One Photo, A Hundred Stories

Look at the image below. I took it this past Saturday during ‘Skills and Drills’ and it may be my favorite DEUCE photo in existence. The photo looks cool and all, but it could tell a hundred countless stories if we were blessed enough to know them all. I don’t think there’s been a better capture of the essence of DEUCE Gym on camera better than this, which is ironic given that there is no exercise in the shot.

The group you see in front of you is eclectic as it gets. All sizes shapes and colors are represented, and you’re looking at a group in two separate deep conversations. I’ll have to leave a bit of mystery in those details for your mind to wander. But, let’s check out some details..

In the center, Tait with the beard has his back to Cesar (with the cut off shirt). This divides the two conversations. Yet, Tait and Cesar are comfortable enough to literally sit touching back to back. On the far left, Andrew, who is a pilot and a carpenter with high level experience in foreign affairs and a career to prove it is enthralled in conversation with Tait, who’s made a living a tip-of-the-spear caliber mixed martial artist, stuntman, and rogue entrepreneur.

In the other conversation, Cesar is captivating his classmates. Cesar should, and probably will, write a book chronically his life. It’ll be 500 pages long and still won’t do his journey justice. It’s no wonder he’s got the room’s attention.

To his left, Niki, whose an up and coming force at CrossFit LA and recent UCLA grad, sits comfortably next to Tyler, who dropped everything in Outer Banks, North Carolina to move to LA to be an actor, and WON! He’s an actor/comedian, who also doubles as one of the nation’s most successful hand models (yes, seriously). On the floor, Emily who’s career as a NCAA rower at the University of San Diego ended with one heck of a degree and a huge leadership role in our community.

Let me be the first to tell you that there is no reason these people should be in the same room each other. Yet, if you ask me, the miracle that’s happening on Lincoln and Commonwealth is perfectly described in the photo.

DEUCE creates opportunity like no place I’ve ever seen. It’s conversations like the ones captured in this photo that are, in my opinion, our greatest product.

This is community. And, there’s one common theme, and it’s that we all just want to be better. I’m grateful to know you each and every one of you. Thank you.

 

Logan Gelbrich