Congratulating Mike Rickman, Nolan Rickman and Laura Ward as January 2020’s Members of the Month
Warriors! This month were going to do something a little different for the Members of the Month. This month I wanted to dedicate this honor and blog to the members who have poured their blood, sweat, tears, and dollars into making the new gym a reality. So, join me in congratulating Mike Rickman, Nolan Rickman and Laura Ward as January 2020’s Members of the Month. Don’t mind my gushiness in the blog, it’s basically a pseudo-love letter from me to each of them because over the past 4 months I’ve seen the absolute best in them and it’s been extremely moving to be this close to each of them while they pursue the things they love.
To Mike,
You’ve had such a passionate vision for what you’ve felt Mighty Warrior could be from day 1. Sometimes this vision has bordered on insane to someone like myself who hasn’t the slightest clue how to make a vision like that come true. But from the moment we signed the lease on the new building you brought a lifetime of expertise and a restless work ethic to the process and you made sure that Mighty Warrior got nothing less than the absolute best. I don’t think anyone other than you truly understood what it would take to make a project like this work in the timeframe we put to it, but you dove headfirst into the project anyways. Over the past 4 months you’ve sacrificed time with your wife, your kids, and put your own fitness on hold to give the Warriors a place they all deserve and I’m forever grateful for you and all you’ve done for us.
To Nolan,
The apple didn’t fall far from the tree. You’ve shown me what it means to put your head down and give nothing but 100% effort from the jump. You’d show up at 5:30 in the morning and not stop until the job was done or you were told you had to go home. Working side by side with your dad I’m sure at times wasn’t easy, but you took his direction in stride and I saw you learn so much through this process. You were never afraid to take charge of a project and see it through to its finish. Not many people realize that the wood wall that everyone loves was almost entirely hung by you and it couldn’t be a better focal point for the gym. You were a Jack of all trades from demolition, to running electric, painting and beyond. This community and I are so lucky to have you and watching you become the man you are today has been a great privilege.
Lastly to my beautiful wife Laura,
Let’s face it, our last building wasn’t sexy. It was probably the last place on earth anyone would want to workout if it weren’t for your hard work and making it feel like a loving environment where our Warriors could be their absolute best. You showed up early and stayed late when classes needed to be covered and you helped where you could at the new building when possible. You kept doing what you’ve been doing since the day I met you and loved every person to walk through our doors equally and pushing them to be their best. You’ve provided the best coaching an athlete could ask for and gone above and beyond to keep the business running smoothly while Mike and Nolan worked their magic at the new building. I knew I loved you before but seeing you through this process has only fortified my admiration for you as a coach, owner, and businesswoman.
It takes a village to make something like this possible, so I/We want to extend our deepest thanks to anyone who said a kind word, thanked us for our efforts, or showed up to help bring our new building to life. This is the community you deserve, the space you deserve, and we can’t wait to see what the future hold for us all.
I know I usually ask the Members of the Month a few questions about their history at MW, some of their favorite workouts/lifts, and what their goals are, but I would encourage you to ask Mike, Nolan and Laura these things yourselves. Get to know them a little better and learn more about the people who believe in you more than you’ll ever know