WAUSAU (WAOW) -
To say that Steve Slama is a passionate coach would be an understatement.
"He is a great motivator and a great leader," said Leah Alters, a certified fitness coach at Wausau Box. "I couldn't have asked for a better coach to start the box."
The Wausau Box is a cross-fit gym that Slama helped start back in August. While the 34-year-old trainer spends every day helping others with their fitness goals, the box has done more to help him grow as a person.
"Being able to give that to other people, and share that with them, is for me is my way of giving back," Slama said.
Slama, a native of Duluth, Minnesota began boxing when he was 14 before training in Mixed Martial Arts 12 years later. Adding to his resume is an interesting past that helps explain his passion and energy.
"I had come from the poor side of town. I didn't make a lot of great choices," Slama said. "You could say I was a troubled youth at that time."
Slama wants to bring the intense program done at the Wausau Box out to kids, hoping to prevent others from making the same mistakes he made when he was younger. But he's already made an impact with the adults he helps now.
"I tell ya, from the month and a half to two months I've been here, I've seen more gains than I have in a year of just your typical grind it out on the treadmill kind of thing," said John Gildenzoph, who trains at the box.
"It's really cool, and being an ex-athlete, I played football in high school and college," said Vince Spratte. "This is very familiar for me where you're cheering your teammates on, you're helping each other get through something that you normally wouldn't do."
Slama is inspired by the numerous athletes he gets to work with at the Wausau Box.
"What really gets me are the people that are nervous when they come in here through the door, they don't have a lot of fitness background and when they come in, they give it their everything that they've got."
