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Box Brief
We are excited to announce that our team is growing! Meet Patrick and Jess Cummings (brother and sister!). This power couple (of siblings) bring a wealth of knowledge on the systems that keep us running efficiently on a daily basis. Patrick is leading the charge on website development, and Jess is taking the lead on coordinating gym operations. Let’s get to know our two newest additions a little bit better…
1) OK, so you’re brother and sister. How are you alike, and how would you say you are not?
Jess
Alike: we were raised by the same awesome parents who have been married for almost 38 years and we have 2 younger sisters; we are “Irish” twins (we are both the same age right now until my birthday in October); we both believe in fitness and being healthy; we care about other people more than ourselves; we are very family oriented; we are both shy in new situations; we have a great work ethic and put our whole selves into our careers; I love watching Friends and Pat won’t admit it, but he loves that show too
Different: Pat (or Patrick apparently is what he likes to be called outside of our family) is more serious, sophisticated, and smarter than I am. I am pretty klutzy and he seems to always have it together. Pat is married to Michelle, has a 5 month old so named Emerson, 2 cats (Linus and Lucy), and lives in Maine. I own a condo in Waltham and I love being an aunt to 3 nieces and now 1 nephew!
Pat is very creative and a talented photographer and writer. I can’t take a good picture for the life of me and my writing is not quite poetry. His answers here will probably be more clever than mine. I can draw and paint though!
Pat
Alike: Jess pretty much nails it. The only thing I would add is that we both are pretty useless in the kitchen. One time, we came over her house for dinner & I’m not kidding she served us microwaved sausages on paper plates.
Different: Jess hates to argue about anything, & I find weird enjoyment in it. Sometimes we have fights about why she doesn’t want to have a fight. She usually ends it by leaving the room. Beyond that, Jess is way nicer than I am & gives much better gifts than I do.
2) How’d you meet? Just kidding. Have you both always been involved in fitness, and CrossFit? How’d that all start?
Jess
Well, we met on a September day in 1981 and I’m not sure it was a happy meeting because I didn’t want to have to start sharing my parents and toys.
We grew up playing sports and being active. Our mom would make us go outside to play and wouldn’t let us back in until dinner and then we’d beg to go back out after dinner. We first played organized sports when Pat was in 3rd grade and I was in 4th grade. I played soccer, softball, and basketball in HS and basketball in college. I was always training for something and loved being on teams. It took me a little while to get into fitness as a career though. In college, I began as an art major, graduated with a business degree, went away to Americorps for a couple years to do community service, and then worked for a nonprofit for 3 years. I decided to make a career change because I wasn’t happy being in a cubicle for 8 hours a day. I decided to go back to school and become a personal trainer. I know how much fitness has helped me not only physically, but most importantly emotionally and mentally. I absolutely love helping people experience it for themselves so they can live better, happier, and more functional lives. I’ve been a trainer for 10 years and have managed gyms and training studios. Working in gyms over the years has helped me to get pretty fit but in the short time I’ve been back doing CrossFit again, it has taken me to the next level with my fitness and happiness. I feel like the environment at CFNE is exactly where I was meant to be, especially at this time in my life. The people are amazing, I have new and exciting work challenges and experiences, and the core values of CFNE line up with my own core values. Pat’s the reason why I started CrossFit a few years ago and why I recently got back into it. I feel very lucky to be working at CFNE!
Pat
Jess & I used to compete against each other at lot in basketball growing up. She usually beat me because in addition to being nicer than me, she’s also way tougher than I am.
Sports were everything growing up, so when I stumbled my way into CrossFit in 2006, it just sort of fit. I was fortunate enough to help start an equipment company a year or so later, so I’ve always had a good reason to stick around. Through a few different twists & turned, I found myself in Ben’s office in mid-2015 & convinced him to take on even more work by co-creating the Immersion Program that many of you have probably crossed paths with since.
Flash forward a year or two & nobody’s kicked me out the gym yet, so I keep coming back.
3) If you could be any superhero, who would you be?
Jess
I just took a quiz and I guess I would be Professor X, whoever that is! –
“You’re a lover, not a fighter, although you could kick someone’s ass if you wanted to. You believe that true strength comes from being able to get stuff done without being a bully. Besides, you get more satisfaction from outsmarting someone than you do from inflicting pain on them, because anyone could do that. You’re better than that.”
Pat
I don’t really have any idea, but I will say that when I was playing little league as a kid I had lightning bolts buzzed into the sides of my head & as a result my teammates started calling me The Flash. It was pretty much the coolest thing that ever happened to me. So I’m going with The Flash.
4) What’s a little secret about yourself that you can share with us, that no one really knows?
Jess
The only tattoo that I have is on my shoulder and is a verse from a poem that my brother wrote for me on Facebook when I was having a tough time almost a year ago. I got the tattoo in March to remind myself of my growth and strength (If you know me, it is very unlike me to get tatted up, my family was shocked and my dad is still mad at me about it).
Pat
When people tell me that they’re excited about a workout, I secretly think they’re crazy. In all my years, I think I’ve been “excited” about a workout twice & both times it was “Back Squat”.
In the early years, I had some fun competing at some CFNE throwdowns, but for the most part CrossFit has always been more like vegetables than dessert to me. I’ve stuck with it because it’s where I found some incredible friends; I’ve stuck with it because it’s kept me from slipping into the kinds of depressive slumps that marked much of my early 20s; I stuck with it because I recognize that seeking out difficult things in a world increasingly obsessed with convenience is important.
So, that’s my secret. I love CrossFit…but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.
**SAVE THE DATES**
Monday, September 25th – Kettlebells for Kids Golf Tournament Fundraiser (12pm) @ Charter Oaks Country Club
Wednesday, October 11th (2-7pm) – Blood Drive for Ava Khalipa
Saturday, October 28th (9-11am) – Halloween Throwdown
Saturday, December 16th – CFNE 10 Year Anniversary Party
Visit the Events Page for More Details!
Join the CFNE Kettlebells for Kids Team!
Raise $50+ as an athlete and get a free K4K t-shirt!
Join Here!
