What it’s really like to train with volleyball goddess Gabby Reece

Ever wonder what life is like for Gabrielle Reece and Laird Hamilton? Well, wonder no more. Gabby and Laird, along with Brian MacKenzie, a human performance specialist, have created The XPT Experience, a three-day turbo-charged immersion into their lives. XPT stands for Extreme Performance Training and for $5000, you get full access to this trio and a roster of the most buzzed about – although you may not have heard about them yet — trainers, coaches, health and wellness experts. The XPT Experience is an action-packed program of workouts, lectures, and playtime too, all of which comes from the cutting edge training, nutrition and recovery these professional athletes have integrated into their daily lives.

For those who don’t know this Amazonian beauty, Gabby Reece is a former professional beach volleyball player, model, best-selling author, mother, and world-renowned fitness personality, most recently seen as the host of NBC’s Strong. At 6’3 she is a towering presence, and at 47 years old, as gorgeous and fit as ever, enhanced by a big heart and generosity as large. Husband Laird Hamilton is the world-famous big wave surfer, who at 53 defies age and gravity, riding massive walls of water for a living and inventing new water sports for the rest of us to enjoy. He is recognized as the creator of Stand Up Paddleboarding. His rock hard physique and hunky good looks are hard to ignore, along with an engaging stream of dialogue that questions many common assumptions on health and fitness, while offering alternative ways of thinking with the latest discoveries in human performance.

Then there is Brian MacKenzie, the third member of the XPT trio, whose intensity matches, if not outdoes, this duo’s. Equally irreverent, he is a renowned strength and conditioning coach, and endurance expert, with multiple 100-mile ultra-marathons under his belt. Tattoo covered with a no-excuses attitude and a rapid fire delivery that demands attention, much of what he expounds, along with Gabby and Laird and the others to whom you are introduced at XPT, is antithetical to what you think you know. This is the anti-authoritarian approach to fitness, that teaches you to question everything and be your own judge of what works. Says Brian, “Before anybody was doing HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), I had exercise physiologists coming in saying I was going to kill these people. They just kept getting better and better and fitter and healthier. Nothing I teach has not been done by me first. Then we share.”

I’ve had the opportunity to attend two of these XPT Experiences, one in The Hamptons last summer and one a couple of weeks ago in Malibu, Calif. The itineraries vary with each, but the most recent included: Hamilton’s beach workout; Reece’s High-X circuit training; and MacKenzie’s strength and alignment clinic; as well as a seminar with nutritional sports performance guru, Mark Sisson, founder of Mark’s Daily Apple and author of The Primal Blueprint, who lectured on ketogenics, and using fat instead of carbohydrates for training fuel. And besides workouts, although equally physical, are activities like stand-up paddleboarding and mountain biking. XPT is centered around the notion of enjoying being fit, and all activities are designed to be entertaining. I’ll take running with a sandbag and rolling a tire down the beach over lifting weights in the gym any day.

With Gabby Reece and husband Laird Hamilton at the XPT Experience. (Photo credit Claudia Lebenthal)

These are just a few of the highlights, but at the center of the both XPT Experiences has been the pool training and breathing clinics. XPT originally stood for Extreme Pool Training, the underwater workout Hamilton developed as a way to train in his off season. At its origin, the pool training was designed to prepare for being held underwater after wiping out on a giant wave, but this has evolved into much more. This is a workout for the rest of us. As Hamilton says, “It’s not so much about under, as in, and your ability to move through the water more efficiently, more confidently, effortlessly.”

If you pull up to Reece and Hamilton’s hilltop home in Malibu on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, you will find their pool filled with an elite group of athletes, celebrities, and other by-special-invite only friends. Gabby and Laird have turned their pool into an underwater gym. Around the deck are dumbbell racks filled with an assortment of weights and a cabinet filled with scuba masks. Grab one and jump in. In the pool all are engaged in a variety of drills performed with weights and without oxygen, like underwater running, explosive plyometric movements, and swimming drills. There is a sauna barrel, almost like a sweat lodge, at one end of the pool, and an ice bath at the other, with people alternating between the two extremes for post-workout recovery.

Describes Reece, ”The thing with Laird is that SUP and pool training have all been birthed out of, ‘What I do in the off season to prepare. I’m bored out of my mind. I can’t stand swimming laps but I want to do stuff in the water to expand my lung capacity and be in water.’ It became another form of training that yes, would compliment his surfing, but was a way to do dynamic explosive work with low impact as well.”

Underwater breath holding is another example and has evolved into XPT Performance Breathing. There are 45-minute sessions everyday on the XPT Experiences consisting of long and short intervals of inhales, exhales and breath holds designed to get more oxygen into the lungs and in the blood. At the core is training to stay underwater for long periods of time if necessary, but there are also more practical applications. Picture yourself breathing heavily after sprinting, trying to get as much oxygen into your lungs as possible. What if you did that before a workout? The theory is increasing lung capacity and getting more oxygen translates into more endurance and better performance in any sport. Conversely breathing drills are taught to relax the body after a workout. Exercises on land as well, like those on our beach training session, were performed for only as long as we could hold our breath. If you think dragging a log down the beach is difficult, now try it without air! You can only get stronger from that.

It is access to this exclusive kind of training that XPT offers. On the Malibu XPT experiences Reece and Hamilton open their pool and offer this workout to anyone who can afford it, and given the jam-packed itinerary, the $5,000 price tag, that includes food and lodging, seems pretty reasonable. Participants range from everyday folks looking to expand their fitness horizon to professional athletes like beach volleyball star and four-time Olympic medalist (three golds and one bronze) Kerri Walsh Jennings, who joined us with her husband, another pro beach volleyball player, Casey Jennings, not just for the Experience but as a featured part of the program. Regardless of skill level, how many people can say they were coached by Kerri Walsh Jennings in volleyball drills? How often does one get to spend three days with that level of athlete, and not just as a coach but as a team member? Walsh Jennings was my partner in the gym, spotting me on deadlifts, as I did her. Says Walsh Jennings, “We were there to share our love for our sport with the group, but we wanted the experience too. This is quality time for Casey and I. Hearing everyone’s reasons for being there… everyone’s answers were my answers.”  

