Logic behind Open WOD scheduling.

Hi Everyone,

Please excuse the use of this sacred blog for the use of passing an important message to the CrossFit Horizons community to who my Family and I hold so Dear.

I've done this because I wanted my message to be a little more personal than a FaceBook post.

I've been asked a very important question by one of our Dear Athletes, asking for an explanation as to why our Open WOD schedule is the way it is this year compared to last year. (No open WOD on Mondays, just Friday from lunch onwards/Sat morning and Sun Morning).

Thus affecting some of the community who can only train at certain times.

I.E. those who can only make it in the morning/afternoon due to work/family etc.

Here is the reasoning behind our decision and I hope everyone understands why we have done things this way we have in 2015.

Here we go, please bare with me -

1. The Open can consume the gym.

We have found that because of the timing of the announcement, the hype around the 4 days has taken our valued athletes (160 entered last year) focus away from their training goals.

For example; nothing else matters anymore other than getting a score that is 1 more rep than the one they got. So un-needed days off to "Rest" or "Recover"or needing to do the WOD multiple times risking injury/overtraining become more prevalent, stalling people's journey towards their overall health goals, which is our main priority for you all.

So having from Friday to Monday was just too long for the majority of the community and the Coaching staff to emotionally bare.

2. Morning/Afternoons only?

Last year Monday seemed to be a difficult time to get people to the gym to perform their Open WOD.

Even though we understand that there is probably about 10-12 (5am and 6am'ers) of our valued Athletes who can only train in the mornings (who may have entered the open this year).

Last year we would have 15 to 20 each week who couldn't train on Mondays or the weekend because it's their rest day, their holidays or their work didn't permit them to. This immediately had us organising extra judges/coaches to ensure Fridays normal sessions could go ahead uninterrupted. (Which crazily enough we are still doing this year for Monday, just hoping for less needing to do this)

Creating more distraction and less focus on the greater community who deserve as much guidance Love and care as they can get when they are under our roof.

So because of this and point number 1 and 3, it was an easy decision to scrap Mondays for the Open WOD.

3. Feedback.

When we posted our scheduling last week we based our decision off last years experience with no immediate concerns raised from anyone who may be affected.

That was until we had the question today communicating that some Athletes who can only train at certain times are confused by our decision.

For the the unintentional disregard we sincerely apologise.

However, we would like to just re assure all of the Athletes who potentially may be affected, that over the course of 150 sessions (averaging 3 sessions a week for the year, taking in holidays/illness etc) that the 5 times you may be inconvenienced over this time, our gym has been built on a culture that is as much about Family as what it is about CrossFit.

So, bringing partners/Wives/ Kids is something that is common to the majority of the community and we encourage to bring your family along in the Afternoon or weekend to cheer you on.

Sometimes kids and partners outnumber people training, and, that's the way we Love it.

4. Staffing.

This new schedule has Kristy, the kids and I working 7 days a week for 5 weeks. This is so I can be there for each person who is entered, as their coach.

Adding Sunday wasn't a decision we come to lightly and should give all affected adversely an idea as to the importance of this community in my families lives.

Financially, last year our schedule created an extra cost of $1750 in wages, with people coming in on Friday, extra staffing on Monday (not including my time on Sat morning away from my Kids).

Because of this and the extra sessions/days we now have available for you all we can't sustain the old schedule without the quality of my kids life being affected.

For all who know me. The quality of life that my kids have is more important to me than anything.

And, increasing membership is not an option for us.

So taking away Mondays from the Open schedule was an easy decision to make.

We hope you understand........


Finally, 

We have given everyone the opportunity to tell us if any weeks they cannot make it on Fri, Sat or Sun we'll arrange staff or an open gym time on a Monday to ensure you can do the WOD (there is one person booked for Monday).

So, please consider this before thinking that you can't enter because of our scheduling, due to your inability to train at any other time than the one you do.

Always remember that any decision we come to in regards to our day to day business management the greater community is always put first.

After 4 years we realise that there will be some that we disappoint no matter how hard we try to please all 174 of you. That's life!

However, it's not going to stop us from continuing to do our best to.

Love to All.

Jamie.