Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Braswell & Brittany Sande.
Hi Amanda & Brittany, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstory.
About 7.5 years ago, we sat on our boat in Key West for our annual family lobstering vacation, discussing our love for CrossFit. We loved how it brought people together but wanted to be happier with where we were. We decided to open a box in our community that would truly feel like a family/community and bring people from all walks of life together. We could improve our community physically and mentally through love and support. So we did just that! We opened our doors on February 24, 2018, and started creating the incredible community we now have 6 years later! It has taken a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to get to where we wanted to be, but every trial and tribulation was worth it! We are so blessed to be surrounded by incredible human beings and have learned many life lessons. We make a great team and couldn’t do it without each other and our staff.
It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Owning CrossFit DeLand has been a challenging road. We have had to navigate several adversities to get to where we are today. Through the pandemic and other unforeseen events, we have learned so much. However, one thing never changed: our passion and love for our athletes and community. We knew during these hard times that having a community you could lean on was most important. So we pushed through it and are still here to talk about it! Are we exactly where we want to be? Maybe not, but we have an incredible group of athletes who lift each other daily, which is amazing! We will continue to pour our heart and soul into CrossFit DeLand for our community, and we know it will be rewarded in the end!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. What can you tell our readers, who might need to be more familiar with your work?
CrossFit DeLand is a gym that not only promotes you to be physically fit but also mentally fit. Nowadays, mental strength is just as necessary as physical strength, but many don’t understand that they go hand in hand. If we surround ourselves with people who want to be physically fit and encourage each other to keep pushing, we also become mentally fit. Good will always win, and kindness is free. So we will always meet someone right where they are and lift them no matter what!
We have a few programs at CrossFit DeLand that can accommodate everyone! Our traditional CrossFit classes are coach-led and one hour in length. During that hour, we warm up, complete a WOD (day’s workout), and stretch at the end. These classes contain a mixture of barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells, cardiovascular machines, body weight movements, gymnastics movements, and others. We also offer a QuickFit class, a 30-minute co-coach-led that contains all of the same dynamics, except there are no barbells. We offer CrossFit Kids for all young and aspiring athletes as well! This is an hour-long coach-led class that meets twice a week. These classes contain all of the same elements as the adult CrossFit class, with some added fun!
We are known and proud of our amazing community of people! We are individuals driven to stay healthy and encourage others to do so. We help each other through the good and bad inside and outside the gym. We truly are a family! What sets us apart is we are constantly working hard in the gym, but we also take the time each month to do something together that isn’t gym-related to build our community. This usually looks like a movie night at the gym, bowling at the local alley drinks downtown, or something else! We lead with love and strengthen together daily, both physically and mentally! So we aren’t just a gym; we are a family and committed to helping our athletes create lifelong healthy habits inside and outside CrossFit DeLand!
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, we were always active and busy. We both danced from the time we were 3 until we were 18. Dance taught us a lot about discipline and hard work. We both began working when we were 15 and were always motivated to find success. Our parents have owned a drywall business for 32 years, so we grew up under very successful and hardworking parents. They instilled excellent values and work ethic in us at a very young age. From doing yard work as children for allowance to starting our first business (CrossFit DeLand) together, they have consistently challenged us to be the best we can be and continue learning and growing every day. Honesty and integrity have always been at the forefront of every life and business decision that we make. You get back what you put out, so we continue to serve others and help a friend in need at any moment! Spreading love and kindness is free but priceless as well. We vow to leave the world a better place and use CrossFit DeLand to help us spread that positivity.
Pricing:
- Foundations (for new CrossFitters): $200 One Time Payment
- CrossFit: Unlimited: $160/month 3x/week: $120/month
- QuickFit: Unlimited: $120/month 3x/week: $90/month
- CrossFit Kids: $90/month
Contact Info:
- Website: www.CrossFitDeLand.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/crossfitdeland
- Facebook: Facebook.com/crossfitdeland
- Twitter: Twitter.com/crossfitdeland
- Youtube: Youtube.com/crossfitdeland
Image Credits
Stoutt Photography, Sam Everhart Photo, Matt Bjerre