Partnered with four-time Olympic medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings for a beach workout at the XPT Experience. (Photo courtesy of Claudia Lebenthal)

The common thread of all the programs on an XPT Experience is performance. Athletes don’t workout to stare at themselves in the mirror, although their bodies show the results. “Viewing fitness, strength, and conditioning through lens of performance is fundamentally talking about training not just for the sake of training,” says Logan Gelbrich, owner of Deuce Gym in Venice Beach, Calif., who was one of the featured instructors on the Malibu XPT.  A “Strongman” competitor and coach — think large men with Swedish names pulling cars on ESPN2 — he has a far more regular sized and functional athletic build. Gelbrich taught us to lift, carry, and run with Atlas Stones and Sandbags weighing up to 65lbs, and has found this training to be very effective “helping general people achieve general goals.”

Says Gelbrich, “The movements in Strongman are very basic and rudimentary — lift, drag, push, pull. If I am humble enough as a coach to think about why people are coming to me – they want to look better, feel better, perform better — I should at least consider the lowest hanging fruit of training. I can teach you to flip a tire or carry a sandbag and in four minutes you’re going to be a competent mover. In seven minutes you’re going to be able to be under load and with intensity, which means you’re getting fit right now. Plenty of people come to me and say, ‘I’m not interested in heavy weights or running fast. I’m getting married and just want to look great.’ If you are faster, more flexible, and stronger you’ll probably look the part as well. Without some tangible measurement to hang your hat on then were just looking at ourselves in the mirror and the feedback loop is always negative.”

For all of the featured coaches and and speakers, as well as Reece, Hamilton, and MacKenzie too, the XPT Experiences are as much about learning as they are teaching. All participate in the other’s programs, but also get back data from us — seeing what works and what doesn’t, what we take away from the three days and what we leave behind. Beyond that though is a desire to share that learning. Says Hamilton, “We get so much exposure. We’re just doing what we love to do. Part of this is the unselfish act of giving, but we’re always learning and were going to learn from you guys. This is an evolving concept. It’s never going to be the same twice. In fact, none of our workouts are ever the same twice, because nothing is ever the same. The day is never the same. Your performance is never the same. Everything is always evolving. ”

More games: friv

Gabrielle Reece on parenting, staying healthy and fitting in fitness

Most people know Gabrielle Reece as a model and volleyball legend — but today, her most important role is being a mom.

Jen Cawley

Gabby Reece takes an hour to work out every day.

Reece and her husband, professional surfer Laird Hamilton, are raising three young girls and trying to teach them to love their bodies — in a world where the perfect, #nofilter images on Instagram receive the most likes. Last week, Reece took a break from her role as presenter at the Robb Report Health + Wellness Summit to chat about parenting, staying fit and living life to the fullest.

"I'm aware that my kids are navigating something [social media] I never did at their age. So I try to keep an open dialogue and equip them with the truth, and keep the door open to have the conversation," Reece said, reflecting on the impact of today's social platforms.

Reece also realizes she has a strong influence on how they feel, too, and noted that real-life examples of body positivity are the best way to demonstrate it.

"Children are watching more than they're listening," she explained to TODAY. "So I'm constantly checking myself: Am I discussing my weight? Am I critiquing my clothing? I try to convey that your body is a tool that brings you experiences — it's not just 'How do I look in my jeans?'"

Reece, who most recently appeared as the host of NBC's "Strong", a competition reality show where trainers worked to help their trainees improve their physical fitness, hasn't always felt great about how she looked.

"I was 6 feet tall by the time I was 12 years old, so there was no way I was going to look like everyone else," Reece remembered. "But growing up in the sports world, I was around women who were clearly imperfect, but were having fun and felt comfortable in their own skin. I learned to connect with my body in different ways."

Clearly Reece's empowering views are having a positive effect on her daughters. In June, she and daughter Reece posted a video on Facebook sharing their current weights. Gabrielle Reece had recently undergone knee surgery and hadn't been able to work out, and thus was disappointed to learn she had lost some muscle and a few pounds.

When her daughter got on the scale and realized she weighed more than her mom, she was excited. For once, she had more muscle than her mom. A woman in the locker room was confused by their mother-daughter exchange, which is why Reece decided to share it with the world.

"We're all different," she said in the video. "We give so much to the scale, when really, we should be giving it to how do we feel, are we our own personal best? And not worry about comparing or worry about the scale."

Aside from not stressing about a number, Reece wants her daughters to develop who they are — and not to rely on their looks.

"I tell my girls: If you're offering pretty hair and butt, there are millions of those on Instagram," she explained. "Instead, send a signal of your worth — develop a skill set and personality, and let being pretty be a bonus because it's not that unusual."

Reece has a lot going on, but still manages to find time for herself, which is an important part of being a mother.

"As women, we'll clean the house, cars and make sure our nails are done, but we won't take care of ourselves, and there's no better investment. Don't apologize for taking 'me' time," Reece said.

For her, that means an hour of exercise about six days a week. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, it's high-intensity interval training for about 48 minutes. On Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, she trains in the pool or practices meditative breathing exercises.

When it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, her number one tip is this: "Have fun," she stressed. If you hate the gym, get outside. Invest in yourself and your family will feel the benefits, too.

