If you ask Jason to tell you of his achievements this year he would probably play it all down and say something like “I helped my clients, and did some events with the guys”. His modesty makes him a very special trainer and person. On the inside, this 22 year old has a burning desire to do his very best at everything he puts his name to and achieve every goal he sets. His passion and dedication to his clients and the Vision system is unlike anything I have witnessed before. His big smile, big heart and unwavering will to put the others around him first and front of him self, make him the person everyone wants to be around and aspires to be like.
So Jas, or as he is affectionately known as Duey (because he looks like Duey from the show Malcom in the Middle) came to us on the 15th of Sep 08 to start his career in the fitness industry. He formerly worked in the hospitality industry as a bar man and was well into the party lifestyle. He played a good level of soccer and golf and was surrounded by good mates but admits his circle of influence was the cause of a fun, but unproductive lifestyle.
The first time I realized we have someone special was in the way Jason attacked his mentor program. Like everything else he has done since then, he gave it everything. He lost over 50% of his body fat getting down to 4.4%. Jason had never run more then 5km before starting with us and in the first 2 weeks of his mentor program he completed his first event with the team; the September Half Marathon. Again he gave it everything and ran it in 90mins.
So Jason had bought into the team and the Vision system and now was sporting the red shirt and was unleashed onto the floor. It was an interesting time as Jason received a lot of negative feedback about his PT sessions from his clients. Clients dropped out unhappy with his standards. It was then that I wasn’t sure if Jason would put it all in the “too hard” basket and go back to partying with his mates on weekend benders, taking the very tempting but easy way out. Jason had a choice to make and to his credit he chose to change. Jason acted on every bit of feedback and became better. He finished 2008 by writing hand written letters to all his clients about how much he cared for them and how much he looked forward to helping them to their goals in 2009.
In the Dec 08 performance review, Jason set some really good goals. His number 1 12mth goal was to win the 2009 trainer of the year. It’s important to note Jason’s reason for wanting this wasn’t ego based. He wanted to achieve it because he knew in winning it he would have to be the very best and that gave him the best chance of being able to help his clients to their own goals. He committed to ask himself a small question before every session in 2009 – “ How would the Vision trainer of the year train this next client of mine?” To his credit he has asked himself that question over 20 times per day, every day of 2009.
So let’s move onto the year that was 2009. I am going to start by going through the lists of events that Jason has completed with the team and his clients this year.
He kicked off ’09 completing the Olympic distance Cronulla Triathlon. Before this Jason couldn’t swim. He actually got rescued by a life guard from the shallow end of a swimming pool in training for the event. He somehow got through the heavy surf at Cronulla and got to the finish line.
Jason then completed the May half marathon. He had set a goal of 85mins. Jason has asthma and at the 15km mark in the race he had an asthma attack. He was pulled off by the first aiders and given treatment. As soon as he stopped hyperventilating he jumped back into the race and somehow managed to still run 91mins. 99% of us would have called it quits devastated. Again Jason asked himself a question when the attack subsided “what would the trainer of the year do?” again he made a very admirable choice.
Up to the Gold coast Jason went to run in his first marathon. He had trained really well but in the last 6 weeks had suffered from torn ankle ligaments. He chose just to have a go and do his best and completed the 42km course in under 3hrs 30mins in a lot of pain. Although he hurt you couldn’t wipe the smile off his face afterwards.
Backing up from the Gold coast with only 9 weeks preparation Jason competed in his first bodybuilding competition with the Willoughby team along side him. During his preparation he still managed to run the City 2 Surf with a 62yr old client that Jas helped lose 20kg and helped teach to run. Jason was in the best shape of his life on stage and inspired all of his team mates that competed along side him with his dedication to his nutrition and exercise volume. It was an amazing day.
What about this. 1 week after the bodybuilding comp Jason completed his second marathon for the year again completing it in around 3:30. It was an all heart effort considering he had done nil running training for the event.
Jason then finished the events for the year by completing the Curl Curl 3 point challenge. That event is 3 x biathlon’s back to back; ocean swims and runs. Jason finished and wasn’t rescued from the ocean in process, a double win on that one.
Probably the highlight for me in his fitness achievements for ’09 was winning the beep test at the Feb 09 Vision summit. Some of you may remember it. Going into it we all new he wasn’t the best athlete competing. Before the event I wished him good luck he whispered in my ear “I will win this for the Willoughby team”. Jason put himself through so much pain that day to make his team mates feel proud again putting others first. That sums it all I recon.
So that’s the fitness stuff summed up lets talk about what happened on the studio floor with Jason in 09.
In the June 09 performance review he got 93%
In the Dec 09 performance review he scored 83%.
His average PT hours for the year are 35.7hrs. On top of this he takes Xtraining and running club weekly. He also does 3 – 5 hrs of lead generation for the business every week. Jason comes into the studio to work unpaid most Sundays to help find leads and grow the business. He does this because he wants to help and asks nothing in return.
In the last 12 mths Jason has got 36 referrals.
Jason won trainer of the challenge in Feb training 4/6 winners. He then took out the title again, winning Sep 09 Trainer of the challenge back to back. That’s a first for any trainer that I have seen in my Vision career.
One thing that makes me so happy is how well Jason is working towards goals outside of Vision. In Dec 08 Jason was a few thousand dollars in debt but set a goal of owning his first property. In one year he has managed to clear his debts and save $15 000 to date towards a deposit on a property that he is looking to purchase next year.
So that’s it. I really hope that Jason receives this well deserved award not only for himself but to show other trainers in the network what is possible when your heart is in the right place and you are prepared to make the right decisions on a daily basis. I want to thank Jason on a personal level for being in my circle of influence and for teaching me not only how to be a better person but how to be a better trainer and how to help more people. You’re an amazing person Jason, I have never been surer then I am with you that all your dreams will manifest themselves into reality.
Love you heaps mate
Chappy.
Team mate of Jason Conroy
Vision Willoughby.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment