B-SIDE: AS IN ‘BE ANYTHING BUT BE THE BEST’

Introducing Surround’s first CF24 Sponsored Athlete: Julia Lane, Windsor, ON

It is my absolute pleasure to introduce the first of our Next Level Sponsorship Athletes who were awarded in October based on their submissions of what piece of training, assistance or equipment would help them take their game to the next level.

As you recall, at Surround we are not just thinking about the next day we are thinking about the next level. And we continue to be inspired by people like Julia and her team to exemplify this point of our manifesto.

Julia Lane won six of Team Canada’s seven medals at the World Down Syndrome Swimming Championships this past October in Portugal. She embodies the spirit of what it means to do what you love and continue to excel at it because of joy, incredibly hard work, and a world class team behind her. This is what we would wish for anyone we know or have the pleasure to work with.

I first had the pleasure of meeting Julia at the 2022 CrossFit Games where she won 3rd fittest woman in the world, intellectual adaptive division. I have become a huge fan of Julia over the past couple of years.

Here are some of the ways The Next Level Sponsorship has ameliorated her training and added critical development skills to her repertoire as an athlete:

1. Putting in place the team and tools to enable Julia to work toward her goals of continuing to break World records in swimming and become one of CrossFit’s Fittest in the World
2. Her team includes focused private coaching to hone in gymnastic skills as well as strength training, increased balance and coordination.
3. Mastering key movements such as 20” box jumps, strict and kipping pull ups, deadlifting 1.5 x her bodyweight, performing high skill movements such as Olympic weightlifting, kipping pull ups and toes to bar.

These increases in her skills are not only positioning her further for competition; they are allowing her the independence and confidence to flourish and grow as well.

To Julia, moving to the next level also involves engaging the community and the next generation.  In December, Julia was invited to speak to an elementary school class about her competitive swimming career.  The students were so motivated after listening to her!  As a result of her presentation, the CrossFit Adaptive Athlete program has welcomed new members.  She has a number of school speaking engagements planned for through this first half of 2023, and is running a CrossFit Workout for these youngsters that she has developed as part of her presentation.

Reaching the next level for Julia is a true example of “lift as you climb”.  As she grows in confidence and successes made possible by her sponsorship, she is inspiring the next generation to realize their dreams.  Her happiness and joy is infectious as she lives out her mantra “I Love My Life”.

We are behind you, Julia! Keep lifting and climbing. You inspire us every day.

PS! You can keep up with Julia’s Journey (or progress) on her Instagram account – @Juliaswims99

Gillian Stovel Rivers, MA, CFP®, CEA
Senior Wealth Advisor
Assante Financial Management Ltd.