Gabrielle Reece to Host Strong: a 'Sexy' New Fitness Competition Show with Hot Trainers (Photos)

Ten women from around the country will be teaming up with 10 of the best male trainers with various areas of expertise to lose weight and transform their lives on NBC's new reality fitness competition show, STRONG, premiering April 13. 

"It has a high level of difficulty," host Gabrielle Reece tells PEOPLE of the show. "It's sexy! The sets are really attractive. And I think it has a really human quality to it. The cast's stories are stories that everyone can relate to." 

The contestants include a stay-at-home mom of three, a former cheerleader and a 30-year-old looking for love, all of whom must face epic physical challenges along with their trainers to advance in the competition. 

Trainers Adam Von Rothfelder (left) and Dan Wells

"The trainers have to deliver as well," says Reece, 46. "It's not just them telling people what to do, they're showing with their actions. The trainer is very invested in helping the woman [they're paired with], and then he's also busting his butt for her." 

RELATED VIDEO: Celeb Trainer Harley Pasternak Shows You How to Get Buns Like Beyoncé

Reece wanted to be involved with the show because of the focus on self-improvement. 

"[I was drawn to] the notion of people going through life, and then deciding, 'I'm going to be better'," says the world-class athlete. "For me, coming from a sports background, it was always about trying to be better. That doesn't mean just physically. It's this idea of, 'How do I approach obstacles or challenges?' " 

Trainers Chris Ryan (left) and Wesley Okerson

"I loved the idea of these women saying, I want to either find the old me or get myself defined and find my real voice," she continues. "I'm very inspired by [them]." 

While viewers are sure to find the women relatable and root for them, the trainers are an appealing reason to tune in to the show. 

"The trainers are badass," says Reece, "and they're not awful to look at!"

The Real-Life Diet of Laird Hamilton, Surf Icon and Nutrition Nerd

Professional athletes don't get to the top by accident. It takes superhuman levels of time, dedication, and focus—and that includes paying attention to what they put in their bellies. In this series, GQ takes a look at what pro athletes in different sports eat on a daily basis to perform at their best. Here's a look at the unorthodox diet of big-wave legend Laird Hamilton.

Calling Laird Hamilton just a surfer feels, well, inadequate. He is a surfer of course, arguably the best big wave surfer in the world at 52. His resumé speaks volumes: In 2000, he surfed the heaviest wave in history off the coasts of Tahiti. He helped invent tow-in surfing, allowing surfers to catch bigger and faster waves than ever before. The Washington Post once called him the greatest athlete in the world, and once upon a time, he even saved a stranger’s life in Malibu.

But over the course of his career, the 52-year-old has become a fitness sage, regularly writing workout and diet advice, and even putting out his own line of superfood. At 17 he transitioned from modeling to surfing, and since then he’s been experimenting with all the different facets of fitness and nutrition. “You continue to evolve as an athlete and an innovator and it doesn’t end until you end. You have an obligation as an organism living here to evolve and innovate and learn,” he says. “Clothing, fitness—all part of the evolution of Laird the athlete and Laird the brand. I want to keep evolving that.”

Currently, Hamilton is preparing for the Laird Hamilton Lifestyle Weekend, a retreat he’s hosting with his wife, volleyball superstar Gabrielle Reece. When we spoke, he was between what he called “baking soda purges,” which is not as industrial-severe as it sounds, but rather starting the day off drinking dissolved baking soda in water. (There’s research to suggest that baking soda can prevent the build-up of lactic acid in muscles).

“When things don’t have an effect I stop using them. At one point I was drinking a lot of lemon water in order to eat more alkaline, and I learned you just can’t eat your way into alkalinity.” I ask if he’s developed a bullshit-meter for trends, and he responds politely and professionally: “My approach is more mathematical. If the math doesn’t pan out then I will question it. There’s always stuff that doesn’t sound right even if it is, but you still learn to use your instincts. Your body is smarter than you give it credit for.”

One of those things that doesn’t sound right, even though it is, is the idea that eating fat doesn’t make you fat. The biggest and most fundamental change Hamilton has made over the years was to embrace the necessity of fat, and to eliminate as much sugar as possible from his diet. He’s even cut down the amount of fruit he eats, stressing that fruit is meant to be eaten seasonally and not stockpiled year-round. That’s a huge shift in anyone’s diet, but he eased into it. “The biggest mistake anyone can make is being too strict. That stress far outweighs the value of what you’re doing. There’s a disciplined way to do things.”

Breakfast 
Tablespoon of baking soda dissolved in water 
Espresso with coconut oil

During the day 
Kombucha
Turmeric juice

Lunch 
Fish with roasted cauliflower and arugula salad

Dinner 
Beef vegetable stew.

WEEK IN SLOTH

Thursday 7

“American Idol” (KASA-2 7pm) “American Idol” shuffles off this mortal coil by crowning a final idol on its series finale. But how, in a post-“Idol” world, will we know what singers to ignore on iTunes? ... Other than by watching the 23 other singing competitions on TV right now?

“2016 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony” (USA 8pm)Sting, Big Boss Man, The Fabulous Freebirds and Joan Lunden are among this year’s ... Wait. Did I just say Joan Lunden?

“Party Down South: Reunion—The Final Funnel” (CMT 11pm) What has the cast of CMT’s redneck reality show been doing since the seventh season finale ended it all earlier tonight? ... Binge drinking, you say? Imagine that.

Friday 8

“Adult Swim Golf Classic” (Cartoon Network 12:30am)Comedians Jon Daly and Adam Scott star as noted historical golfers Jon Daly and Adam Scott in this goofball sports special set in 1966. Don’t bother trying to understand. Just watch.

