Congratulations to our two athletes of the month for May: Rachel Schoepf and Ross Wolf. I giggled a lot about the fact that Ross + Rachel were selected this month (get it? Friends?!), but that is not why they were both chosen. These two incredible athletes have become major assets around the gym, and it’s time we honor their awesomeness.
Rachel came to us because she used to work with Jerik, and was curious about checking the place out. Since joining, she has become a staple of the evening classes, and we all look forward to her bright smile and upbeat attitude. I am sure Rachel has the ability to get frustrated or angry, but I have never seen it. She approaches everything in the gym with a sense of curiosity and excitement, and she is not afraid to try anything new. She has a strong sense of openness, which makes her easy to talk to and trust. It’s no wonder that she is a therapist who works with kids and families. I can’t imagine a better person for that kind of work. Rachel is also super coachable and takes cues really well – I give her one little tip and boom, she has it! I remember watching her do cleans for the first time and she turned to me and said “does this look ok?” and honestly, I was speechless because her form was so great on her first try! She has so much potential as an athlete, and shows a lot of grace and skill. On top of that, she is a great gym buddy and partner on the floor, and always makes the folks she works with feel confident and powerful. Every time she is here, Rachel is a breath of fresh air and brings so much joy! Thank you Rachel, you are the best.
Ross Wolf came to Solcana looking for some motivation, and he is clearly feeling motivated because he is a committed athlete and can be found in the gym several times a week after school. He is a band teacher and all around super-talented musician. I personally have had the pleasure of taking piano lessons from him over the last couple months, I can attest to the fact that he is an excellent and patient teacher. Ross is so talented that he was recently accepted into a highly-coveted Masters in Composition program in Madison, WI. Unfortunately for us, that means he will be moving away in August for at least a couple of years. He will be missed!! Ross has come such a long way in the gym. Just the other day I watched him power clean 155# like it was nothing! He looks more confident and poised than ever. If you have met Ross, you know that he has a great sense of humor and is super friendly to everyone he meets. He will happily strike up a conversation with you and make you laugh easily. He is smart and kind, and super fun to workout with. He is also super tall, standing at 6’8″. I bet you he gets a comment on his height like 100x per day, which would annoy the crap out of most people; Ross on the other hand takes it with a smile and a laugh. Make sure you get to meet and hang with this awesome person before he leaves the cities in August!