Kate Leavell
Personal Trainer / Sales
Contact: [email protected]
Certifications & QualificationsA.S Exercise Science
B.S Exercise Science and Health (in progress) CSCS (in progress) NASM- Certified personal trainer NASM-Senior Fitness Specialist NASM- Golf Fitness Specialist Silver Sneakers Certified Instructor US Lacrosse Certified National Master Trainer |
AboutI love sports. Discovering that I had some athletic ability as a middle school kid changed everything I wanted to do in life. If I wasn't at an official practice you could find me on a field somewhere trying to get better or training in the gym. Throughout my sports experiences in high school and college playing soccer, lacrosse and weight lifting, I often fought off aches and pains that seemed more persistent than my teammates. I pushed the pain aside but I struggled with disordered eating to keep my weight low because I was increasingly hindered in my ability to keep up in my workouts due to constant inflammation. My sports career was cut short by my inability to keep my body working properly. It was a huge source of frustration for me.
It wasn't until years later, after I had my 3 children and really shifted to mom mode and stopped taking care of myself, that I knew I had to make my health a priority. But once again something was not right with my joints and my back. Each attempt at a comeback was tackled with more injury. After working out with several trainers who ended up doing more harm then good, who blamed my pains on getting older and lack of toughness, I met Chris Giesking who taught me there was a better way to train. I learned that training can be effective, and that it doesn't have to involve pain. That's when I went back to college to get my exercise science degree and NASM training certifications. I wanted to understand more about how the body works, how to guide it to more effective gains in strength, performance, and mobility, and how to work around constant the constant set backs that I was having. That knowledge enabled me to step back on the lacrosse field as a player and not just a coach. It enabled me to help others do the same. Though I still battle through flare ups with what was finally diagnosed as an autoimmune disorder that attacks my small joints and my spine (ankylosing spondylitis), I've learned that exercise, constant mobility work, and diet play a huge role in my ability to function at my best every day and keep active while avoiding unnecessary medications and their awful side effects. In addition to personal training clients of all ages, I am a Master National Coaches Development Trainer for US Lacrosse. I have been a youth, head high school, and head college lacrosse coach, and I often train teams in sport specific performance as well as injury prevention. When I'm not training or coaching, I'm writing about sports, culture, and leadership. My husband Sean, of 20 years, and I have 3 kids ages 14, 16, and 17 all in Lakeville Schools. We are both very active coaches in the community for multiple sports, as well as coach the Varsity girls lacrosse team at Lakeville North High School. |