Army reservist-turned-Marine officer finds strength in strongman sport

A former Military reservist discovered her ardour for energy coaching whereas making the leap to turn out to be a Marine officer, in line with the U.S. Marine Corps.

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Jacqueline Sapitro found her knack for lifting weights after enlisting within the service and chased her love of the game all the best way to strongman competitions, which she now participates in recurrently, in line with a service launch.

Sapitro started her profession within the navy as an Military reservist, however she “needed to do greater than what the reserves provided her,” in line with the discharge, and ultimately she transitioned out of the Military Reserve and into the Marine Corps, serving as an aviation upkeep technician.

Sapitro noticed Marines coaching with weights and navigating by way of impediment programs.

Quickly, Sapitro joined in.

As her health objectives grew, so too did her need to guide Marines, in line with the discharge.

“I needed to have the ability to give again to the neighborhood and provide wonderful alternatives,” Sapitro mentioned.

Sapitro skilled her personal difficulties as an enlisted Marine, in line with the discharge, so helping different service members was significantly significant for her.

Changing into an officer appeared just like the logical subsequent step for Sapitro, who’s at the moment a pupil within the Expeditionary Warfare College at Marine Corps College on Marine Corps Base Quantico.

Ultimately, she achieved her aim and have become a Marine officer. And alongside the best way, she discovered one other calling.

In the future, Sapitro was serving to prepare weights for a contest when a coach seen her lifting them effortlessly.

They advised her she ought to compete.

It didn’t take lengthy earlier than she was researching how to join strongman competitions, which permit athletes to showcase their energy by way of heavy-lifting workouts.

“Coaching was a guessing recreation for me at first, however all people was actually supportive and serving to me out, giving me suggestions and methods whereas I used to be attempting to compete,” Sapitro mentioned.

Sapitro now competes in strongman competitions, the place she performs firetruck pulls, fireplace hose presses, and different tough energy coaching workouts.

She credit the Marines who she first noticed lifting weights for setting her on her path, in addition to her mom for offering a help community.

“I’d prefer to advocate for and present Marines — not simply officers however junior enlisted, too — that it’s doable to do wonderful issues,” Sapitro mentioned.