Save The Date – 2021 Skinner WOD For Mental Health Awareness

As we approach the end of the year, it’s time again to shift our focus to a very important topic – and an annual event that has helped the Aevitas community raise over $2k for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention since 2019.

That topic is Mental Health Awareness, and the event is our Annual Skinner Memorial WOD. Keep reading for all the details about this year’s event and how you can contribute to the cause in 2021!

Skinner Memorial WOD – a Brief History

The CrossFit Round Lake community has been holding an annual Skinner Memorial WOD since 2017. The day has always been a time to focus on supporting the mental health of ourselves and those in our community.

The first event was planned as a memorial day after the tragic loss of CrossFit Round Lake athlete and friend to all, Brian Skinner. It was a day to remember Brian and to support each other in his honor. The “Skinner” workout itself was created based on all of Brian’s favorite things: mainly, slamming heavy barbells and playing around with Muscle Ups.

Since that first year, the Skinner Memorial WOD has been a staple event at CrossFit Round Lake, and in recent years, at both Aevitas Fitness locations. Mental health and mental health awareness are essential to overall health and well-being, and we believe strongly in continuing to bring awareness and focus to this topic. Therefore, we’re bringing back this annual event for 2021!

2021 Event Details

Here’s what we have planned so far for this year’s event. Please check back frequently! We will update this post with any and all details as the event gets closer!

  • DATE: Saturday, December 4th 2021
  • TIME: Both WODs (8:00AM and 9:15AM)
  • LOCATION: Both Aevitas Fitness locations
  • Aevitas Fitness Guilderland: 1 Charles Blvd, Guilderland NY 12084
  • Aevitas Fitness Round Lake: 2101 US Rt 9, Round Lake, NY 12151
  • CHARITY: Just like previous years, the 2021 event will benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

There is no need to sign up in advance for this event, other than reserving your spot in class through Wodify.

Friends and family are welcome to join as well for a modified version of the workout! Our standard $20 Drop-in fee will be donated directly to the cause, along with all other contributions from the event

How to Support the Cause

First of all, we would love to see everyone at this event, whether or not you decide that you would like to support the AFSP financially at this time. If you would like to contribute to the cause (and go home with some brand new swag!), we are again this year running a t-shirt sale for the event!

All proceeds from the Skinner WOD shirt sale will go directly to the AFSP. Please use the link below to order your shirt(s), and please complete the form by Friday, November 19th

SKinner WOD T-shirt Order Form

If you would like to donate more on top of the t-shirt fee, please add that to the “additional donation” question of the form. Don’t need a new t-shirt, but still want to support? Great! You may donate only via the shirt order form above, or you may bring a cash donation with you on December 4th.

Stay tuned for more of the nitty-gritty details, but for now, block Saturday, December 4th on your calendar, and get those shirt orders in! See you all soon!

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Cody Futia

Coach

I have 2 younger brothers and a younger sister that are an army ranger, Michelin star chef, and D1 college athlete respectively. I was fortunate enough to play college lacrosse for Suny Albany from 2010-to 2014. During my time there our highest ranking was #3 in the nation.

CERTIFICATIONS

CF-L1, USAW L1

Katiuska Gamez

Coach

I have always played sports I really enjoyed doing them. Before CF I was a rugby player I belonged to the national team from Venezuela for 6 years and I had the opportunity to move to Brazil and play as a professional there. Through all these years I discovered that I like to help people through the exercises not just for them to be able to move better but also to make better choices about nutrition and now CF has taught me many things, especially it has given me the tools to help more people to improve their lifestyle.

CERTIFICATIONS

CrossFit level 2 certification
Gymnastics course certification
CrossFit training master certification

Anna Oberkircher

Coach

I grew up playing soccer the moment I could walk and then began swimming competitively around 8 years old. During high school, I suffered 2 major injuries that took me out of sports and another one in my first year of college. Even when I couldn’t play sports I loved going to the gym and that helped me get back into soccer to play my 2nd year of college. That was a tough moment for me because I wasn’t the same player I once was, and the environment wasn’t for me. After that, I continued going to a commercial gym but I still struggled. I miss the competitive edge and the community you get from sports. By Dec. 2017 I signed up for my first CrossFit class. I won’t lie I was very nervous but after my first month and meeting so many wonderful people, I was hooked! After a few years, I transitioned into just weightlifting. In 2020, I competed in my first mock-meet and even though I struggled with lifting in front of everyone, I wanted to keep getting better. Every competition after that I grew more and more confident, and I would always learn something new. These are some of my most cherished memories and they make me who I am today! In the summer of 2021, I started my training, to coach, under our Head Weightlifting Coach – Sam Axten. I absolutely love coaching Weightlifting and watching all our athletes grow both physically and mentally.

