Hello, I’m Vanessa DeGirolamo (around the gym I am known as VD…easy, it’s just my initials!) I started coming to Synergy strength and Conditioning in January 2011. Before starting at Synergy I was involved in cheerleading, competing at the collegiate level for 3 years with the University of Regina. With the U of R we won a National Championship in 2009 becoming the the first team in Western Canada to ever win Nationals, something I take great pride in being a part of. I also cheered for 3 seasons with the 620 CKRM Roughrider Cheer Team. I loved being involved in the cheerleading community, but it was time to retire and find another passion, and along came CrossFit.
After completing 3 years of university in Regina, I realized that I was not in the right program that suited my passion or personality. Which brought me back to Saskatoon, and eventually to Synergy. When my cheerleading career came to an end, I was searching for somewhere to get a good workout in. At the time I was working at Lululemon Athletica where I met Courtney, one of the trainers at Synergy. She encouraged me to give CrossFit a try. I am a very outgoing person, so I thought I’d go for it and made an appointment to get started…after a few group classes I knew I loved it and it was something I was good at. I was given the opportunity to compete in the Reebok CrossFit Games Open in the Spring of 2011 and since then CrossFit has definitely become a passion, something I think about and most often, dream about. Outside of the gym I have a huge passion for baking and decorating specialty cakes. I find being in the kitchen, rolling out fondant, to be quite stress relieving. I have fun finding new recipes to adhere to the paleo lifestyle I now lead. I enjoy sharing with non-CrossFitters how our paleo lifestyle has really changed how I feel, physically, mentally and emotionally. There is so much about CrossFit and Synergy that I love. I really enjoy how each workout is so different, and how even though sometimes half way through you want to give up, there is always someone there pushing you to the end, and how great you feel afterwards. I love the positive vibe you get just walking through the door. Most importantly I love the family I have at the gym.
In the world of CrossFit, you don’t hate the competitor, you cheer them on, and you strive to be like the person who beat you, this is something that I have never found in any other sport that I have been involved in. Since starting at the gym I have met some people who have become my best friends and mean the world to me. It gives me great joy to be able to share this sport with others and I am proud to say that I am a member of Synergy Strength and Conditioning!
-Vanessa
