An athlete since he was 4 years outdated, Jorge Fernandez participated in varied sports activities earlier than specializing in baseball as he entered adolescence. After experiencing a sequence of ups and downs, in addition to accidents throughout his time as a collegiate pitcher, Fernandez ultimately discovered his approach to his native CrossFit field.
- He believes that his path so far in life was meant to be all alongside.
Set to compete this weekend on the Mayhem Basic in Cookeville, TN, Fernandez displays on how his journey started and the twists and turns that led him to the competitors ground.
Some Background
In highschool, Fernandez, a two-way participant (shortstop and pitcher), obtained a walk-on supply from Texas State College.
Near his dwelling in Del Rio, TX, Fernandez loved his freshman 12 months — it was the right steadiness of sports activities, teachers, and loads of partying.
It didn’t take lengthy earlier than Fernandez was reduce from the workforce. He confronted two choices: stay at TSU as a pupil, giving up his dream of enjoying baseball, or switch to a smaller college that may settle for him and have a spot for him on their workforce.
- “I gave myself one evening, and I cried. The subsequent morning, I emailed a bunch of junior faculties. I obtained one e-mail again, from (San Jacinto School) in Houston,” Fernandez instructed Morning Chalk Up.
They instructed him he might journey to Houston to check out for the workforce although they wouldn’t have a right away roster spot obtainable. He went, they usually appreciated what they noticed, providing him a place for the next season.
Fernandez completed the 12 months at TSU, then packed his luggage and moved to Houston to grow to be a San Jac Raven.
- “At that faculty, I figured my issues out. Didn’t celebration, simply skilled, baseball was the precedence. They instructed me that…they thought I labored actually arduous,” Fernandez mentioned.
He began working with a devoted throwing coach, gave up his infielder’s glove, and centered solely on pitching.
- “The primary 12 months was nice, the second 12 months was even higher. I obtained provides from Baylor and San Diego State – huge colleges – and I made a decision to take a look at San Diego State. They flew me out, and I fell in love with California. So, I performed two years at San Diego State,” Fernandez mentioned.
He was on his approach to the large leagues, able to be drafted. Nonetheless, per week earlier than that might occur, he tore his UCL, a probably career-ending, if not career-altering, shoulder harm.
A Main Setback
Fernandez confronted a major resolution: whether or not to endure shoulder surgical procedure and decide to probably a 12 months of rehabilitation, hoping to return for a brilliant senior 12 months at age 28 and probably transition to the minor leagues.
His physician introduced him with the choice of a cortisone shot and remedy – a brief answer that may enable him to finish his school profession and delay surgical procedure till retirement.
- “I needed to only get pleasure from the remainder of my time, so I instructed the physician, ‘Let’s simply go along with the cortisone shot.’ So I pitched these two final years, we received two Mountain West Championships, went to Regionals (twice), after which I retired,” Fernandez mentioned.
A New Path
After Fernandez’s retirement from baseball, his life felt considerably adrift.
- “It was a reduction in a approach, however I used to be additionally very depressed. It was the primary time I didn’t have sports activities in my life. It was who I used to be, I used to be going to be an enormous league, main league participant. So I used to be sitting at dwelling, tremendous depressed and anxious, and didn’t know what to do, I had no college, no job, and no girlfriend. All the pieces hit directly,” Fernandez mentioned.
At the moment, he was nonetheless residing in San Diego, and it appeared that each one his associates and teammates had been being drafted and shifting away. Someday, whereas he was chasing down some restricted version sneakers downtown, he stumbled upon a CrossFit fitness center, though he had no thought what it was at the moment.
- “Everyone seems to be throwing weights round, and I see these banners. I didn’t know then, however they had been banners for Josh Bridges and Lauren Fisher. This was in 2019. I didn’t know what all these banners had been, however these individuals had been holding trophies. I used to be like, I would like that,” Fernandez mentioned.
It was CrossFit Invictus.
He took benefit of the free week-long trial provided by the fitness center and dove into a bunch class. He felt comfy and acknowledged that his pure skills enabled him to excel on the workouts.
- “I obtained hungry for it, though I didn’t completely know what it was. I fell in love with understanding with the group and that feeling of teamwork and the bond,” Fernandez mentioned.
However he couldn’t afford it. So he completed out his free week and needed to cease going. After discovering a job and saving cash, he joined the fitness center and have become a CrossFitter.
- “It fulfilled the aggressive want, and being surrounded by individuals with a typical aim, it was every part that I wanted, all by probability,” Fernandez mentioned.
Meant to Be
Fernandez now displays and realizes that it was all meant to be. All the pieces he did led as much as the primary day he stepped into CrossFit Invictus. This journey has resulted in lifelong friendships, three tickets to the CrossFit Video games, a bronze medal in 2022, and an Affiliate Cup victory in 2023.
At instances, Fernandez nonetheless finds it troublesome to fathom his success.
- “Clearly, when you might have an enormous dream, you might have these ideas, like ‘it’s going to occur,’ however it’s nonetheless arduous to imagine when it lastly does. When individuals say to me, ‘you’re an Adidas athlete,’ I feel to myself ‘I’m?” It’s surreal and arduous to imagine. I’m tremendous grateful for this,” Fernandez mentioned.
At the moment supported by Adidas, Fernandez is pursuing his particular person profession as a Mayhem athlete whereas residing in Cookeville, TN.
He has competed within the Dubai Health Championship, Rogue Invitational, Syndicate Crown, and TYR Wodapalooza. He completed the 2025 CrossFit Open in 145th place worldwide, hoping to qualify as a person for the 2025 CrossFit Video games.
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Featured Picture: Scott Freymond