CAP 260 | Rich Froning on CrossFit, Coaching, and Community | 22 May 2025

Conquer Athlete Podcast

Summary In this conversation, Jason Leydon and Rich Froning discuss their shared experiences in coaching youth sports, the challenges facing the CrossFit community, and the importance of maintaining a strong connection within that community. They reflect on their past, the evolution of coaching styles, and the current state of CrossFit, emphasizing the need for leadership and unity to navigate the future of the sport. In this engaging conversation, Rich Froning and Jason Leydon discuss the evolution of CrossFit, the importance of community in competitions, and the leadership qualities needed to guide the sport into the future. They explore the competitive mindset that drives athletes, the significance of mental toughness, and how faith and identity play a role in performance. Rich shares insights on team dynamics, the importance of youth sports, and how he aims to inspire the next generation of athletes. Takeaways

• Rich Froning reflects on the importance of community in sports.
• Coaching youth sports has taught valuable lessons about fundamentals.
• The state of CrossFit is currently fractured and lacks a central rallying point.
• Youth sports should focus on teaching kids to love the game, not just winning.
• Rich emphasizes the need for connection between athletes and the community.
• The CrossFit Games have lost some of their community feel since moving to Madison.
• Rich believes that the methodology of CrossFit is strong but needs better leadership.
• The Sanctional model provided more opportunities for athletes to compete.
• Rich suggests that the future of CrossFit depends on community involvement and leadership.
• There is a need for a collaborative approach to improve the CrossFit brand. The online qualifier for the CrossFit Games is not ideal.
• In-person qualifiers foster community involvement.
• Leadership in CrossFit requires a perfect scenario.
• Rich Froning believes in the importance of a rallying point for CrossFit.
• Mental toughness is crucial for athletes.
• Faith and identity shape competitive performance.
• Team dynamics enhance competition success.
• Youth sports build foundational skills for athletes.
• Athletes need to learn how to handle competition pressure.
• Rich emphasizes the importance of looking good and being fit.

Topics

• Rich Froning on Coaching and Community
• The Evolution of Youth Sports Coaching
• CrossFit's Current State and Future
• Building Community in Sports with Rich Froning
• Lessons from Coaching Youth Sports

Sound Bites

• "I got you brother."
• "It's not about me, right?"
• "I wish I would have played football now."
• "It feels like a power vacuum."
• "You can't replace the community."
• "We can all be better under that one name."
• "It just looks like a money grab."
• "The community was so involved."
• "It connects the athletes to the community."
• "You should just do it."
• "I liked winning and hated losing."

Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Nostalgia 04:24 Coaching Youth Sports: Lessons Learned 10:24 The State of CrossFit: Challenges and Changes 17:23 Future of CrossFit: Community and Leadership 28:00 Reviving In-Person Qualifiers 29:53 The Future of CrossFit Leadership 32:02 The Competitive Mindset of Rich Froning 35:57 Team Dynamics and Leadership in Competition 39:47 The Importance of Mental Toughness 44:04 Faith, Identity, and Competition 49:57 Guiding the Next Generation of Athletes