ASHLAND, Ky. (LEX 18) — Life is about balance.
That doesn't mean it's easy to achieve that equilibrium, especially on our own.
A little help can go along way on that road to balance, which Gerald Sasser has been providing for more than a decade through his gym Phenom Fitness.
The humble exercise area invited people of all ages to push themselves to reach their fitness goals, including several kids on the Boyd County High School cross country team.
“It is very difficult but it is a lot of fun to do in the end. It’s very rewarding afterwards, Mason Newsome said.
What was once hard to hear, Sasser has grown accustom to hearing people share how much they enjoy coming to his gym.
It is a fun interaction to meet people where they’re at," Sasser said.
"People will actually come to me at 40, 50, 60 years old and actually get better and do things they’ve never done before.”
It's a culture close to 12 years in the making, going beyond your general workout routine.
“People will notice it’s different in the gym than other gyms. Almost universally they think it’s better," Sasser said.
After each session with kids and teens, Sasser rallies them together to leave them with a lesson or message.
Not necessarily one of grand design, but a piece of wisdom for them to take with them out of the gym into the real world.
Knowledge he has obtained in recent years as he reaffirmed his connection to faith.
After being saved years ago, Sasser has learned to incorporate his beliefs into his daily life, so much so that he has taken on a new role alongside his Phenom Fitness training sessions.
Youth minister at Legacy Ashland church.
“We had a need in our youth ministry and we thought Ger is already working with kids," Pastor Mackey Gaskin said.
"So it’s a new role for him but it’s been fun to watch him grow in that role.”
Whether it's a loud game of tag with kids scrambling around the gym or a quite, attentive bible study, Sasser is connecting with the youth to help them better understand, interpret and communicate what their beliefs are.
“I try to relate everything back to the gospel. Any game you see us play, we talk about how it relates back to the gospel and how we can make connections because it’s all over the place. People just don’t look for it," Sasser said.
