Repost - How Should We Measure Success At The CrossFit Games

Repost - How Should We Measure Success At The CrossFit Games.

This week I have decided to repost one of my early blog posts, and actually the first one I ever wrote when the idea of starting this blog came into my mind (https://a-crewandy.wixsite.com/a-crew-coaching/post/how-should-crossfit-games-success-be-measured)

Within this blog I write that the measure of success in the CrossFit Games goes well beyond programming and directly to the number of new fans, new affiliate members and the number of sign ups to the open next year.

Sat here, a couple of weeks on from the 2024 games, still without all the information to hand about what caused the death of Lazar Dukic during event 1 (and not wanting to speculate), i'm trying to view it through that lens.

Maybe time will prove me wrong but the answer to if the CrossFit Games was successful through that lens (or lets be honest any lens) in 2024 has to unequivocally be no it was not.

The Games has a unique power to showcase the elite in the sport of CrossFit. Even before this event however I had previously written that unless it is managed well, the immense physical capabilities shown by these athletes, has the ability to actually intimidate and put the people who need CrossFits methodology the most, off of stepping into an affiliate. But even outside of that, the message we hear time and time again from people who are potentially fans, or at least have awareness of the sport, that they won't try it because 'CrossFit isn't safe'. I stand by my convictions that the methodology, when followed correctly, is safe (https://a-crewandy.wixsite.com/a-crew-coaching/post/is-crossfit-safe) but that argument just got significantly harder to make as a result of the events that transpired at the CrossFit Games.

I do not want to take away from the preventable tragedy that happened at the CrossFit Games and that fact should not be overshadowed by anything. All I am trying to highlight in this post is that in an environment where people outside of the sport cite safety as one of the main reasons for not participating, this incident and clearly not having participant safety as the number 1 priority, has set not just the sport but the methodology as a whole back significantly. Making the job for those who are passionate about implementing it significantly harder.

Andy