Kayla Geffert
Coach at CrossFit 8 Mile

My story is simple. If you met me 15 years ago, you may have known me by the nickname “Noodle Arms”, a shy, quiet girl who struggled to gain strength and hold her own physically and mentally on the basketball court, and in life. You’d see a committed team player, someone who chased excellence on a Division 2 college basketball team but was unsure of herself off the court and without direction toward a greater purpose. Over the years, through finding CrossFit and a career in firefighting, I have realized my purpose in life is to have the ability to accomplish difficult tasks for myself and for others when they need it most. As a CrossFit coach and a firefighter, I pride myself on being capable of handling anything life throws at me. Whether someone needs help moving heavy furniture, needs a partner to run a half-marathon, or needs to be carried out of a burning building, I’m confident I can be there for them. If you met me for the first time today, you may see someone who is driven to take on physical and mental challenges, who serves her community, and who doesn’t give up until she gets results. Today, I feel the most capable and confident I’ve ever felt in my life. Through 15 years of consistent effort in the gym, little wins in my physical training have built up slowly over time and transformed me from the inside out. As a coach, I want people to know that feeling. To face hard things, to realize how capable they are, and to handle whatever life throws at them. No matter what their current level of athleticism or capability is, they have an opportunity to make a choice, take action, and improve every single day. And I am right alongside them, making the same commitment every time I coach at 8 Mile.