Christmas Eve

Notes: I was not aware that the Air Force football program does not believe in doing deadlifts (true story), and the last time Big Kris deadlifted was Summer 2017 here. So in retrospect, 70 deadlifts at 225 may have not been a great idea on my part. After a few days of being sore, he was back at it. Wish we could have seen him more, but always good to have the Big Fella back in any capacity.

10. Brendan Crawford

Highlights: brought in that bite-sized cheesecake thing for me

Lowlights: continues to allow Sweet Dreams to get in the way of him being a strong girl one day

Notes: Crawford is Crawford, and I will defend him to the death. That's my man 50-grand, and the Champions Club is always better when he's around. Definitely was hoping to see more of him over break, but his running background should keep him in pretty good shape for the Summer.

11. James Willis

James pictured behind CrawfordHighlights: the attention he pays to his new smart watch, seeing his car parked in his normal spot when I pulled in on my way back from Stoney Creek

Lowlights: not seeing it much more after that despite him working AT THE SAME FREAKING BUILDING NICK AND ERICA WORK!

Notes: You're right there dude. Literally right there! You don't even have to make a turnaround. Straight across Stephenson.

12. DIV

Highlights: those two workouts he was here

Lowlights: form, technique, he still has my Steve Jobs movie

Notes: pissed

13, 14, 15. The Banets

Highlights: still look and move like Banets

Lowlights: conditioning is down a bit, Biff is working through a hip thing

Notes: They're the Banets. They'll be fine. Summer 2019 should be fun!

Honorary mention - Bubs

...for having the audacity to choose a grad school not withing driving distance of the Champions Club. We miss you!

Honorary Mention II - Rachael Kroll

All you need to know about Kroll is this was her med ball for the Run 400 meters, 50 squats workout. Ol' Floppy, sad and depleted and not meant to be squatted to.