Saturday 9

The Cheerleader Murders (Lifetime 6pm) Cheerleaders: Always an excellent choice for horror movies or pornographic films.

Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt & Anderson Cooper(HBO 7pm) Journalist Anderson Cooper examines the life and legacy of his mother, fashion icon Gloria Vanderbilt.

Sunday 10

“The Other Kingdom” (Nickelodeon 5pm) Princess Astral leaves the fairy world behind for a chance to enroll in human high school in Nick’s newest fantasy sitcom. ... I gotta say, princess, you’ve made a very poor life choice.

“The Girlfriend Experience” (Starz 6pm) Starz turns Steven Soderbergh’s 2009 sex drama about a prostitute who spends the night with clients into a weekly series.

“2016 MTV Movie Awards” (TV Land/BET/VH1/Comedy/MTV 6pm) The Rock and Kevin Hart host. ... That or they’re starring in a “Sesame Street” sketch about the difference between “big” and “small.”

Monday 11

“Cupcake Wars” (Food 6pm) Food Network is in a video game mood tonight. Celebrities Mel B, Mayim Bialik, Andy Dick and Jennie Garth bake Atari-themed cupcakes. OK, this makes less sense than Joan Lunden at the WWE Hall of Fame.

“Hunters” (Syfy 8:06pm) An FBI agent with PTSD searches for his missing wife and finds a secret government agency fighting alien terrorists. This sci-fi drama is based on Whitley Strieber’s novel Alien Hunter.

“The Detour” (TBS 7pm) Married comedy couple Jason Jones and Samantha Bee created this manic sitcom about a family (led by Jones) whose week-long vacation goes increasingly off the rails.

Tuesday 12

“Game of Silence” (KOB-4 9pm) In this twisty drama, a successful Atlanta attorney’s life is turned upside down when his long-lost childhood friends show up talking about getting revenge for a 25-year-old incident that got them six months in what looks like the same sadistic juvenile detention center Brad Pitt, Jason Patric and Billy Crudup wound up in inSleepers.

Wednesday 13

“Strong” (KOB-4 8pm) Professional volleyball player Gabrielle Reece hosts this exercise reality show in which 10 women from various backgrounds pair up with elite male trainers to “embark on a journey of both mental and physical self-improvement.”

“The Last Panthers” (Sundance 11pm) An insurance investigator (Samantha Morton, Minority Report) goes after a mysterious gang of European jewel thieves in this six-part crime series.