CERTIFICATIONS

USAW Level 1
USAW for Sport Performance
USAW LWC Referee
American Red Cross CPR/AED/First Aid Certified

Lexi Nelson

Coach

I’ve been in the CrossFit/Fitness community for 8 years. It started as a way to exercise with my best friend and morphed into something I cannot live without. I met my husband through this community and have met so many awesome people along the way. I did competitive cheerleading growing up and found CrossFit right at the tail end of that.

CERTIFICATIONS

Original Strength Certification
Power Monkey (Gymnastics & Weightlifting) Seminars
The Movement Fix Seminar
Bachelors & Masters in Education
Working on my Administrative Leadership Certification

Alyssa Garrison

Coach

I started playing softball at four years old and through the end of my collegiate career, much of my life revolved around sport. Through this, I spent a lot of time with my coaches. Knowing how big of an impact each of my coaches had on my life is what made me realize I wanted to coach athletes one day. While trying to become stronger for softball, I found CrossFit in 2015 and fell in love with it right away. Once I became a bit more seasoned in CrossFit and the community became my family, I knew I wanted to coach it. Becoming a coach allowed me to learn better movement patterns, become a stronger and healthier version of myself, and then help others do the same for themselves.

CERTIFICATIONS

CrossFit level 1 certified trainer
CrossFit level 1 certified trainer
USA W level 1 coach certification
USAW athlete rep for the NY WSO

Dave Edelson

Coach

I’ve lived in the capital region since 2002 with my wife Diana. My favorite things to do in my spare time are hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, and of course CrossFit. In the past I’ve done lots of rock climbing, competed in adventure races, and played in countless hockey, softball, and racquetball leagues. Prior to moving to the area, I had the privilege of living in several different cities around the US, and several different countries around the world. This taught me a lot about people, and their differences and similarities. The most important thing I’ve learned through my life’s journey is how much you can learn by simply listening deeply to people and asking follow-up questions. I love to learn about people, what energizes them, and why they see things in certain ways.

CERTIFICATIONS

CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
CrossFit Level 2 Trainer

Owen Putman

Coach

I started my athletic life as a Nordic skier when I was 5. I also started playing lacrosse around that time. I started competing in Nordic ski racing at 15 and was able to compete at junior nationals in 2015 and 2016. I played competitive lacrosse through college, playing 5 years at RPI and was a two year captain. After finishing skiing at the end of high school, I found CrossFit as a way to get in shape for college lacrosse. I instantley fell in love with crossfit and was at the gym 6 days a week for multiplel hours working out. I then realized that the weightlifting movements were my favorite parts of CrossFit. This lead me to doing exclusively Olympic weightlifting as a sport. Once in college I fell in love with the sport and trained continually through my career. During this time, I competed in multiple local meets, qualified for Junior Nationals, and competed in University Nationals in 2020.

CERTIFICATIONS

USAW L1, CF L1

Kevin Drown

COACH

Sports have always played an important role in my life. I lettered in three varsity sports in high school: Football, basketball, and baseball. Our football team won the 2008 NYS Class C Section IX Championship and our basketball team won the 2007-2008 NYS Class NYS Class C Section IX Championship and Regional Championship. My high school coaches had a profound impact on my development as a person. I always knew I wanted to coach and try to have a similar impact on others. When I got hired at Shenendehowa as a social studies teacher, the opportunity presented itself for me to begin coaching at the high school level. That eventually led to me coaching and developing players in various camps and clinics. I have always tried to focus on the fundamentals behind the specific movements of the sports I coach. When I started doing CrossFit, I realized the tremendous benefits that this style of training can have on athletes at any age. As I have continued to work on my own fitness, I have become more focused on movement efficiency that allows athletes to perform at a higher level and prevent injuries. I now get to use what I learn in the world of CrossFit and fitness with my high school athletes and vice-versa.

