CrossFit Reveals New Scholarship Program to Promote Better Health in Underrepresented Communities

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June has been filled with several dramatic highs and lows for CrossFit, and today the company announced an initiative that could yield positive results for the long term.

The CrossFit Scholarship was revealed today, an effort the organization said was designed to “spark meaningful health-care changes in underrepresented and underserved communities.” To achieve this, the company will offer health and fitness education via free access to the CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Course.

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“The love, support and tangible health-care solutions found throughout our global CrossFit community should be available to everyone. We believe providing more access to CrossFit’s life-changing health and fitness methodology is one way we can help,” the company said in a statement. “CrossFit can help promote change by providing broader and more inclusive access to our coaching credential. In the future, and in collaboration with other members of the CrossFit community, we will broaden the program to include mentorship opportunities and pathways to becoming an entrepreneurial business owner.

The statement continued, “Following the program’s launch, we will look for ways to adapt and expand it to better serve the underrepresented or underserved, continually keeping an eye toward engaging other stakeholders in the community who are undertaking parallel efforts to support diversity and inclusion for those facing the greatest health-care challenges.”

CrossFit will kick off the program in Atlanta on July 11 and July 12 at CrossFit Downtown Atlanta.

News of the CrossFit Scholarship comes a day after its director of certification and training, Nicole Carroll, announced on Instagram that she was returning to the company. Carroll stepped down from her role on June 7 after CrossFit founder and ex-CEO Greg Glassman sent an insensitive tweet referencing George Floyd.

Carroll’s return came five days after CrossFit announced new ownership in Eric Roza, who is also the company’s CEO. “Since I discovered CrossFit 10 years ago, it has changed my life, and I am deeply honored to have the opportunity to lead CrossFit through its next chapter as CEO and owner, following the closing next month,” Roza wrote in a letter that was shared by CrossFit on Instagram.

Not all news, however, has been good. Not only did CrossFit lose Carroll, albeit temporarily, following Glassman’s tweet, the organization also lost its Reebok sponsorship.

Following the comment, Reebok announced on June 7 that it was ending its partnership with the organization. “Our partnership with CrossFit HQ comes to an end later this year. Recently, we have been in discussions regarding a new agreement, however, in light of recent events, we have made the decision to end our partnership with CrossFit HQ,” Reebok said to FN on June 7 in an emailed statement.

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