Fairfield Local Schools announce honor rolls, perfect attendance for 2nd quarter

Fairfield Local Schools have announced the perfect attendance and honor rolls for the second quarter of the 2015-16 school year.
Kindergarten
Perfect Attendance: Ethan Bartley, Brent Butcher, Miley Caldwell, Addison Cannon, Elizabeth Cutright, Darcie Kibbey, Trenton Moore, Anna Parker, Chaylin Talbott, Cohen Watson.
First Grade
Perfect Attendance: Alyssa Bales, Caleb Barrera, Van Bennington, Andrew Benson, Daphne Butts, Nikolas Castro, Kinsey Drury, Melody Greene, Leila Hughes, Patrick Hughes, Kaylee Hurless-Miller, Ava Martinez, Jorgia Smith.
Second Grade
Perfect Attendance: Hannah Carroll, Carson Chandler, Quinten Churchman, Hannah Curtis, Kaitlyn Eidenier, Sappharie Feaster, Heath Flint, Ray Gleadle, Cailan Hauke, Madison Lamb, Kyle Miller, Addison Minzler, Shelby Pelton, Rilee Quickle, Abby Riley, Gavin Rowe, Max Sheffield, Aiden Teeters, Gabe Watson, Taliya Weaver.
Third Grade
Perfect Attendance: Kenzie Anderson, Maddie Caldwell, McKinley Cox, Blaine Fauber, Trinity Ferrell, Hannah Hamilton, Dane Hodson, Paige Naylor, Sarah Shoemaker, Alexander Smith, Mallory Tolle, Devin Tyree, Brittany Wrinkle, Corey Zimmerman.
Principal’s Award: Makayla Brown, Isabelle Brunck, Maddie Caldwell, Trinity Ferrell, Hannah Hamilton, Mya Hamilton, Jadi Howland, Halle Jones, Logan McIntosh, Claire Newkirk, Kailey Pfister, Carly Sanders.
Honor Roll: Seth Allen, Mackenzie Anderson, Cameron Bales, Michael Burns, Britney Cartwright, Emmalee Caudill, Otis Cockerill, McKinley Cox, Curtis Evans, Blaine Fauber, Allyson Gragg, Emily Haines, Jobey Hattan, Dane Hodson, Jayden Howard, Aylah Humphreys, Patricia Jenkins, John Keir, Chase Newman, Kenton Snider, Annabeth Sparks, Mallory Tolle, Ginny Trent, Robert Walker, Kendal Welling, Emma Wheeler, Ethan Williams, Brittany Wrinkle, Kolby Young, Corey Zimmerman.
Fourth Grade
Perfect Attendance: Wyatt Cannon, Zander Carver, Hayden Crusie, Nevaeh Durham-Tate, Caiden Fauber, Marlexis Feaster, Hannah Ferguson, Campbell Friend, Cody Frost, Janre Lerio, Jill Potts, Caitlyn Quickle, Garrett Rhodes, Isabelle Sheffield, Carson Shoemaker, Emma Sowders, Bryce Stone, Levi Woods.
Principal’s Award: Addi Bales, Sydney Hooper, Caitlyn Quickle.
Honor Roll: Grant Baker, Haydon Barrera, Braylee Bartley, Nolan Campbell, Katelyn Chambliss, Abbigail Collins, Faith Donley, JD Duncan, Lottie Evans, Hannah Ferguson, Gabe Fouch, Emma Fraysier, Larkin Friend, Cody Frost, Kaylin Greiner, Laila Harris, Maddie Pennington, Reagen Reese, Hannah Riley, Cade Sponcil, Emily Taylor, Avery Teeters, Jack Wagoner, Timmy Williams, Kennedy Zink.
Fifth Grade
Perfect Attendance: Noah Allering, Kenzie Fauber, Todd Ferrell, Kara Gleadle, Hallie Haines, Elijah Humphreys, Owen Larrick, Peyton Magee, Faith Miller, Paris Priest, Jacob Ramsey, Chaise Reffitt, Shelby Rice, Garrett Sellers, Haley Shoemaker, Hailey Tolle, Bryce Williams, Ethan Yates.
Principal’s Award: Noah Allering, Jeremiah Burley, Jaylie Duncan, Mya Fenstermacher, Kara Gleadle, Hallie Haines, Kaylee Hawn, Elijah Humphreys, Macy Keeton, Owen Larrick, Peyton Magee, Alayna McIntosh, Faith Miller, Dow Moon, Wyatt Morrow, Liberty Parshall, Sydney Sanders, Mikalah Sheridan, Hailey Tolle, Caleb Vidourek.
Honor Roll: Olivia Bellamy, Layla Bradley, Caidance Butcher, Isaiah Caldwell, Tytis Cannon, Wyatt Collins, Garrett Davidson, Katie Fauber, Kenzie Fauber, Layne Fife, Madison Giles, Mason Goddard, Dalton Hampton, Landry Hattan, Noah Hawk, Madison Hurless-Groves, Evangline Keir, Brandon Ludwick, Tyler McCloskey, Hanna McKinley, Clinton Pelfrey, Paris Priest, Shelby Rice, Roger Rice-Berwanger, Roger Sellers, Haley Shoemaker, Kyler Smith, Courtney Stratton, Bryce Williams.
Sixth Grade
Perfect Attendance: Josh Brown, Chloe Butts, Halle Hamilton, Braxton Harrison, Alexander Haskins, Ethan Holcomb, Nayomie Ludwick, Jacob Morgan, Zander Parshall, Emily Price, Dawnarae Rhodus, Brianna Setty, Lynsey Smith, Christian Ursell, Koben Zink.
Principal’s Award: Abigail Arikat, Grace Buchanan, Katie Buddelmeyer, Makenna Colwell, Makiah Cox, Madison Curtis, Anna Davis, Shaleigh Duncan, Emma Fouch, Audra Greiner, Madison Griffith, Braylynn Haines, Halle Hamilton, Braxton Harrison, Hannah Hodson, Nayomie Ludwick, Hailey McCollum, Laci Muhlenkamp, Ella Newkirk, Emily Price, Cadence Saunders, Brianna Setty, Reese Teeters, Isabella Warner, Brayden Zimmerman.
Honor Roll: Zane Acton, Autumn Avedisian, Whitney Bobb, Chloe Butts, Erica Calvert, Caitlin Campbell, Madison Cox, Linda Daulton, Skyler Daulton, Kylie Fauber, Tyler Ferrell, Madison Fitchpatrick, Kirstasia Hafer, Sara Knisley, Courtney Lawson, Ryan Ludwick, Aidan Miller, Jalynn Moore, Jacob Morgan, Andrew Newland, Zander Parshall, Cayden Rhoades, Dawnarae Rhodus, Caden Shoemaker, Christian Ursell, Caleb Vannieuwenhze, Kirsten Walker, Lydia Williams, Sophie Young, Koben Zink.