CERTIFICATIONS

CrossFit Level 1 Trainer (CF-L1)
CrossFit’s Online Scaling Course, Dumbbells Course, Spot the Flaw Course, Anatomy Course, Running Course, and Master’s Course
NYS Dept. of Ed. Philosophy, Principals, and Organization of Athletics Ed.
NYS Dept. of Ed. Health Sciences Applied to Coaching
NYS Dept. of Ed. Theory and Techniques of Coaching

Dave "Jazz" Jaskolka

COACH

In my youth, I enjoyed a lot of success as an athlete. I was blessed with a decent amount of natural ability, and my athleticism carried me pretty far. But once I started losing out to younger, bigger, stronger, faster, and more skilled athletes, I realized that just showing up wasn’t enough anymore. And when combined with the challenges of being a full blown adult (career, marriage, kids, homeownership, etc…), I began to struggle not only in my athletic pursuits, but also in my general health and fitness. I realized that for long term success, I needed to stop making excuses and just do the work. Now, I’m dedicated to sharing that realization with anyone and everyone who is willing to listen.

CERTIFICATIONS

CrossFit Level 1,
CrossFit StrongMan,
Spartan SGX

Sam Axten

COACH

I am an endurance athlete by trade, but as a coach, I have been involved with CrossFit and weightlifting for ten years. Over those years, I’ve provided my expertise to a broad spectrum of athletes spanning all age categories and ability levels. My attention is now fixated on expanding my understanding of healthcare systems and the practice of medicine to serve better those who need fitness the most.

CERTIFICATIONS

License of Massage Therapy,
USAW National Coach, CF-L3

Mike Pickering

Coach

Powered by careers as a safety engineer, corporate executive, combat veteran, proud father of five, and soon to be registered nurse, my story is about driving change, improving the lives of others, and a relentless drive for results. Whether on the battle field or in the boardroom, I have focused on our family motto “Keep Moving Forward.” As the famous Rocky Balboa says “You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done.”

CERTIFICATIONS

CrossFit Level 1 Trainer, CrossFit Level 2 Trainer, Certified Pose Running Technique Specialist & Certified Running Coach (L1), CrossFit Regional Judge, CrossFit KB Cert, CrossFit Running Cert, Army Combat Veteran, Certified Spin Instructor

Victoria Swann

Coach

Beginning both Irish and Scottish dance at the age of 5, I immediately fell in love with the movement, dedication, and hard work it took to actively compete and perform in the dance world. After being ranked 5th in the East for multiple years in a row (2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012), I decided to make a pivot and try my hand at teaching dance. I became a teacher at the age of 15, and have been actively teaching ever since. Aside from my dance career, I also played volleyball all throughout middle and high school. Let’s just say…that didn’t go as well as my dance career did. 

CERTIFICATIONS

CrossFit Level 1
CrossFit Level 2
Certified Dance Teacher since 2011

Karen Southwick

Owner & Coach

I grew up playing team sports, and try to approach every challenge in and out of the gym with a do-it-together mentality. I strongly believe that the support of those around you is just as important as your personal strength when struggling through a grueling workout. And also, I like to have fun! Whether in the gym or adventuring outside, I’m usually having the time of my life.

CERTIFICATIONS

CrossFit Level 1 Certification
CrossFit Level 2 Certification
CrossFit Kids Certification

Chad Southwick

Owner & Coach

I’ve always been fascinated by biomechanics. Fueled by my love for science and mathematics, physics was my favorite subject in school. My athletic career was primarily hockey for 8 months out of every year growing up, and peaked at the Clarkson University Division I practice squad.

CERTIFICATIONS

Masters Degree In Engineering From Georgia Tech
10 Years Of CrossFit Coaching Experience
8 Years Owning/Operating A CrossFit Affiliate
CrossFit Level 2 Certification
CrossFit Gymnastics Certificate
PR/First-Aid

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HAVE QUESTIONS?

Guilderland

We Would Love To Meet You!

Simply fill out the form below
& one of our amazing
coaches will be in touch asap! We are excited to meet you!

ARE YOU EXPERIENCED IN CROSSFIT AND LOOKING TO DROP-IN?

Guilderland

We Would Love To Meet You!
WARNING! Class Sizes Are Limited.

If you would like to reserve a spot… Simply fill out the form below letting us know what day you might come by & one of our amazing coaches will reach out to you to reserve your class.

OUR DROP-IN RATES

FIND US AT:

1 Charles Blvd, Albany, NY 12084

(518) 975-2787

OUR PRICING IS SIMPLE

Guilderland

We Want To Offer You The PERFECT Membership For YouR NEEDS.

Simply fill out the form below and one of our amazing coaches will send you our current membership information.