It’s that time of year when Santa is reviewing his list and deciding who’s been naughty and who’s been nice, and it’s safe to say that RTC member Karli Scaffide is on the nice list. Not only is she beyond friendly to everyone she meets, but she’s also one of the most hard-working and dedicated people at the gym. When she puts her mind to learning a new skill or refining an old one, she’s more than willing to put in the hours to master it. For these reasons and more, Karli has been named December’s Member of the Month.
Karli’s 2 year RTC anniversary is forthcoming in January, and it’s thanks to fellow member and yoga instructor Jess B. that she was first introduced to CrossFit. “When I moved to Jackson, I didn’t have a gym anymore, so I started doing hot yoga, something I’d never done before,” she says. “At Yoga Strong, I would only take Jess B.’s classes, and little did I know that she belonged to a CrossFit gym called RTC. She is the one who introduced me to this awesome place. Thanks, Jess!”
While Karli may have been new to CrossFit when she joined RTC, she is not new to sports and exercise. An elementary school Physical Education teacher who has “always had a love of fitness,” Karli quickly shifted her goals and embraced learning a variety of new skills. Like many, she had a preconceived notion about what a CrossFit gym was like, and that immediately changed once she walked through the doors of RTC. “I’d never done CrossFit before, and never stepped foot in another CrossFit gym, so when I was introduced to RTC as ‘It’s a CrossFit gym…’ I was like, ‘Oh great… it’s one of those open garage door, dirty places.’ What a shock it was when I walked in for my first class!”
That shock came from what Karli says is one of her favorite things about RTC: its organized cleanliness. “I love everything about RTC, and it is the only gym I will ever go to again,” she says. “There’s not many things I don’t love about RTC, but one of my favorites is how clean and organized it is. Nothing is ever out of its home and every member knows how important it is to Allie to keep our space clean and organized.”
Of course, there’s much more to a gym than a pristine facility, and Karli raves about how both the coaches and the community have helped her to hone in on her goals and see progress with every workout. “In the past, I had different goals, such as having a faster mile time, being able to lift heavier…just ordinary gym goals,” she says. “After becoming a member of RTC, my goals have completely shifted. RTC has helped me accomplish my previous goals, but now I’m able to be more specific. At the beginning, I was never able to RX any workouts. But then I gained more knowledge and wanted to grow with different lifts (like snatching…eek! lol). I want to be able to do strict pull-ups and then muscle ups. With time and hard work, I know the coaches will be able to help me get there.”
Beyond the coaching, Karli also credits her success to the positive and encouraging people that make up the RTC community, as well as the variety of workouts. “The environment is the key to my success so far, which includes the coaching and the people,” she says. “You not only want to work hard for yourself, but for everyone else. We’re essentially all on one team, and it’s a great feeling to have a community back you up, especially when you have doubts about being able to accomplish something.” In addition, Karli says that she “absolutely loves the workouts.” “Even though sometimes the workouts are only 12 minutes long, it’s the most difficult 12 minute workout you’ve ever done,” she says. “But that’s what I love!” she adds, “competing against myself to get the best score possible!”
Karli has spent the past 6 years as a Physical Education teacher at Lake Cable Elementary in the Jackson School District. She graduated from Kent State University with a Bachelor of Science degree and Ashland University with a Masters in Applied Exercise Science. Making a positive impact on students is her number one priority. “I became a PE teacher for my love of fitness and to be able to share with our youth the importance of living an active and healthy lifestyle,” she says. “Teaching certainly has its challenges, but at the end of the day, if I impact the life of one student, then I feel like I’ve done my job.”
Karli, her partner Erika (a fellow RTC goer), and their girls Rylie and Hattie have one dog named Lani, a “10 pound ball of fluff” who is the center of their world. “Ironically, I was always afraid of dogs,” says Karli, “yet, now that I have one, I don’t know what I’d do without her!” Everyone at RTC knows sweet and polite blondies Rylie and Hattie, who are both very active and love to play sports. “Hattie is our gymnast and loves to lift weights,” says Karli. “For 2 Christmases, she has asked for a baby barbell with plates.” (Let’s hope Santa comes through this year, Hattie!) She continues, “Rylie plays soccer and basketball, and has tried softball. She’s still finding her niche. Erika is a yogi at heart and loves to sweat it out at Yoga Strong 7 days a week. Her dedication is admirable!” This beautiful family of 4 loves to explore Ohio together, typically trying to find something new outdoors, whether it be bike trails or zip lining courses. “We enjoy the hot summer days, for sure!” says Karli. “I enjoy anything outside. I am a go-go-go type of person, but I also like learning new things. Kayaking, hiking, riding dirt bikes, bike riding…the list is limitless. I want to live my life to the fullest and experience as much as I can. I also want that for my family.”
Holiday traditions are a must for this family, who love the winter snow as much as they love a hot summer day. They start with Karli stringing the lights on the house at the beginning of October because she “likes to think ahead” and she “hates when her hands freeze.” The decorations come out on November 1, making their home look like a “winter wonderland.” They cut their own Christmas tree every year at Pine Tree Barn in Wooster, and spend Christmas Eve with Karli’s family. “Since I was a kid, my dad has always hosted Christmas Eve,” says Karli. “We have a large Sicilian family, so it has been my all time favorite get together since I can remember. My favorite holiday food is my dad’s wedding soup. He is an amazing cook/baker!”
So back to that list Santa is busy reviewing…it’s very clear that Karli deserves her place at the top of the nice list, despite the fact that she admits to “driving a little too fast around town lately.” We’ll let her have that one little indiscretion, because we all know that an RTC Member of the Month is, for the most part, a perfect human. Congrats to Karli, who undoubtedly will stay on the nice list as she continues to grow in strength and smash her goals!
It’s been a wonderful year celebrating our 2021 Members of the Month, and we’ll continue to highlight our remarkable members in 2022! Keep on being amazing, RTC Fit Fam!