Seventh Grade Perfect Attendance: Tyler Baldwin, Lucas Chamblin, Megan Crum, Thomas Fraysier, Orrie Friend, Blake Haines, Brant Haines, Katelin Heizer, Ricky Meadows, Madison Miller, Morgan Richmond, Jeffrey Spears, Nathan Vidourek. Principal’s Award: Cody Ayers, Blake Haines, Caleb Payne, Connor Priest, Morgan Sheridan, Rilee Storts. Honor Roll: Nicole Benson, Samara Cannon, Megan Crum, Hanna Deckard, Ambria Docter, Jenna Elking, Harley Flint, Madison Fox, Thomas Fraysier, Orrie Friend, Cohen Frost, Trey Garrison, Brant Haines, Layla Hattan, Katelin Heizer, Kiley Lamb, Matthew Lamb, Allyce McBee, Kelsey McCarthy, Madison Miller, Bryce Posey, Alexia Sheppard, Zane Taylor, Nathan Vidourek. Eighth Grade Perfect Attendance: Corey Allen, Brittany Butts, Ciara Colwell, Gabrielle Cummins, Breanna Flint, Mikayla Griffith, Audrey Oder, Saylor Priest, Justin Sowders, Kylie Stroop, Blaine Wise, Braighton Wise, Paige Wolfe. Principal’s Award: Ciara Colwell, Hailey Daniels, Allison Davis, Ethan Davis, Ailean Duffie, Breanna Flint, Mikayla Griffith, Payton Harvey, Madison McCollum, Saylor Priest, Bryson Simmons, Brooklin Surber, Alexis Tompkins, Sarah Wuellner. Honor Roll: Corey Allen, Morgan Baker, Chelsie Briggs, Brittany Butts, Gavin Campbell, Gabrielle Cummins, Abigail Davis, Ryland Donley, Julia Durbin, Laura Engle, Alex Greene, Brayden Grooms, Mia Keeton, Taylor Lawson, Ashley Sanderson, Ethan Saunders, Kylie Stroop, Paige Teeters, McKensi Thompson, Wyatt Willey, Blayke Wise, Logan Woods. Freshmen Perfect Attendance: Dale Back, Autumn Baker, Lexie Barcus, Nicholas Evans, Wyatt Fent, Riley Friend, Jerrel Martinez, Mathew Reece, Samantha Shepherd, Daizey Smith, Lyndee Spargur, Phoenix Taylor, Ethan Whalen, Kaitlin White. A Honor Roll: Dale Back, Brianna Barnes, Nathaniel Buchanan, Brandston Duffie, Garrett Irvin, Kamryn Magee, Lyndee Spargur. A-B Honor Roll: Lauren Arnold, Autumn Baker, Lexie Barcus, Brianna Burleson, Kaylee Carder, Meadow Cunningham, Andrew Dingey, Riley Friend, Megan Gragg, Jerrel Martinez, Mathew Reece, Rachel Schuler, Austin Setty, Matthew Spears, Teigan Thackston, Cameron Travis, Corey Wait, Haven Woods. Sophomores Perfect Attendance: Tucker Ayres, Quinton Beatty, Courtney Brown, Andrew Davis, Aubrey Drabik, Macinzey Harvey, Dakota Haynes, Cerena Kibbey, Matthew Mangus, Kailey Weitz, Annya Sheppard, Ashley Sowards, Garrett Spargur, Shaynelle Turner, Emily Williams, Yancy Wisecup, Jordan Wright, Dylan Zimmerman. A Honor Roll: Blake Adams, Chloe Barber, Veronika Burgess, Maggie Donahue, Aubrey Drabik, John Grimm, Macinzey Harvey, Ciara Knisley, Makenna Lane, Matthew Mangus, Carli Reiber, Annya Sheppard, Garrett Spargur, Brandon Vidourek, Hannah Willey, Emily Williams, Jordan Wright, Sarah Young. A-B Honor Roll: Tucker Ayres, Andrew Davis, Cody Gragg, Dakota Haynes, Alexis Hunter, Kevin Lamb, Caitlyn Melson, Landen Murphy, Nicholas Price, Noah Richmond, Megan Sanderson, Kailey Seitz, Grace Shope, Ashley Sowards, Andrea Spears, Shaynelle Turner, Jocelyn Ursell, Yancy Wisecup, Dylan Zimmerman. Juniors Perfect Attendance: Carly Arnold, Jesse Current, Lane Frost, Devon Haynes, Hannah Howell, Clayton Jacobs, Anthony Paul, Alexandria Powers, Mila Promsit, Elizabeth Shoemaker, Alex Spears, Shelby Turner. A Honor Roll: Carly Arnold, Olivia Bobb, Daniel Dailey, Jensen Daulton, Lane Frost, Sherry Heckathorn, Brittney Mondabaugh, Mallory Nestler, Alexandria Powers, Mila Promsit, Hannah Putnam, Leann Richards. A-B Honor Roll: Brooke Buchanan, Jesse Current, Wyatt Evans, Lauren Greene, Braden Heizer, Hannah Howell, Mayson Lamb, Logan McClanahan, Abigail Newkirk, Shania Setty, Emily Shope, Emily Smithson, Alex Spears, Keith Thompson, Shelby Turner, Klay Walker, Baylee Willey. Seniors Perfect Attendance: Sarah Buddelmeyer, Brad Bumgarner, Jake Fraley, Jade Knisley, Damien Lay, Ethan Putnam, Ashley Trufolo. A Honor Roll: Ashley Allemann, Seth Allen, Amber Arikat, Sarah Buddelmeyer, Tove Granestrand, Grace Larrick, Ryan Matthews, Kylie Potts, Mitchell Rose, Ashley Taylor. A-B Honor Roll: Mackenzie Bolton, Casey Carter, Kaylee Crum, Trey Current, Hunter Dixon, Samuel Everhart, Ellie Fraley, Wyatt Harris, Nike Hurless-Groves, Jade Knisley, Damien Lay, Macie Pauley, Ethan Putnam, Zachary Schuler, Cayden Tolle, Ashley Trufolo, Garrett Wheeler.

Giving Voice to Grief

Todd Arky, a successful entrepreneur (perhaps best known for co-founding Seamless) is trying to change the conversation - or lack thereof - around loss and bereavement. Todd lost his own father at age 12. In the cloud of grief, when so much else felt numb, his father's best friend gave him the kind of support he so very much needed. Todd remembers vividly when Bruce told him that "he was exactly the same age when his [own] father died and that this would be really tough, but I would be okay." Most importantly for Todd, "his common loss gave me a real sense of strength."

In finding another person with whom to share in the grief and open up about his own, Todd was indeed able to emerge with strength from the grieving process. It also made him want to become a person like Bruce for others who had lost loved ones.

It goes without saying that no two people grieve in the same way. Everyone's needs are different at a time of loss, as are everyone's emotions. But in giving voice to one's own grief, others who have not been given the chance to express themselves can likewise find their voice.

Todd first stepped up to do this as a volunteer and now Board member at Experience Camps, which bring together young people who have lost loved ones to get some time away from home and the chance to connect, reflect, and share their own stories. The experience of supporting and guiding others through their loss made Todd wonder: how could we open an even more public conversation about grief?

Bringing together his passion as an entrepreneur and personal story, Todd launched the Shared Grief Project, in which he interviewed celebrities who have lost loved ones and gathered resources from other celebrities who have spoken out about their grief.

What does it mean that NBA star Kyrie Irving, who lost his mother at age four, still gets choked up when he fills out information forms asking about his mother and father? What does it mean that successful entrepreneur Rohan Marley felt lost when his father died at age nine - only to find that his father, Bob Marley's lyrics were a source emotional sustenance? What does it mean that world-champion volleyball player, actress, and model Gabrielle Reece struggled to find healthy ways to process her anger and acted out?

