4 min
When RTC Fitness opened its doors for group classes in 2019, Coach Jenny Dobrea was there. Nearly seven years later, she’s still here — still coaching, still competing, still making every athlete who walks into her class feel like they belong.
This month, we’re proud to honor Jenny as our Member and Coach of the Month. And if you’ve ever taken a class with her, you’re probably not surprised.
Jenny has been doing CrossFit for 11 years — long enough that most people might assume they’ve seen it all. Jenny doesn’t see it that way.
“There’s always something new to improve on,” she says. “That’s what keeps things interesting and keeps me motivated to keep coming back.”
Part of that drive comes from her background. Jenny grew up doing gymnastics, which gave her both a technical foundation and a competitive edge that still shows up every time she steps into the gym. That gymnastics background also shapes the way she coaches — which brings us to one of her favorite things to teach.
Ask Jenny what movements she loves coaching most, and she doesn’t hesitate: handstand walking and bar muscle-ups.
“They’re both gymnastic-y, and I love gymnastics,” she says. “I feel like I’m definitely more comfortable coaching those — and it’s fun to watch people enjoy gymnastics when I’m coaching it, because sometimes it’s something people are a little bit afraid of.”
That’s exactly the point. Jenny finds something meaningful in helping athletes move through fear and come out the other side with a skill they didn’t have before. Getting someone out of their comfort zone — and watching them realize they can do something they thought they couldn’t — is one of the things she loves most about coaching.
When Jenny coaches a class, she has a clear intention — especially when it comes to athletes who are brand new.
“I want them to have fun and really enjoy it,” she says. “And I want them to feel comfortable and confident — to a point where they want to come back. You never want them to leave feeling like, ‘Oh my God, I had no idea what I was doing. I hated it.’ I want them to feel like, that was fun, and I want to come back again tomorrow.”
That philosophy — meet people where they are, build their confidence, make them want to return — is at the heart of what makes Jenny a great coach. She’s not chasing PRs in her classes. She’s building people.
If you ask Jenny what her favorite part of coaching is, she’ll tell you about the aha moment.
“You see someone have an aha moment where you’ve been trying to coach them on a movement or some type of skill for a while — and all of a sudden they finally get it. They’re happy, and you’re happy for them. It’s really fun and exciting to watch.”
More than six years in, that moment still gets her. That’s how you know you’ve got the right coach.
Beyond the workouts and the coaching, CrossFit — and RTC specifically — has been something much bigger in Jenny’s life.
“It has gotten me through some really bad parts of my life, because of the friendships I’ve made here and the stress relief it provides,” she shares. “It’s been that one consistent thing. Even when life is chaotic outside of here, I know I can come in and for an hour, get a good workout in, but also hang out with my friends and be around people who care about me. And you can kind of forget about all of the other stuff going on outside these doors.”
That’s not a small thing. That’s everything.
Jenny describes herself as an open book. Her athletes know she loves cats, that she likes to travel, and that she’s a true crime enthusiast (the mystery kind, she wants you to know — not the other kind).
But there’s one story that even her closest friends at RTC haven’t heard — until now.
In college, Jenny was returning books to the campus bookstore when a stranger challenged her to a game of rock paper scissors. She won. A month later, she received a packet in the mail: a formal invitation to the Rock Paper Scissors National Championship in Miami, with a $250 stipend and a plus-one.
She had to turn it down. It was her senior year of college — and gymnastics nationals fell on the exact same weekend.
“I had to turn it down, but I was almost your next rock paper scissors national champion,” she says.
To close things out, Coach Olivia challenged Jenny to a quick round — and beat her on the spot. “I beat the champion,” Olivia said.
Jenny laughed. Hard.
Some things you just can’t make up.
To Coach Jenny: thank you for six-plus years of showing up. For the coaching, the friendships, the aha moments, and the energy you bring to this community every single day. RTC wouldn’t be what it is without you. We’re honored to call you Coach.
Want to meet the rest of our coaching team? Come check out a class — we’d love to have you.
Jenny is the latest in our ongoing series of community spotlights — you can read Darius’s story here.”
Chat with a coach to discover how our programs can fit into your lifestyle and help you achieve your goals. Let’s get you started on your fitness journey today!
