Swing Batter, Batter Swing! Southern Columbus CrossFit is gearing up for its Fourth Annual CrossFit for Dreams fundraiser to benefit Buddy Ball at Grove City Dream Field. This year’s event will be on Saturday, June 15, 2019 from 10:00am – 2:00pm at Windsor Park at the Buddy Ball Dream Field (3400 Ventura Blvd, Grove City, OH 43123).
CrossFit for Dreams is an event for the whole family, regardless of age, athletic ability, or fitness level. When you participate, you make a lasting, positive impact on the community by giving all children a chance to get physically active. All proceeds from this fundraiser go to the Buddy Ball Organization, which allows children, teens, and adults with physical, mental or other special needs to play baseball on a “Dream Field” – a flat field with a cushioned, rubberized surface and handicap-accessible dugouts.
CrossFit for Dreams consists of a CrossFit Workout that can be tailored to fit all individual needs, fitness levels, athletic ability, and age. In addition to the workout, there will also be an assortment of other challenges and events relating to CrossFit training and baseball for event participants.
There will be raffles, a silent auction, food and drink and a variety of vendors. It’s fun for the whole family!
To help kick off the event, there will be a Buddy Ball Exhibition Game (Mid-Summer Classic) that will start around 9:00am. If you’ve never seen a Buddy Ball game, it would be a great opportunity to see these athletes in action.
Whether you are a first time participant or a repeat athlete, your efforts have allowed us to raise and donate more than $30,000.00 to the Grove City Buddy Ball League.
Southern Columbus CrossFit would like to thank you for your consideration in being a part of this very special event. We look forward to seeing you at the event!
The 4th Annual CrossFit for Dreams is BACK and the Date is SET!
Mark your Calendars for Saturday, June 15, 2019.
Southern Columbus CrossFit will host its Annual Charity to benefit the Grove City Buddy Ball League. More details to follow.
Want to get involved as an organizer or sponsor? Contact us!
December 2018
Passions can change and dreams can shift, which makes life intimidating but exciting. For Grove City resident Kyle Hanigosky, his entire professional life flipped upside down when he was confronted with bad news.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in urban planning and development at the University of Cincinnati, Hanigosky moved to central Ohio and began a desk job. Around 2008 though, the U.S. economy was on the rocks, and Hanigosky was laid off.
“It kicked my butt,” Hanigosky says. “It was a terrible feeling but a great feeling at the same time.”
CrossFit is a variety of movements – rowing, gymnastics, weightlifting or running – performed with high-intensity. Many believe it’s a franchise, but it’s actually just a brand of fitness; to teach and independently own a CrossFit gym, though, a certification is needed. Once Hanigosky realized his new passion, he quickly gained CrossFit certification and began teaching high-intensity classes in addition to his personal training at the gym.
Shortly after, he realized that the Grove City area could benefit from a dedicated CrossFit gym because, at the time, there were none south of Interstate 70. Collaborating with a partner, Hanigosky opened his first CrossFit certified gym in 2012, Southern Columbus CrossFit.
“One of the things my grandfather always told me was find something you love to do and you’ll never work a day in your life,” Hanigosky says. “I like helping people, I love fitness and I’ve always been involved with it even at a younger age.”
After moving the business to accommodate growth, the new 7,200-square-foot facility resides just north of downtown Grove City. Hanigosky is the sole owner and is certified in CrossFit levels one and two, weightlifting, and gymnastics.
Hanigosky says Southern Columbus CrossFit prides itself on creating a welcoming environment, properly introducing the fitness routine to newcomers through educational courses, and providing in-depth coaching for physical and mental strength.
“We are always going back to what brought (a client) to the gym in the first place and asking, are we doing the right things to get them on that path? And if we’re not, what can we do to fix that?” Hanigosky says. “My goal is to make sure clients have a great experience. I don’t want to continue to add stress to their life. What can I do to make it better?”
When Hanigosky learned about Grove City Buddy Ball – a community league where people with mental and physical challenges play baseball in a supportive environment – he wanted Southern Columbus CrossFit to help the organization, partially for personal reasons.
In 1969, Hanigosky’s father, Michael, was hit by a drunk driver. He survived, but the accident caused damage to his legs, which resulted in a lifelong limp and chronic discomfort.
“He overcame so much,” Hanigosky says. “My dad would always ask every time I saw him, ‘How’s business?’ So, he was very supportive.”
After fighting a string of illnesses, Michael died on Sept. 16, 2018.
“My dad is one of my heroes,” Hanigosky says.
Making a single donation to Buddy Ball didn’t seem big enough, so Hanigosky decided to go all out. With help from one of his clients, Karen Robinson, Southern Columbus CrossFit formed CrossFit for Dreams, an annual event where participants do CrossFit-related activities and challenges to raise money for Buddy Ball. In the past, there have also been raffles, a silent auction, bounce houses and more.
“I think it’s really cool to see these individuals go out there, who have a disability, and just see the joy they express on their faces,” Hanigosky says of Buddy Ball athletes.
The activities and intense workouts pay off, and in 2018 Southern Columbus CrossFit raised more than $10,000 for Buddy Ball.
Due to bad weather the past three years, though, the fundraiser has never been hosted on the Mirolo Dream Field at Mount Carmel Stadium, where Buddy Ball is played. For the fourth annual event, Hanigosky is not only hoping for another success, but sunshine.
“It feels good to be able to give something back to the community and spread my passion of fitness with others,” he says. “Also, we’re praying for great weather.”
A Powerful Support Opening a business can be stressful. Thankfully, Hanigosky says his coworkers, the Buddy Ball community and his family have been nothing but supportive.
“When I decided I was going to open up my own CrossFit facility, my wife and I had just found out that we were pregnant. And I told myself if I don’t do this now, I don’t think I’ll ever do it,” Hanigosky says. “Looking back, I made the right decision, and my wife has been there to support me.”
The shift in professional passions has definitely paid off for Hanigosky.