What a surprise it was seeing an email from Kerry telling me I was the member spotlight for July 2024.

My name is Kristina. I am soon to be wife to Nicholas, a mother to Matthew, who is 12, a nurse and teacher at EPHS. I have been a member at 212 for a little over two years. After a friend invited me to a drop in class, I was instantly hooked! The 212 energy and community made me feel welcome.

My dad was the head Strength & Conditioning coach at UConn. I spent many years in the weight room watching him coach and inspire his athletes. I learned at a very young age that one of my favorite places to be was in the weight room with my dad. I played various sports throughout the years but found my love for volleyball during freshman year in highschool and continued to play in college.

Watching and playing organized sports throughout my life taught me discipline, accountability and hard work which has carried over to adulthood. My dad would say "I've never seen anyone work hard and not be successful....keep working hard." I want to thank the coaches at 212 for continuing to push me to work hard and creating a community that supports and empowers all.