By Tate Papworth
Nic and Luke Anderson have created a thriving community at CrossFit Calder. Their work with the disadvantaged has inspired long-term member Christopher Farrell to bring their story to the small screen. They spoke with Tate Papworth.
What’s your connection to Brimbank?
Nic: I raised my family in Deer Park and Diggers Rest and Luke did the same from Taylors Hill. We also run a CrossFit box near Brimbank Park – CrossFit Calder.
What do you like best about the area?
Luke: There’s been a lot of growth and even just the diversity of people we get in here. We’ve got people from the age of 14 up to about 70 and that’s reflective of the area.
There’s a lot of things going up and it’s an area where people really want to be. It’s close to the city, but still has that suburban feel to it.
What could be done better?
Luke: The under-utilised part of this area is Brimbank Park. I often grab a book and have a read in Brimbank Park because I think I’d be silly not to utilise such an amazing space. It’s an untapped resource – we have this amazing space, but it doesn’t seem to be getting used much. There’s so much space out there.
Tell us about your appearance on Channel Nine’s Destination Happiness
Christopher: There’s a really good story here. These boys have constantly been supporting Les Twentyman Foundation by bringing disadvantaged kids in for sessions. I’ve seen where these kids go from when they start to finish and it was a story I really wanted to get out.
Is working with the disadvantaged something you regularly do?
Nic: We opened almost five years ago to the day and we’ve pretty much done stuff with the Les Twentyman Foundation since day one.
What sort of activities have you held?
Nic: On school holidays we create programs for them. We go through technique and do a lot of partner workouts, so they have to work in teams. The social aspect is also an added benefit. It’s great to see them unify as a team, you can actually see leaders developing.
Do you change the workouts up?
Luke: We try to make it fun. So we incorporate a lot of music and get them doing some movements like box jumps. It’s as much about having fun and learning some new skills as it is the physical workout.
View the CrossFit Calder episode of Destination Happiness at www.9now.com.au/destination-happiness
