Spotlight on Invictus Youth: Shelby Neal
Interview by Tino Marini
One of the areas that is rapidly growing in CrossFit is its youth division, and we are blessed to have many youths who follow Invictus Athlete. They are not only outstanding athletes but also outstanding people, so we wanted to dedicate the month of September to featuring them on our blog! We hope that our youths help inspire other youths who may be following the program or are considering following a structured training program.
We are happy to have Shelby Neal, a teenage CrossFit Games competitor, as our first to be interviewed!
How long have you been doing CrossFit?
I started CrossFit in January 2015 Â and shortly after, I started Olympic weightlifting in March.
What was your athletic background before CrossFit?
Before CrossFit, I was completely dedicated to competitive gymnastics from 5 -14 years of age. By the end of gymnastics I was a level 8 and spent over 40 hours a week in the gym.
How did you become a part of Invictus Athlete?
I became an Invictus athlete after I qualified for the CrossFit Games in the 16-17 division in 2016. I wanted to get more serious about my training (especially over summer so that I could do two a days) and follow a more personalized programming.
How do you find balance between Olympic weightlifting, CrossFit and school work?
Mainly just using time wisely. Every second I can get to chip away at some schoolwork I take it, especially on weekends. Some days I may just have to accept that I’m not gonna get as much sleep as I want; but, if I ever feel I have way too much on my plate, I won’t hesitate to take an active recovery day instead of train. I’m still very unsure how this year will go since I start taking college classes on NC State Campus, but I’m hopeful that my usual training will continue!
You competed on the biggest stage at both the Crossfit Games and Youth Nationals. What did you enjoy most and why?
I know my gymnastics coaches will be surprise to hear this but…. I love competing. I love when you can feel the crowd cheering you on and really feel the energy and adrenaline rush! Also, I enjoyed seeing and meeting some friends/family while at both events. 🙂
How do you mentally prepare yourself for competition?
I smile a lot, try to laugh at anything and everything, do my usual little freak out (it helps I swear), focus on what’s ahead and what I’ve already done to get here. And then give my 120%.
What is one tip you would give to someone who is looking to be a more competitive Teen Athlete?
Fooooorrrrmmmmm. Pretty form is everything and should constantly be improved, even years into the sport, no matter what level you are. You are less likely to ever get seriously hurt and you will likely have better success going forward and far in CrossFit and Olympic weightlifting. Going along with that, I try to ask coaches or training partners if “this looks ok?” just to be sure I’m doing it correctly.
How do you stay focused during the season?
Often I just think about how lucky I already am to have the coaches, family, friends, supporters and opportunities that I have. I also think about how many people would do a lot to be in my shoes, so I shouldn’t take it for granted and I should basically continue to try my hardest each and every day.
Focus. Keeping the final goal in mind for not just a few months or one year; but, 5-10 years from now…. Where do I want to be? And what is it gonna take to get there? (It’s not worth getting hurt.) Often, I’ll watch motivational videos or read a motivational book of some sort to get my mindset back on track. (ex. Fittest on Earth 2015)
Another important thing is taking a mental break when needed.
Outside of school and working out do you have anything else you love to do?
Yes! Besides eating anything and everything, I love to write and read every chance I get! My favorite books are dystopian novels, as well as science fiction and books with magic. I’m such a nerd for collecting books, I have about 20+ books “in line” to read next, don’t think I need any for like…. 3 months.