That depends very much on who is listening.

It can mean that many more people than we ever might realize experience loss; they just usually don't have the chance to speak about it. It can mean that even very successful people often face struggles during the grieving process, even if a surprising number of them feel like they emerged with greater resilience. It can mean that those who are grieving need not grieve alone - or feel alone in their grief.

Todd hopes that the Shared Grief Project will open conversations more broadly about grief and how different people have been impacted by it. But more importantly, he hopes it will connect with young people experiencing grief and be a source of strength for them, even from afar.

Not everyone has someone with whom to connect and share their experiences of loss. But this resource can complement the growing network of camps and support groups and reach still more young people who feel lost, angry, or any of the countless emotions associated with grief.

Scholar Athlete of the Week: Gabrielle Crowley

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla

When you are named after a professional athlete you are almost forced to become a great athlete.

Luckily for Arnold High School Senior, Gabrielle Crowley, she did just that.

"I'm actually named after Gabrielle Reece who's a professional volleyball player so my dad really wanted me to start playing and I love it," said Crowley.

Last season Crowley helped lead her team to a district championships and to regional semi-finals.

Head coach Sheryl Heninger says Crowley isn't the loudest one on the court but she is a leader.

"I mean she's a quite quarterback. She's a quarterback but she's quite," said Heninger.

Crowley says she trys to be a leader in the classroom as well.

"I feel like I should be a leader both on the court and off the court so I do what i'm supposed to do and I try to follow really good morals and try to help everyone else on the court do the same," said Crowley.

Her head coach says Crowley's self motivation helps her succeed.

"She's very self disciplined, does her work, wants to succeed. You know and I think that's part of the battle. She wants to be good," said Heninger.

"I mean if you don't do well in the classroom you can't play on the court so that definitely drives me," said Crowley.

Not only does Crowley motive herself but she also helps motivate others on the team.

"Well Lilly she's a sophomore I've been kind of mentoring her since the summer because I really wanted her on varsity because I just really believe in her. And I just give her pep talks because I know she can do it she just needs to believe in herself so I try to help her out with that," said Crowley.

Coach said Crowley's kindness spreads beyond the court.

"Everyone likes her. Everyone likes Gabby. Not just on the team but in the school. She's just a likeable person. Very trustworthy and again instills that confidence in her that she's not going to let you down," said Heninger.

Laird Hamilton and Gabrielle Reece Paddleboard naked for ESPN 2015 Body Issue

Laird Hamilton and Gabrielle Reece are well known for their healthy lifestyles, their rigid fitness routines and their impressive physical attributes, and are set to feature in the ESPN 2015 Body Issue completely naked and on a paddleboard. The ESPN Body series, celebrates some of the worlds most famous and successful athletes in the buff whilst performing in their sport and talking about their training and nutritional regimes that helps keep them in such fantastic condition.

It’s not just a nice set of artistic photos, Laird and Gabby also reveal how hard they both work at maintaining their fitness and that behind their perfect bodies are aching knees and historical injuries, but how they train and stretch to overcome the aches and pains. As well as the strict diet they maintain, Gabrielle also reveals how Laird put together a low impact underwater pool training programme to work the body smarter and how she considers chairs as torture devices!

The 2015 Body Issue is packed with supreme athletes in their birthday suits, including Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin, Skateboarder Leticia Bufoni and Wakeboarder Dallas Friday. The ESPN Body Issue 2015 is available from the 10th July, and a full list of all the athletes featured can be seen at the ESPN website here. In the meantime you can see Laird and Gabby talking about the photshoot and their superfit lifestyle in the ESPN video below. Can you believe Laird is now 51 years old and if you were as trim as Laird and Gabrielle would you bare all for an ESPN Body Issue?

Gabrielle Reece: My 'Alpha Male' Husband 'Brings Out the Girl in Me'

She’s an author, entrepreneur, fitness icon, and mother, but Gabrielle Reece, 45, shuns the idea of perfectionism. “I’m so interested in how women can get some version of ‘having it all,” Reece tells Yahoo Parenting. “But having it all is a moving target. … I’m nervous about perfect people.” Reece stands by that message in her new wellness campaign, The Balance Project, aimed at helping us all achieve a happy medium in life. In an exclusive interview, Reece talks about her life with surfer Laird Hamilton, her “alpha male” husband of 17 years, and their three daughters (Reece Viola Hamilton, 11; Brody Jo Hamilton, 7; and Izabella Hamilton, 19, Laird’s daughter from a previous marriage) and those explosive “submissive” comments.  

STORY: Jennifer Garner on Post-Baby Bikini Bodies, Marriage After Kids, and Why Halle Berry Is an ‘Angel’

What’s the hardest part about being a working mom?

I’m always saying, “Do your homework” but I desire to be more whimsical with my kids. My tolerance is lower, especially at the end of the day. [You can also] say no to people. Men say no and they don’t apologize for it. You can say, “This doesn’t work for me.” You’re not being rude – you’re standing up for yourself. … That’s what balance is: Save your energy here so you can double up there. It’s survival. I’m big on women taking care of themselves, and I don’t feel the need to explain myself.

STORY: Candace Cameron Bure: I Want My Husband to Lead

You had to defend yourself when people objected to your description of femininity as “submissive” in your 2013 book. 

I went to college at 17 and didn’t have to fight for certain things the way those in the previous generation did. … I understand [the controversy], but here’s my thinking: I want to exert my will for things that matter, and I’m not insecure about my ability to do so. I live with an alpha male because it brings out the girl in me. … He appreciates the softness and subtlety that I bring to the house because it’s nurturing. My husband does the same for me – he is dialed [into my needs]. … Even in a same-sex relationship, one person [often] takes on a male role. … I am 6′3″ and 175 pounds, so I’m not looking to be strong and dominant at home. [Historically,] true masculinity is about being honest, forthright, protective, helping someone in duress. It’s about everyone cultivating their best strength. Why do we shun the ideas of masculinity and femininity? 

