Alex Thornton is far from your typical 12-year-old girl. While most of her classmates are out playing games and talking about the latest Miley Cyrus song, Alex is training. Instead of playing pickup foursquare or local city league soccer, Alex is lifting weights.
And while most of her classmates aren’t even thinking about next week, much less next year, Alex is solely focused on the Junior Nationals and one day competing in the Olympics. Like I said, Alex is far from your typical teenage girl. Back in 2006-2007, Alex’s dad started to get into the new fitness craze CrossFit. He was immediately hooked and started bringing home PVC pipes and filling old basketballs with sand. He was telling the family and neighbors about this new sport and tried to get everyone involved. In 2007, when CrossFit Dallas Central opened their doors, Alex and her dad both joined. Although just 6 years old, Alex loved CrossFit but she quickly grew frustrated with the kids’ class because the other kids didn’t take it very seriously. Alex had the itch to compete and didn’t understand why her classmates didn’t share this passion.
Through CFDC, Alex met Bobby Sirkis & Melissa Knourek. Both immediately took the young Alex under their wing and it wasn’t long before Alex was working out with the adults. The CFDC crew loved it and Alex loved being in a more competitive atmosphere. She spent two solid years doing CrossFit before getting into a strictly-Olympic movement focus. She realized that at the time she couldn’t compete in CrossFit but she was getting to the age where she could compete in the Olympic meets. Alex committed herself to mastering both the moves and techniques associated with each.
What could possibly drive a soon-to-be 13 year old to commit her life to Olympic lifting? “I love the sense of achievement. You set a goal, you work hard, and achieve it,” said Alex. Don’t you wish more adults had this attitude? Alex has now spent the last 3-4 years training in Olympic lifts. She continues to train with Bobby and splits her time between CrossFit Big D and Spoon Barbell. She will compete in the Junior Nationals this month and the Youth Nationals held this summer. Her ultimate goal is an Olympic berth and a short conversation with Alex will immediately reveal her passion and drive to reach this goal.
“I like it in my life. I always want to be in the gym in some form or another.” I asked her mother Katina what it was like being a parent to such a young competitor. She responded proudly, “I get extremely nervous but I love it now. Her attitude is the healthiest I’ve ever seen – regardless of age. She misses a lift and it just rolls off her back. It’s incredible, but she forgets the bad lift and focuses on her next one to make it great. We’ve been fortunate with Melissa because there aren’t a ton of female role models for Alex. As a parent, you are incredibly thankful for someone like that in Alex’s life in the sport.”
Alex has set the bar high for her 2014 campaign. She wants to top her year off with 120 kilos and hit a triple front squat of 65 kilos. Not on your average teenager’s goals for the year. COME AND MAKE IT Alex’s year ahead will include some travel that isn’t easiest for a family to afford. Her coach Bobby expects a few thousand dollars of expenses for the family to help Alex seize her dream. So Compete Every Day decided to jump into the fold to help Alex and the financial expenses she has ahead.
We are proud to introduce the Alex Thornton shirt, “Come and Make It.” This shirt was designed by one of Alex’s friends and proceeds from this shirt will go to help fund her travel to Junior Nationals, Youth Nationals, Arnolds, and the 15U Pan Am Championships. 
Proceeds from the shirt will go into a fund for Alex’s travel expenses. Order your Come and Make It shirt today.
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