November 4, 2024
Local Teacher Sarah Kendrick Takes Third Place At World Wide Adaptive CrossFit Championships
By Kyle Coppola
Local Teacher Sarah Kendrick Takes Third Place At World Wide Adaptive CrossFit Championships
Leesburg, Florida — Sarah Kendrick, a local teacher and mother from Eustis, Florida, recently finished in third place World-Wide in the Adaptive Division of the CrossFit Games held in San Antonio. Kendrick, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in her early 20s and also lives with epilepsy, competed in the Neuro and Muscular Adaptive Division, a category designed for athletes facing neurological and muscular challenges, including conditions like stroke, brain tumors, and Parkinson’s disease.
(Kendrick who competes with MS finished 3rd in the world in the adaptive division for the 2024 CrossFit Games.)
Kendrick, a 19-year teaching veteran and current 7th-grade English instructor with Florida Virtual School, has been open about her diagnosis only in recent years. “When people hear that I have MS, I don’t want them to feel sorry for me,” she said. “I want them to see my strength, not my limitations.”
Kendrick’s journey to the CrossFit Games began a few years ago when she was introduced to CrossFit. After learning about the Adaptive Division through a friend, she hesitated initially but found the courage to meet the entry criteria. With determination, Kendrick submitted a series of videos to the CrossFit committee to qualify for the finals. “I wasn’t sure I’d make it,” she shared. “I submitted my videos, and as time passed, I began to lose hope. Then, one day, my husband took me out for ice cream, and right there, I got the email—I made the finals! It was a moment of pure happiness and relief.”
Competing in San Antonio felt like a dream come true. “It was like the Olympics,” she described. “We had athletes from 76 countries, all facing different challenges but united by resilience. Being part of it was inspiring beyond words.”
In a standout moment, Kendrick dominated the final workout session, becoming the only female competitor to complete the session, and she did so an impressive 3 minutes and 30 seconds ahead of anyone else on the floor. “That was the highlight for me,” she said, her pride evident. “Standing on the podium was amazing, but knowing I completed that session and pushed past my limits was everything.”
Looking forward, Kendrick hopes to continue her CrossFit journey and serve as an inspiration for others facing life’s challenges. “My advice to anyone struggling is that you can always keep going, no matter the struggle. Success isn’t always immediate—sometimes, it’s an inch at a time. It’s okay to be afraid but find the willpower to keep going. Those moments will make you stronger.”
Kendrick’s perseverance and competitive spirit shine through both in her classroom and in her CrossFit achievements, showing her students, family, and community that strength comes not from what you can achieve easily, but from how hard you’re willing to push.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
