By JOHN-JOEL GRIFFITHS

The Bulletin

Jarrod Daniels was one of the best running backs/athletes to ever step foot on the Sierra High campus.

The 2009 graduate ran for 1,126 yards senior year, broke several records and eventually earned a full-ride Division I scholarship to Idaho State University.

Daniels, a former local superstar, is one of the primary trainers at CrossFit Alpha Omega Fit in Ripon, which is set to host its grand opening on Sunday at 2 p.m.

“The idea is to get athletes to come in and want to get trained by Jarrod because of his background,” said Jarrod’s father, Manteca resident and co-owner/trainer Rodney Daniels. “That’s one thing we’re looking to pursue – getting athletes who want to play at the next level. And to get a scholarship, you have to train.”

Alpha Omega Fit is certainly a place to train.

The new CrossFit facility is faith-based and an official affiliate of CrossFit – a core strength and conditioning program that was first introduced in 2007.

The Alpha Omega Fit’s other co-owner/trainer Richard Boyd, a Ripon resident and Physical Education teacher at Sierra, initially introduced CrossFit to his P.E. classes in 2008.

“CrossFit is functional fitness that constantly varies and is done at high intensity,” said Boyd, who also has Olympic Lifting, Kids and Football CrossFit certifications.

“The human body is the human body. The movements are the same. We just adapt to them according to your fitness level and how hard you want to work. We have a term, ‘relative intensity’, so it’s going to be as hard as you make it.”

In 2008, Jarrod Daniels’ senior year, was the first time Boyd earned his Level 1 CrossFit certification. He recently renewed it prior to opening his new business, along with fellow trainers Jarrod, Rodney and Booie Daniels.

Booie is the older brother of Jarrod, both sons of Rodney. Booie also boasts an Associate’s degree in P.E. and will be working toward his B.A. in Kinesiology from Cal State Stanislaus, University.

The Alpha Omega Fit’s training staff is legit when it comes to fitness, health and dieting.

Their profiles and bios, along with other details like the gym’s pricing details, can be seen at www.crossfitaof.com.

“We’d really like to get the athletes in here from the local schools,” Boyd said. “I do the training, and every day you come in the door it’s a different workout. Our core is Olympic lifting – the power, the dead, the snatch. Those are the core lifts, but we’re working toward the most important thing, and that’s to get people moving and moving efficiently.

“We don’t’ use machines, we build them.”

Some of the locals that have been attending Alpha Omega Fit play for Ripon High’s football team, which is currently in the quarterfinals of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV playoffs and will host Calaveras on Friday night at 7 p.m. at Stouffer Field.

Two of the Indians’ players who will be on the field for the playoff game, seniors Josh Clark and Michael Ysit, are also members of the new CrossFit facility, which has been open for the last four weeks.

Clark, a starting safety for Ripon, finished a football practice on Wednesday and then went straight to Alpha Omega Fit for a workout with trainer Booie.

Since CrossFit is a faith-based ran business, they’re also aimed at putting an emphasis around family.

“Your teenagers can come in here and you don’t have to worry about them being exposed to anything or listening to music that they shouldn’t,” said Boyd, who also noted the minimum age to join is 16. “It’s a family atmosphere.

“The other thing I like about CrossFit is that it appeals to a lot of people. You see people walking in and interacting with each other.

“When you go to the global gyms with all the machines and stuff, people come in and put in their ear buds and do their thing. They don’t interact. We’re the opposite. When you walk in the door here, you get to know people.”

Alpha Omega Fit’s co-owner Rodney also made it a point that the gym isn’t at all concerned with a self-centered, egotistical image. The CrossFit gym is aiming at teaching speed, strength and agility, which can translate into just about anything athletically.

“There are no mirrors,” the elder Daniels concluded. “We don’t want athletes to be looking and prancing around in the mirror. If their form needs to be corrected, that’s our job. We don’t want it to be so much about image. It’s not about how good you look, it’s about how hard you work.”

Alpha Omega Fit will have its opening from 2 p.m. till 3:30 p.m. There will be raffles giving away prizes such as T-shirts and water bottles. There will also be a workout demonstration and snacks available.

The community is invited to come out and meet the trainers and coaches, view the facility and learn what CrossFit is all about.