When New Hope Middle School baseball coach Brady Jones was looking for a way to inspire his players to get active on and off the baseball diamond, he wasn’t sure how to set the example.
After hearing about a competition at Steel Monkey CrossFit gym in Columbus, he knew just how to practice what he preaches every day at practice.
“I wanted to test my fitness,” Jones said. “I harp on my guys a lot on being physically fit and active off time. So, I’m just trying to set a good example for them out here.”
Jones was one of 33 athletes to participate in the first-ever Steel Money Crossfit Throwdown, an event for crossfit athletes and members of the public to join an all-day competition to test their physical fitness and endurance capabilities.
Steel Monkey owner Luke Strohl told The Dispatch Saturday this was the gym’s first official RX competition for crossfit athletes, as well as members of the public.
“We’ve got a team here from Charleston, South Carolina and we’ve got some teams from different parts of Alabama and Mississippi,” Strohl said. “We’ve also got some teams that are doing this from our home gym here in town. We’ve done competitions like this in the past, but this is actually our first Steel Monkey Throwdown, and we’re hoping to make it a yearly thing.”
Each team competed in four timed rounds, consisting of lifting weights, cardio and intense body movements. Athletes were judged on performance time and quality of movement.
Strohl said several local businesses in Lowndes County also partnered to donate funds to the competition to give to the top three teams. First place won $1,500, second place won $600 and third place won $400. Participating businesses included Dee Loaded Teas, Up Down Eatery and Coffee House and Proffitt’s Porch, to name a few.
“We got a bunch of the local businesses together, and they were able to contribute almost $5,000 going all towards prize money,” Strohl said. “So we basically get to give all the money back to the athletes that are here participating today.”
One competitor, Kilie Cox, said she came from Birmingham to participate because she once worked at the gym earlier this year and wanted to be on a team with some of her friends.
“I’m always nervous before the first round, but after that I usually come down,” she said. “This is my second competition competing with girls from my gym. I love this (competition) and the people here got me into it.”
Another participant, Whitney Pollard, said she and her team came from Brandon to participate, and she enjoyed interacting with the teams and the staff during the competition.
“Everybody’s been really nice,” she said. “I feel like the competition’s been very well run. Everything was explained, and everybody’s very welcoming and open to outside people coming to compete.”
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 29 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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