Adaptive athlete inspires others nationwide By Julie Mansmann jmansmann@liherald.com
Merrick native Steph Hammerman developed cerebral palsy shortly after she was born 23 years ago. But the accomplished athlete and motivational speaker said she doesn’t struggle with anything. “People have this misconception that just because we are individuals who have to adapt to different circumstances that we automatically suffer from something,” she said of adaptive athletes. “I hope that through my actions, and also my words, I can show other people that anything is possible if you believe in the impossible.” Hammerman noted that she gets ready and goes to work just like anyone else. According to her employer –– CrossFit, Inc. –– Hammerman is the first woman with cerebral palsy to become a fitness trainer at the company. Her achievements within the CrossFit community and in health and wellness have garnered national attention, as she has been featured on television, and she is now being booked for public-speaking engagements. Hammerman, who graduated from Kennedy High School in Bellmore in 2008, said living a healthy life became extremely important to her after the loss of one of her best friends, Scott Pollock. Pollock, who died in December 2005, was born without arms. However, Hammerman explained that nothing kept him off the basketball court. Using his feet to play basketball, Hammerman said Pollock remained active
throughout his life while advocating for other adaptive athletes. Now Hammerman said she wants to make a difference for others like he did. “I told his family I wanted to continue his legacy,” she said. “It was a rough time, but he’ll forever be my inspiration and driving force to move forward.” Hammerman began going to the gym several times a week. While attending Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., she began working with a personal trainer. Frank Manusky helped Hammerman prepare for her first marathon. On Dec. 4, 2011, Hammerman completed the 26.2-mile Palm Beach Marathon using a hand cycle. Robin Canarick, Hammerman’s mother, said her family flew down to Florida to watch her cross the finish line. “She had a football team on the sideline rooting for her,” she said. “She has always had the support of her entire family. My exhusband and I gave her every tool possible. We gave her her wings to fly.” Although she said it was an exhilarating experience, Hammerman knew she could improve upon her finishing time of 4:34:14. She said this prompted her to walk into a CrossFit box (gym) for the first time on May 3, 2012. Hammerman began working with Scott Lefferts, owner of CrossFit Hard Core Boca Raton. Lefferts had never worked with an adaptive athlete before meeting Hammerman, but he worked with her so she could complete the various segments of the strength and conditioning program.
Hammerman is the first woman with cerebral palsy to become a fitness trainer at CrossFit , Inc.
Photos courtesy Steph Hammerman
Steph Hammerman stepped into her first CrossFit box, or gym, on May 3, 2012. “Little by little we worked together to adapt all of these movements that someone else was doing. If someone was lifting a bar over their head, I wanted to be able to do that,” Hammerman said. “It was very frustrating during the first few months, but this is a community where everybody can be doing the same workout, whether it is scaled or done as prescribed. At the end of the workout, everyone feels exactly the same way – completely exhausted but very accomplished.” As she began to see changes in her own body and workouts became more routine, Hammerman said she realized she also wanted to help others realize what they were capable of physically. This led her to pursue becoming certified as a CrossFit trainer on June 7, 2013. Hammerman is now a trainer at CrossFit Conquest in Davie, Fla, working with up to 20 athletes in a class each day. She said she continued to learn and grow as a coach and an athlete, and that CrossFit is a place that will always be a part of her life, as long as the company is around. Canarick said she had never heard of Crossfit before Hammerman got involved with it, but now she says joining the community was one of the best things to happen to her daughter. Local athletes in the community have also welcomed Hammerman, she said, noting that trainers at the Bedford Avenue CrossFit had her come in and teach a class. “Here, I watched my daughter, who [couldn’t] jump rope, teach able-bodied individuals how to do a double jump,” she said. “She knows how to tell the body what to do. I was amazed.” Hammerman appeared on a “Good Stuff”
segment on CNN in July 2013. The story has since been nominated as one of the top 10 stories of the year in the series. The poll is still open on newday.blogs.cnn.com. Canarick said it was phenomenal that her daughter’s story touched people nationwide, adding that her daughter will continue to inspire others as a motivational speaker. Her first speaking showcase is on Feb. 17 at the National Association for Campus Activities’ national convention in Boston, Mass. Hammerman said she is excited to be able to express herself in the way she wants at the convention. “I truly believe I have a powerful voice for a reason,” she said. “If I only change one person’s life out of 1,000, I have pretty much done my job.” Hammerman is also currently pursuing a master’s degree in college student affairs at Nova Southeastern University, noting that her time at Lynn as an undergraduate was important to her. As a sophomore at the college in 2009, she founded the Disability Awareness Initiative, comprising eight events aimed at teaching able-bodied students about the daily challenges that students with disabilities face. It has since expanded to Florida Atlantic University. An avid user of social media, Hammerman can be found on Instagram and Twitter @iAdaptFitness. Canarick said her daughter is an excellent communicator across platforms, and that she is proud of all she has done and will continue to do working with others. “I only hope that she continues to be happy, be healthy and just has all of her wishes come true, and that she truly has a positive effect on other people’s lives,” she said. “She is very headstrong. When she puts her mind to something, there is no stopping her.”