聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Taris Rae of Carlyle, daughter of Tracey Rae, recently competed in the CrossFit Games Open (14-15 female age category) where she placed first in the Canada West category, sixth overall in Canada, and 72nd worldwide.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The competition is held worldwide via online video taken of the competitors. Each individual completes the Workout of the Day (WOD) and judges determine a standing based on reps and weight used gauging how much power and work someone is doing.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 These impressive finishes comes within just over a year of CrossFit training at Living Skies CrossFit.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 started just over a year ago,鈥� Taris explains. 鈥淢y mom let me know that Carson [Brady] was doing a teens class, so I started in that and then started going to regular classes more often.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Tracey added, 鈥淪he had been going to Colin [Wilson鈥檚] Fitness Club in the mornings and she was really enjoying it, so I asked Carson what age kids could do CrossFit at and he mentioned the teen program he was planning on starting.鈥�
鈥淜udos to Carson at the gym. He鈥檚 very good with everyone that goes, but especially with teens. He鈥檚 a great role model.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The holistic aspect of what CrossFit offers is appealing to Taris: 鈥淚t鈥檚 just so much fun. I really like the challenge of it. I like all the aspects of it, in sports you often just focus on one aspect, but with CrossFit you get cardio, weights, and gymnastics. I love all of it.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Although competitions aren鈥檛 necessary to participate in, Taris explained that choosing to compete in the Open was easy: 鈥淚 had competed in Saskatoon earlier and really enjoyed it. This competition was something I could do in my home gym, which I really liked, and it is fun competing.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t鈥檚 a really fun experience. The gym is a really good community to be involved in and they鈥檙e all really supportive.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Last year Taris competed in the Open as well, but finished 313th worldwide, so her dedication, determination, and drive has catapulted her forward.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 With the top 200 worldwide Taris is now gearing up for the online qualifier for Regionals to be held in April.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲hat amazes me about Taris is that she plays other sports, it鈥檚 important to develop as an athlete, but even on the days she has practices she鈥檒l be in here at 6 a.m. to work out,鈥� Carson Brady, her coach, explained. 鈥淪he鈥檚 always got a positive attitude and is always in a good mood.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淵ou have to be among the best of the world to finish where she did. It is hard to get where she is, especially for just doing it for a year, that鈥檚 insane!鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淪he鈥檚 actually the first person to advance to the next level after the Open from this gym and I鈥檓 pretty proud as a coach for sure. There鈥檚 big things in her future if she keeps with it.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In addition to her success within the CrossFit community Taris also plays volleyball (both school and club), softball, and competed at the Sask Winter Games in February where she took home a bronze medal in weightlifting.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭hat [the Winter Games] was really fun, it was my first time competing in weightlifting,鈥� Taris explained. Brady was the selected weightlifting coach for the southeast and had encouraged Taris to participate.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Tracey added, 鈥淪he鈥檚 definitely committed and driven. She鈥檒l be up at 5 a.m. before school to do it. With anything she鈥檚 always been 鈥� like ball 鈥� she鈥檚 always been very driven, but this is a passion and she loves doing it.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淪he鈥檚 really loving it and she鈥檚 been to gyms in Red Deer, Brandon, Saskatoon, when we go somewhere she always wants to find a gym and do a workout. She loves the community there.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 am very proud of her hard work and determination.鈥�
Taris is appreciative of all of the support and is happy to have found something she loves doing: 鈥淭hank you to all of the coaches, to Carson, my mom 鈥� my mom puts in a lot of time for me to do everything I do 鈥� and to the whole gym for being really supportive and encouraging. They鈥檙e really good people.鈥�
