2012 Review
Well that’s 2012 gone! I’m not sure if its just me but the years seem to be going by quicker and quicker (all the more reason to make every session count!). As always I want to start by thanking all the members, past and present and everyone that has spread the word about SDSC and contributed to the growth of the gym.
We are now 18 months in Greenmount Avenue and from August 2011 to now, the change has been immense. 2012 was another great year for the gym and another big step towards creating the best gym of its kind in Dublin / Ireland. There have been so many highlights throughout the year, the growth in numbers of people training at the gym has been hugely rewarding for me but not nearly as much as the growth and development of each and everyone’s abilities. The job satisfaction I get from seeing you guys hit new PR’s or perform movements you didn’t think would be possible, is the main reason I do what I do.
There have been so many highlights throughout the year at all levels. The seniors classes in the evenings have been a great success to the point where a few of the guys there are able to hang with the whipper snappers in the mixed S&C Classes. It has also been great to have people stopping by and training at the gym while visiting Ireland, 2012 saw SDSC going global!
On a personal / professional level I finally got to meet OPT in person and start my journey in becoming a fully qualified OPT coach, completing 2 of his modules – Program Design and Assessments. Currently I am in the middle of another online module and have 4 more certs pencilled in before the end of 2013. Constantly upskilling and acquiring knowledge is something that drives me and I am always trying to improve as a coach so I can provide the best service for you guys possible.
Another huge achievement for me was getting Matt Wichlinksi to coach a seminar in the gym. I still get giddy when I think about this – especially from the humble beginnings not so long ago in Kenilworth Lane. Matt is currently one of the most sought after strength coaches in the WORLD and someone I have looked up to for a long time and we got him here in Harold’s Cross – and great news, he has agreed to do a bigger seminar in 2013. You can see more of Matt’s videos on his famous youtube channel.
Also there was a lot of success helping the MMA athletes from Team Ryano – a little tip of the hat to my martial arts background and Combat Workshop. I love working with fighters and it is another thing that gives me immense satisfaction, from the weight cuts to the atmosphere around weigh-ins to the adrenaline of fight night. We had great results for Partick Boylan, Hughie O’Rourke (number 1 submission of the year here) and Paul Redmond and I’m looking forward to more big things from them and in the coming 12 months.
It has been great having Conor in coaching too and Ross is currently going through his qualifications to become a S&C coach will be shadowing us in the coming months, making the transition from athlete to coach at SDSC.
The last 12 months have been a huge learning experience for me regarding running a business and like everything else, I will be implementing things that I have learnt in order to make sure the gym grows to accommodate everyone’s own growth in fitness and health. There are a lot of exciting things lined up for the coming months!
Big things are planned for 2013 and if you want to get on board, please don’t hesitate to get in contact here! Thanks to everyone for helping me live my dream, and here’s to a healthy and successful 2013 for everyone!
Dave