It all started with these two. They inspire me in many ways on a daily basis.

I have always been creative, but it wasn’t until our first daughter was born that I actually started putting ideas to paper. In that time, so many ideas have come and gone - some almost making it fully out into the world. With a long list of excuses of why I never actually launch any of my ideas, I only recently came to realize the root causes - I am afraid of failure and I am paralyzed by perfection.

My brain is constantly coming up with creative ideas - a gift and a curse. On January 8, 2023, I was on a bike ride with a fellow girl dad. I was lost in thought enjoying some beautiful scenery and it hit me - some of my closest friends all have daughters and they are really fit. That was the moment Girl Dad Athletic Club was born - a club/non-club of sorts to inspire fitness and inspire close, positive relationships with your kids. I knew this time that I had to get it out there. I had to follow through.

I came home and shared the idea with my wife and daughters - they loved it. I started putting ideas from my bike ride onto paper and made some rough-draft designs. I didn’t love any of them - they didn’t turn out the way they did in my mind during that bike ride. Then, our youngest daughter mentioned how one of my old designs was her favorite (story for another time on M+O). I instantly realized that I could marry the two and got to work. The new rough-draft design was made and we all worked together on minor changes. I made a notecard for myself, “Don’t get paralyzed by perfection”, and taped it in my office just above my computer. I have been working on the idea ever since.

Now, here we are, Girl Dad Athletic Club has evolved into MaD Athletic Club - a combined Mom Athletic Club and Dad Athletic Club. It is still rough around the edges, but I am getting it out there. I am not going to be afraid of failure nor paralyzed by perfection any more. My daughters are excited about it and that is all the inspiration I need to send it out to the world. I hope you all get inspired and stay inspired as we join this club together.

p.s. You don’t have to be a mom or a dad to be part of the club - everyone can be a supporter!