Coach Cheri Wissmann

After 2 degrees and 6 years of employment in the IT industry, a marriage and a move gave me the chance to try something new. At first I threw myself into CrossFit as a way to fill my time while unemployed — until it expanded from a hobby into a new career path.

I started coaching group CrossFit classes at CrossFit Camden in January 2010, and became a CrossFit Level I Trainer in March 2010. That fall I also started coaching group CrossFit classes and 1-on-1 CrossFit foundations sessions at Sandbox Athletics.

In the spring of 2011, I took over coaching CrossFit Kids classes for Sandbox, with 3 weekly sessions for kids from 4-18. That summer I partnered with a local high school coach to run a 9 week girls’ strength and conditioning program.

The Marine Corps has now brought my family to Camp Lejeune, and I’ve recently had the opportunity to join the staff of the High Intensity Tactical Training (HITT) Center on base. Can’t wait to see what this new chapter will bring!

Since I began coaching in 2010, I’ve been continuously reading to expand my knowledge of strength and conditioning. I’ve listed some of my favorite books and websites on my Recommended Reading page.

I’ve also continued my “formal” education by attending certifications and seminars:

• USA Weightlifting Level 1 Sports Performance Coach – October 2010
• CrossFit Kids Seminar – April 2011
• USA Track & Field Level 1 Coach – July 2011
• CrossFit Gymnastics Seminar – September 2011

Recently I’ve taken my pursuit of education back into the traditional classroom. I’m currently enrolled at the local community college, and have begun to take the “standard” set of physical / life science courses that will allow me to pursue higher education — think biology, chemistry, anatomy & physiology, physics. My hope is to complete the prerequisites I need to apply to a physical therapy doctoral program in 2013 or 2014.

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B.S. Information Science & Technology, Penn State University — 2003
M.S. Information Science, Penn State University — 2007

CPR/1st AID/AED Certified

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Check out my profile on LinkedIn for more details on my education and experience.

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The following is a personal statement that I wrote for a job application. I’m proud of how well is summarizes my path from software engineer to aspiring physical therapist.

The story of my background begins in a very typical manner. After finishing high school in western Pennsylvania, I went off to college at Penn State University, and graduated 4 years later with a degree in Information Science and Technology. I started working for Lockheed Martin at a location in the western suburbs of Philadelphia just a few months after graduation. For just under 6 years I worked full time there, while also earning a masters degree in Information Science and completing Lockheed’s Engineering Leadership Development Program.

Working as a software engineer for a defense contractor was a great career, but not one that ignited my passion. I was successful, but not fulfilled. A marriage and a move gave me the chance to start over.

At first, I was simply unemployed and searching for a new job in my field. The area surrounding the military base where we had moved did not offer many job opportunities in the IT field. To fill my time, I started back up with a fitness program I had enjoyed while still living in Pennsylvania – CrossFit. After a few months, the owners of my gym asked me to start helping out by coaching a few morning classes. And that’s when I found the passion that I wanted to turn into a new career.

The human body is the ultimate complex machine, and appealed to the engineer side of my personality – the side that can get a little obsessed about efficiency and precision. My attention to detail was a strength I brought to my job as a software engineer, and I found that it was also a huge asset to me as a coach.

What coaching provides, that engineering did not, is a connection to the human side of the equation. There’s no way to fix movement without also fixing the thought processes within the brain that’s generating the movement. Some athletes require more knowledge, and are motivated by knowing why they should strive for a certain movement pattern. Others need to be empowered, and require a coach that can convince them that they can do what they think they can’t. And some just need to be held accountable to accomplish what they already know they can. The challenge of finding the right combination of education, empowerment and challenge that works for each individual is one that I relish.

Within a year of coaching my first CrossFit class, I knew what my dream career was – physical therapist. Restoring a person’s ability to move without pain, and helping a person get stronger, does more than improve their physical health. It can also be a process that catalyzes a mental shift towards greater confidence, happiness and fulfillment. My goal is to become a physical therapist that uses movement as a tool to bring greater health to a person’s whole life.