As the countdown to the fruition of our dream, passion, and vision drops to under 1 month, we can’t help but share our overwhelming excitement and gratitude with all of you who have believed in and stood along side us throughout the birth of FINA. The most common question we were asked, and are continued to be asked is, “Why another league”?
As a coach, I have seen 7 year old children thrive in the gym, achieve great belief in themselves because of obstacles they have conquered, only to see that confidence crushed the first time she or he competes because they went down on the first obstacle. The long car ride home filled with disappointment and dissatisfaction as a young child questions the sport they love and wonder if it is right for them.
As a parent, I have taken my daughter on road trips filled with excitement and anticipation, only to arrive and watch my daughter take inventory as to which top ninjas are at a competition and watch her optimism sink as she predicts her place before the competition even begins.
As a gym owner, I have put a competition together with a first obstacle that literally had someone drive 3 hours to compete and go out in 2 seconds. Sure he got to finish the course, but at what level of fun and vigor? A value I couldn’t provide.
As an athlete, I’ve traveled to many gyms affiliated within a same league, but encountered no continuity from gym to gym.
FINA has a vision. The seven year old doesn’t leave with tears, but with great hope and hunger for the next event because points were had, value was provided, and confidence was cultivated. A child doesn’t worry about who else is at a competition because FINA is athlete vs. the course, not athlete vs. athlete until the World Championships. World Championships are not overwhelming to any child because they did not qualify just by showing up. Everyone at The World Championships will have cleared a course or completed enough obstacles throughout the season and won’t feel like they don’t belong, as I’ve seen at so many finals events.
FINA believes that success is not measured in the making of money, but instead in making a difference. Our aim is for every FINA event to be a magic door that athletes of all ages feel better walking out of than when they walked in. Our aim is to continue what this great community is, and make it even better.
We thank and invite you all to celebrate with us as athlete, spectator or supporter November 2nd and 3rd. FINA is not the league of, “No. You are not ready to compete”, but instead, a league for both beginning athletes, and veterans of the sport to compete with and not against one another.
