Coach DJ’s Memorial Bench-A-Thon
Since 2018, Austin Simply Fit has hosted an annual bench press competition that showcases our community’s strength and raises funds for important causes.
The 2024 Bench-A-Thon fundraiser took place on March 2, 2024.
Our community raised a record $10,000 for our Scholarship Fund!
Meet the five exceptional scholarship recipients here!
Accessible to lifters of all abilities, Coach DJ’s Memorial Bench-A-Thon brings together clients, trainers, and community members to cheer each other on as they attempt a one rep max bench press. Read a recap of the 2024 event here.
The Bench-A-Thon began as a fundraiser for a beloved ASF personal trainer, DJ Cedent, to help with medical costs related to sickle cell disease. Sadly, Coach DJ passed in 2019, but his legacy, and the event he inspired, continues.
DJ was not only an exceptional personal trainer, he also spent his time coaching the Leander Wolfpack alongside Mark Rogers. Everyone who knew him felt his enormous energy and passion not only for fitness, but for his community. He was a teammate in every sense of the word – supportive, encouraging, a teacher, a student. He was fearless in his fight against sickle cell disease, refusing its limitations and always training with passion and intensity.
Adam Rossow of Spectrum News did a wonderful piece on how the event honors Coach DJ. Read and watch the story here.
The 2024 Bench-A-Thon fundraiser took place on March 2, 2024. Our community raised $10,000 for our Scholarship Fund! Thank you! Meet the five Scholarship recipients here.
ASF Student Athlete Scholarship Fund
In 2021, the Austin Simply Fit Student Athlete Scholarship Fund was established in Coach DJ’s honor, and the Bench-A-Thon now serves as its primary fundraiser. Every dollar raised goes directly to our Scholarship Fund, which benefits select AISD student athletes entering college or trade school in the fall. In 2021, via a virtual event, we gave $500 scholarships to eight exceptional students. In 2022 we were back in person and raised $5,000! We awarded 12 scholarships thanks to an additional generous donation from ASF owner Krista Bergeron. In 2023, we made a goal to increase the scholarship amount to $1,000. With the help of our community, we raised $8,000 and awarded scholarships to eight AISD seniors! Most recently, we raised the bar again by raising $10,000 and awarding larger scholarships to five student athletes.
We know Coach DJ would be pleased to see his legacy at ASF encouraging others to train to their full potential, and supporting rising student athletes in their future endeavors.
Competing for a Common Goal
We love hosting competitions at ASF because we know that training toward a goal can be crucial to breaking through a plateau or reaching a new level. Competing gives us a chance to challenge ourselves in public, showing off the skills and strength we’re developing in the gym. And when we come together with a common goal, we often discover power we didn’t know we had.
Check out this video of the winners from the 2021 virtual Bench-A-Thon competition.
Click here to read a recap and see photos of the 2022 event!
Click here to read a recap and see photos of the 2023 event!
Click here to read about the 2024 event, and click here to watch the video recap!
The 2024 Bench-A-Thon fundraiser took place on March 2, 2024.
Our community raised $10,000 for our Scholarship Fund! Thank you!
Meet the five Scholarship recipients here.
Ask your personal trainer about competing in next year’s Bench-A-Thon!
If you’re new to ASF, click here to book your free consultation and structural balance assessment to get started!
I have only great things to say about Austin Simply Fit and specifically my trainer Vilita Cruz! The vibe in the gym is always chill and friendly, and V has been a delight to work with. She is so warm and supportive and has tailored our workouts to help me reach my specific goals.
– Shubha Soman