Hobart and William Smith Colleges

7 April 2015 CrossFit HWS Named Official Affiliate

The HWS CrossTraining Club is now an official CrossFit Affiliate and is one of the nations 100 percent student-run CrossFit programs.

Persistence and a positive attitude were key in making CrossFit HWS a reality, says Morgan Bungerz 15, the founder and head coach of CrossFit HWS.

Currently, CrossFit HWS offers two classes each day, with 10 to 20 people attending each of the sessions. The workouts are highly varied, with a different workout each class referred to as a workout of the day (WOD). Students are the main participants; however, other members of the HWS community also have joined some of the fitness sessions.

We encourage everyone to try it out because every WOD is scalable, meaning that it can be adjusted to your experience and fitness level, Bungerz says. CrossFit is literally for every body because it is all functional movements.

The cost to members of the HWS community is free, Bungerz says, noting that similar programs can exceed $150 a month per person.

We have two highly trained coaches who dedicate a part of every day to train their peers and continue their education to offer the best product possible, he says.

Bungerz, who competed in the 2014 Stu Lieblein 90 Pitch Contest finals with an idea for a wrist protection system that enables cross-training athletes to have better workouts, has been a certified cross-training coach since he was 17. Once he arrived at HWS, Bungerz introduced his cross training program to the HWS campus.

It is my senior year but I am not ready to leave CrossFit HWS yet, Bungerz says. Not only do I wish to still be a part of the CrossFit HWS community, but I also know that there is still so much to be accomplished with the club.

This semester, CrossFit HWS hosted its first competition in which 50 athletes participated. Bungerz says it was enormously successful and he looks forward to expanding into the great community.

CrossFit gives us a platform with which we can reach out and impact Geneva, Bungerz says. Getting local community members to participate with students will help build connections and understanding.

Katherine Friedrich 15, a member of CrossFit HWS, says participating in one of the most active and quickly growing clubs has been a great experience. She says CrossFit HWS offers a supportive environment, with members working to help improve each other.

The confidence and mental toughness I have gained at CrossFit has overflowed into my academics and other activities at HWS, says Friedrich.

Students and staff can begin their own personal journey to fitness by showing up at Bristol Field House ready to work at any of the following times: Monday through Thursday at 3 p.m.; Mondays and Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday at 9:15 p.m.; Friday at 5 p.m.; Saturday at 12 p.m.; and Sunday at 3 p.m.

More information is also available online through theCrossFit HWS group on Facebook.