Gabrielle Reece’s three daughters. (Photo: Gabby Reece/Instagram)

How do you parent well as a celebrity?

We’re not “Hollywood.” We speak to our daughters’ inner fire. We ask them, “What life do you want to build?” When my kids are acting ridiculous, I say, “Is this the person you’re choosing to be?” We bust their chops and we’re tough because their environment isn’t. We want to give them just enough friction. As parents, we want them to have a nice life without letting them immobilize… Our kids see us working hard, being on time, professional, speaking respectfully to everyone. My husband and I aren’t movie stars and we’re not on TV all the time.… I’m not shiny. You wouldn’t expect my handbag to match my shoes. There’s a place for that, and [some] people do that well. That’s not what I’m selling.

Gabby Reece on Modeling, Marriage, & Strong Women

I first met Gabby Reece in 1989 when she was starting out as a model and I was a young makeup artist. We worked together often on shoots with photographer Steven Klein for British and Italian Vogue, and quickly bonded over our shared passion for fitness and health. We were quite the pair, she at 6’3” and me at 5 feet tall. With her height and athletic build, Gabby was a stunning example of how strong is beautiful. An instant cover girl, she absolutely paved the way for models that are fit and powerful, instead of thin.

Gabby left modeling to become one of the world’s best known pro-volleyball players. In 1995 she met pro-surfer Laird Hamilton and the pair now live in Hawaii half the year raising three girls. Gabby has developed a new fitness program called HighX that combines resistance training, cardio, and balance available at 24 Hour Fitness. She’s written several books including the 2013 memoir, My Foot Is Too Big for the Glass Slipper: A Guide to the Less Than Perfect Life. In it, she pulled back the curtain on her life, including the truth about her marriage. I love that she didn’t try to put out the image of perfection, but instead was funny, honest, and totally real, just as she was when we caught up again after all these years.

Bobbi Brown: Hey Gabby, it’s been a long time since we worked together. I think you were, like, 17.

Gabby Reece: I was trying to remember, but I think the first time I was, like, 18 or 19. It was 1989, and you were just starting to do your makeup line. I started playing volleyball professionally out of college, so I was done modeling by 22 or 23.

When I think of you I remember how nice, normal,and not model-like you were, and I say that with love.

I get you. Because I remember this one time, I’ll never forget it, Naomi [Campbell] comes in and she’s late. I don’t remember what shoot it was, maybe with Albert Watson. They were all bitching and moaning, and then when she leaves they’re like, “Oh, she’s so fabulous.” I was like, that’s never going to be my language.

Oh yeah. I once did a Vogue shoot with Linda Evangelista, and we’re sitting in a location van on the street waiting and waiting. She comes in six hours late, and the editor says, “I’m so glad you’re here! Here’s some champagne and flowers!” 

[Laughs] How about that naughty behavior?

Gabby Reece with husband, pro-surfer Laird Hamilton and their daughter. (Photo: Instagram)

Thankfully, now you’re worlds away from the modeling world, living in Hawaii and LA with your husband, Laird Hamilton. With two world-class athletes in a relationship, that must be interesting; I’m sure you have both taught each other some amazing stuff. 

Yes, he’s perfectly willing to start at the bottom of something, not be good at it, and then implement it. He has taught me about being willing to do the things you’re not good at. I think I have a tendency to go back and do the things that are easier for me to do, for example, weight lifting and things that I’m comfortable with, versus lots of stretching or meditation. Those things are more of a challenge for me. So Laird has been a great example of going to your vulnerable spots, because it only ultimately makes you stronger. 

Gabrielle Reece, volleyball legend, offers new HighX regimen for fitness, tone

Put down the barbell if you want to tighten up.

That’s the advice from retired volleyball pro Gabrielle Reece, whose new class for gym chain 24 Hour Fitness only uses body weights and dumbbells.

"Looking back, I don't know if heavier lifting was always the most functional," says the 6-foot-3 athlete. "There's a very specific place for lifting heavy — if I am a bodybuilder or center line on a football team. Overall, most humans don't need to be banging heavy weights because it's hard on your joints and it's not actually that functional."

Reece developed HighX — which stands for high-intensity, explosive training — in 2012, but it’s coming to 24 Hour Fitness this fall. It’s a 50-minute circuit training class that works different muscle groups in three-minute intervals.

"It isn't just, we're gonna hammer your legs and upper body, but (we’re gonna) move in and out of those places," says Reece, 45. "It's a journey where I try to bring you to a group of muscles then away from it, maybe work on balance if I know you're a little fatigued so you can see where your weaknesses are and work on them."

The Gym Thorpe — who has also tried her hand at golf and surfs in her spare time — developed the class in Hawaii, where she lives. She still teaches it to friends and the community three times a week.

Volleyball star Gabrielle Reece now has her own fitness class, which she recently led at 24-Hour Gym on E. 53rd St.

Enlarge

MICHAEL TRAN/FILMMAGIC

Reece, seen here fully clothed, posed in ESPN’s Body issue this year.

Enlarge

"It keeps me very much in touch with the program and also forces me to stay creative because I'm trying to continue challenging myself,” she says.

Her strict regime is paying off: The athlete and her surfer hubby Laird Hamilton paddleboarded nude for this year’s ESPN The Magazine Body Issue.

But she’s a real person just like the rest of us, she insists, and isn’t above a little Photoshop magic.

"They can fix it afterwards if you know them well enough," she says.