By: Ariana Page
KENNESAW, Ga. – Former Kennesaw State standout Lauren Chastang stepped back into the home of the Black and Gold this past June, but this trip to the Convocation Center did not involve the sport of volleyball. No, this time she was back in her new role with CrossFit with the goal of getting her story out about her transition from athlete to her post-college plans as she filmed a commercial about her CrossFit journey and promote the benefits of CrossFit to the public.
Initially Chastang struggled, just like many other athletes, to find something that would replace the same feeling and purpose that volleyball gave her, until she found CrossFit.
"CrossFit is huge community and feels a lot like the team aspect in terms of just having people around you, supporting you, pushing you, and training harder." Chastang said. "I noticed a lot of similarities with CrossFit as you're always competing against yourself, your neighbor, the time, the weights, your PRs, but a lot of people are like-minded like you just like I was in college volleyball."
Long before her interest in CrossFit, Chastang discovered a passion for nutrition. During her first year of college, Chastang realized she needed to fuel her body with better foods to be the best athlete and teammate possible. In her sophomore year she noticed how her body was transforming - a boost in confidence - and she felt she had finally tapped into the best version of herself.
Nutrition is a big part of an athlete's journey and Chastang wanted other people to experience the same benefits that she did. In her last year of college, Chastang received an offer to be a fitness and nutrition coach for a company called GFit. Chastang was finally able to share her passion and the importance of nutrition with others as a career. However, it was all virtual and was not giving her what she ultimately felt she needed, as she still felt a void.
"Coming from a community like playing volleyball and seeing my teammates every day to only talking through a computer, it gets lonely," she remarked, realizing she needed something else in her life, she would find CrossFit at the perfect time.
United Performance CrossFit Gym in Alpharetta, Ga. is where Chastang spends her time coaching kids, future volleyball players and other people in the community. She was finally able to replace that in person community feeling that she felt was missing since she graduated.
Chastang had a feeling that coaching would be a part of her future as she said, "I always knew I would be a coach in a sense," Chastang explains. "I just didn't know exactly if it would be volleyball, nutrition, or fitness." Being a fitness coach has been a great fit as it involves both her passions, nutrition and competition. It also has helped her keep busy as she is used to the busy schedule of being a student athlete.
Chastang gave credit to her previous coaches, especially KSU volleyball head coach Keith Schunzel, for her success with coaching. "Coach Keith has made a huge impact on my life and still does," Chastang said. She aspires to be a coach who is reliable and positive, but also helps push people to their fullest potential. Her goal is to be a good leader for whoever may need it and help athletes fall more in love with their sport like Schunzel did for her.
Leaving college and volleyball was a bittersweet experience for Chastang, however she knew that she would have to let go of it all at some point. As for her advice to future athletes: "Change can be good and know that not everything will last forever." Chastang never thought she would find something that could replace the feeling of competing in a stadium under the big lights, but she did. She found United Performance CrossFit Gym.
