Support Wil's Journey: New Gym, New Hope

My name is Wil Vicinus and for the past 17 years, I've been training people from all walks of life at Fearless Athletics, using fitness as a tool to help people connect with themselves and their community through the shared struggle of the daily workout. It's the most rewarding job I've ever done, and I've always been grateful that I was given the opportunity to be a part of so many people's experiences. Finding CrossFit (the fitness regime that we based our programming on at Fearless) literally saved my life. I am an addict who was actively using when I started working out, but the physical challenge convinced me that I might want to consider quitting, and the friends that I made supported me as I started my journey into recovery. By being able to challenge myself in the safe space of the gym, I learned so much about myself: that I could achieve more than I thought possible if I only tried, that I could be strong in both body and spirit, that there were folks in the world who would accept and love me for who I really am, and that it was okay to fail because all I had to do was pick myself up and keep going. When I had the opportunity to become a coach, being able to pass those lessons along to others simply by providing the space for a community to develop organically and by giving them the knowledge and the encouragement to push themselves appropriately in the workout was so special to me, and it's something that I've been grateful for ever since.

When the Covid pandemic came, Fearless Athletics was hit hard. We were closed for 9 months, and when we re-opened, we were at 32% of the membership levels we'd seen before the closures. We encountered several difficulties along the way as our expenses remained the same as they were pre-pandemic levels while our revenue was significantly lower than expected. We did grow, but not at the pace we hoped, and I dipped into my savings, cashing out my 401(k) to make sure the rent was paid. I also stopped drawing a salary from the company to ensure that every possible dollar was spent in service to our members. Still, it wasn't quite enough fast enough.

In August 2024, I received notice from our landlord that they had decided not to renew our lease. We were given two weeks' notice to move out of the gym we'd called home for 14 years. With no time to secure a new location, we decided to move our programming outdoors to a nearby park as we searched for an indoor spot. The majority of members opted to freeze or cancel their memberships until the time we were re-homed. With 15% of our membership base active, our expenses continued to outpace our revenue at an unsustainable rate, and we were forced to go on hiatus in November 2024.

When we pressed the pause button, I was devastated. I felt beaten down and lost. I couldn't get out of bed in the morning to face the prospect of another day not being able to do the job I loved because I didn't have the funds to secure a new space and cover all of the necessary expenses involved with running a CrossFit box. I learned that in Pennsylvania, small business owners are not eligible to claim unemployment benefits, so with no income and no savings, I was forced to apply for government assistance and was able to enroll for SNAP benefits and get health coverage through Medicaid. These programs provided some of the critical support that I needed, but there was no funding to be found for housing assistance. Because I had no income any longer, I couldn't afford my rent. In December 2024, I was notified that I was losing my apartment at the end of the month.

I thought that I had hit rock bottom, but the Universe had other plans for me. In my neighborhood, an amazing space had just been put on the market: a two-story building, zoned for mixed use with a retail space on the first floor and living quarters on the second. The basement was finished as well. The solution presented itself immediately.

In April 2025, I'll be opening Fearless Athletics Fishtown, a premier personal training and group fitness studio.

When you come in the main entrance, you'll find yourself in a carefully curated personal training studio, equipped with barbells & bumpers, dumbbells, kettlebells, medicine balls, plyo boxes, row ergs, and more. The main portion of the studio provides plenty of space for 1-on-1 training as well as for small groups of up to 4 athletes. A power rack is waiting for those who want to do some strength training, and we have a kitchenette area where you'll be able to store your protein drink and/or your post-workout snacks and enjoy those while you browse our retail area for apparel and workout accessories.

The basement is for our Group Fitness classes. We'll be offering CrossFit and Intensity (High Intensity Circuit Training based on the CrossFit methodology) classes for small groups of up to 8 people, and at times we'll mix those two programs into one class so our community of members have a chance to meet and engage with new people. Our Barbell Club is for athletes who want to focus exclusively on powerlifting and Olympic lifting, and we have Open Gym memberships for people who prefer to train independently.

At Fearless Athletics Fishtown | CrossFit Norris Street, I'll be welcoming adult athletes of all backgrounds and abilities. No matter your experience level, age, gender identity, race, political affinity, or preference in ice cream flavor, you're welcome here, and we will work with you to achieve your personal goals.

Much of the groundwork for Fearless Athletics Fishtown is complete, but there are several things that need to be done in order to open the doors to new members, start developing a thriving, dedicated community of athletes, and achieve success. Most importantly, I need to pay the insurance premiums and the membership management software, including selecting and implementing a payment processor. Our rent, taxes, and insurance should have at least a 3-month pad to allow us the room to grow the membership and still meet our expense obligations. And funds need to be created for equipment upgrades, emergency expenses, and training & development of/payroll for new staff. Once these goals have been reached, any excess funds will be split evenly between upgrades for Fearless Athletics Fishtown and paying down any outstanding expenses from the closure of our South Philly location.

Thank you so much for considering making a donation! Your generosity will help to restore my faith and reignite the passion that is needed to bring such a special place back to life!