Hi 212! I’m so grateful and thrilled to be the September member of the month!
I’ve been an athlete my whole life, and a lot of my identity has been tied to being an athlete. I started travel softball at age 6 and continuously played on competitive travel teams until I was 18. There wasn’t a sport I didn’t try— gymnastics, softball, basketball, soccer, track, volleyball. By high school, I had zeroed in on volleyball. I played year round on school and club teams, and my entire schedule revolved around practice, tournaments, and training. During my junior year of high school- arguably the most important for recruiting- I developed an ongoing illness that dashed any dreams of a collegiate career. Everything I’d worked for had been lost and I was ashamed that I wasn’t able to push through the illness to secure athletic scholarships.
I spent my college years trying to figure out who I was outside of being an athlete and in a body that didn’t necessarily feel like mine anymore. After college, I moved to Rhode Island for work. I tried different yoga studios, barre classes, and traditional gyms, but nothing felt right. I either got too in my head or missed the community aspect of being on a team.
A random google search brought me to 212 and I gave it a shot in January of 2021. What initially struck me was how much 212 felt like a place of community and not a place of competition. I felt supported and valued without any expectation attached. Over time, 212 made me feel like an athlete again, without the pressure to perform or win. I’ve never felt like I needed to prove I’m an athlete- if anything, the coaches have worked to prove to me that I’m still an athlete! I’ve regained a part of me that I thought I lost forever.
Not only have I found joy in my athleticism again, I’ve discovered a community that I didn’t know I needed. I get excited when I see 212 people outside of the gym and look forward to working out with my buddies! When my husband and I decided to buy a house, proximity to 212 was one of our priorities because I knew how much I wanted to be close to this community. I’m so grateful to 212 for how it’s reshaped my perspective; both of myself and of my community.