COACH FEATURE: Darian Kotchorek
Darian officially started Coaching at CFCL one year ago this month! In addition to her background as a Dietician and getting her CrossFit certification, Darian spent 4 months of shadowing and learning coaching skills with Jason. This inlcuded doing 1:1 foundations for new members at the gym, to eventually doing them on her own, shadowing regular classes, subbing in, and then finally having her own regular allotted coaching time in Nov 2021! This is a small look into her journey.
Darian played basketball and fastball growing up and throughout high school. She then started adopting more of a “regular gym” routine when she started University. While she was figuring out her “routine” she found that she was missing some of the challenge and, most importantly, the community/team aspect that her previous sports had offered. So her best friend convinced her to try CrossFit in her hometown. She had not idea what “CrossFit” was.
“I figured it would be fun to try something new and was hooked after the first class (even though I could not do either of the movements that day - double unders and toes to bar!). A few new friends in my life were also heavily involved in the CF scene in Saskatoon and once I moved back for University I was directed to try out StrongFit…. 4 years later, here we are!”
After a while, Darian still felt like something was “missing” for her, and had a discussion with Jason. Her job as a Dietitian directly involved her helping people with their nutrition, and she felt like coaching would be the perfect addition to her life and work. Even though Darian had been working with clients one-on-one and groups, she knew building confidence in larger group settings would be something she needed to work on. What better way then to do this than in a setting that she loved, with people who made her feel supported. It just made sense!
“I’ve always admired my coaches in sport growing up and the knowledge Jason (and the other coaches) share at the gym, so to be able to start to develop that skill set and learn from others was an exciting challenge and personal development I wanted to undertake.”
So she started her journey through coaching development in July of 2021. It was a lot of learning and growing; building her knowledge of standards and technique of movements, how movements can be adapted for each individual, each individual’s preferred method of learning, and so on.
“Jason was very patient (and still is…) and thorough when I was learning the ropes, with an aim to teach me all he could! I genuinely hope I can continue to develop and be half the coach he is. I still have a lot to learn, but take in something new each class I participate in and when I am coaching!”
Jason thinks she is well on her way. “Darian is patient, persistent, supportive and caring. She challenges people to grow, while keeping what they want and need in mind. She’s always a professional and has a funny side that she’s always holding back :P”
When Darian was asked what is her biggest barrier to coaching she said, “Recognizing that I am still learning and growing as a coach and athlete alongside everyone else. I want to offer as much as possible to support each and every member, but also know that I personally am still growing and learning each day. I try to take in and absorb as much as possible so I can transfer the knowledge to the rest of the class, but know it will come with experience and time.”
Right from the beginning of this journey, Darian found what was really important was forming a connection with each new member. “It was so much fun watching them continue onto class and challenge new skills after our sessions were done.” She also quickly realized her favourite part of coaching is seeing when things “click” for members. Whether they were learning a new skill, lifting a heavier weight, or tweaking something for efficiency in a movement, she felt accomplished to be apart of their journey <3
“I am also genuinely inspired by each member. Each person shows up and does the best they can given the circumstance of their day. Life happens (whether its a stressful day at work, an injury, just had a baby! etc), but as soon as they step foot in the gym they show up for themselves and just focus on what is in their control in the moment. This determination and willingness to improve and learn makes me so proud to have the opportunity to support so many people.”
We are so grateful to have Darian as part of our team and community!
Darian is also a Registered Dietitian with a private practice called Vitality Nutrition in Saskatoon. When she is not at the gym working out or coaching, you can usually find her going on walks/hikes around the city, golfing in the summer, or scoping out new places to eat. “I am currently on the hunt for the best donut…”
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