Lauren Kalil: Breaking Barriers for Women in CrossFit Media
While women have been known in CrossFit for being sideline reporters, MC’s, and fulfilling other media roles, calling play-by-play has been historically done by males only.
Until now.
If you stay up to date with the Sport of Fitness, then you know Commentator and Reporter Lauren Kalil, aka the Queen of Hustle. Lauren is known for her contagious laugh, extensive knowledge of the sport of CrossFit, and now for breaking barriers for women. In 2024 alone, Lauren has made two major milestones for women in CrossFit media for:
Being the first women to call play-by-play for a major CrossFit competition at the TYR Wodapalooza
Being the first woman to call play-by-play during a CrossFit Open Workout Announcement for 24.3
“Being hired to call play by play for an Open announcement has been a professional goal of mine since the very first time I saw the live show back in 2017. But it was one of those goals that you kind of just joke to yourself and think ‘ha, yeah, that would be awesome,’ but don’t truly believe it’s a realistic goal,” said Lauren. “However, the more invested I became in CrossFit, the more I believed that it was a goal I should start working towards, even if the odds are against me for the specific play by play role, as women in sports don’t typically get hired for that position. To not only be hired for the broadcast, but be hired for the role that historically is dominated by men, it still doesn’t feel real.”
With 10+ years of journalism experience, and her former career as a television news anchor and reporter, no one could have been more prepared than Lauren to accomplish this accolade.
“When I realized I was the first woman to do this in our sport, it didn’t really hit me,” said Lauren. “To me, I’m just doing the job I’ve worked really hard for, regardless of what I look like. But as the first woman to do it? Hell yeah! Let’s change the conversation so that more women feel like this isn’t an unreachable goal, and it is the norm!”
Lauren started her career in CrossFit media at the Morning Chalk Up hosting the Bottom Line, a popular athlete interview and event recap show, she took her talents to Hamilton Road Productions to be a part of the Talking Elite Fitness team with fellow commentators and personalities in the sport Tommy Marquez and Sean Woodland. Lauren’s show “Death By” features thoughtful conversations with influential people within the sport debating a topic that is timely in the CrossFit space.
Now after making a major breakthrough in Broadcasting for CrossFit, Lauren is ready for all the opportunities it opens for not only her, but for other women in the Sport of Fitness.
“I hope that the next generation of women know that it is possible,” said Lauren. “One of my favorite quotes is by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first female president of Africa. She said, ‘If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.’”
Lauren’s best advice for other women wanting to break through in the CrossFit media space:
“Apply for the job that you want. Ask people you admire to mentor you. Practice your craft over and over and then over again. From the moment I set my goal of calling play by play for CrossFit until the time I got the call, it was 7 years. Be patient. Don’t be discouraged when people tell you ‘no.’ Those opportunities weren’t for you anyway, and a better one is right on the horizon.”
