Coach’s Spotlight: Abby Rapoza

Today we acknowledge Coach Abby Rapoza as our spotlight coach! She has been a great addition to the Cynergy Community as an athlete and a coach. Looking forward to honoring you with your signature WOD today. Thank you Abby!

Coach Abby
For time:
400M Run
50 Slam Balls*
40 Alt DB Snatches*
30 Sit Ups
20 Up Downs
10 Box Jumps*
400M Run

~ Break up the reps anyway you want
*Athlete’s choice

What brought you to cynergy?
My brother started as a way to train for the worlds karate comp, and I didn’t want my little brother being stronger than me.

How long have you been a CrossFitter and a coach?
I started CrossFit seven years ago, I was in the eighth grade. I started helping out with the kids class about five years ago. Then in 2019 got my CrossFit Level 1 Certificate.

What does your athletic background look like?
I did dance and karate side-by-side most of my little kid years. Dance didn’t last as long as karate did. I got my black belt in the Tama system (which stands for total approach to martial arts, to help those understand what I did). I also was a teacher of the kids class at karate as well. Then in high school I played field hockey all four years.

What would you say the best part of being a CrossFit coach is?
My favorite part is when I coach the teens class or even the older kids in my kids class, and they do a movement or lift a weight that they couldn’t in weeks or months prior. Watching their faces light up and their self confidence grow knowing that they just did that is my absolute favorite.

What advice would you give a new athlete?
Be your own athlete. Sometimes it’s hard to not compare yourself to the person next to you, and then feel bad about what you are doing. You are your own person, and you are amazing for just showing up!

A veteran athlete?
Keep showing up and you will always keep progressing in some way or another!

What are your current goals as a coach?
Get better with not being so awkward coaching adults! Coaching teens and kids is such a breeze for me! It’s the adults and how awkward I am that I have to work on!!

As an athlete?
Stop doubting!! You’re stronger than you think!!

What is your favorite movement to coach?
These are two very different but I like coaching snatches and split jerks. Simply because, especially with my younger generation athletes, they get so excited to do these big movements where they are able to get heavier weights over their head.

What is one thing most people don’t know about you?
I hate being in the front of a crowd of people!! Super ironic being a coach and going to school to be a teacher!!

How would you describe the Cynergy community?
Accepting. Even myself. I have come into the gym in rare forms, and not once have I felt judged. From having a broken foot so I was crawling around the gym, crying in class because family was in the hospital, falling asleep on the floor in between coaching, and all the other obnoxiously embarrassing things I have done, yet I leave not feeling judged.

What are some of your most memorable memories as a coach?
Watching mental growth. Being someone going into the teaching lifestyle I’m very into the social emotional. I love when kids or people come in super shy and insecure, and then in just a short time watching them thrive and making friends, having conversations, and wanting to be called on to be a “demo” athlete.

Read more about Abby: Building Strong, Confident Kids: The Cynergy Kids Program