The Power of Partnership: Cole Sager and Rory Zambard

June 25, 2014

Cara Kobernik

“Cole is relatively new to CrossFit, whereas I’ve been doing it for almost nine years. He brings lightness and an overwhelming sense of fun to our training, which sometimes I can lose sight of. ...” ~Rory Zambard


 

Training partners Cole Sager and Rory Zambard are headed to the 2014 Reebok CrossFit Games in Carson, California, after an excellent showing at the North West Regional.

“Cole is the perfect training partner for me because we have similar goals, but our differences help to push one another,” said Zambard, who placed 14th at last year’s Games. “Cole is relatively new to CrossFit, whereas I’ve been doing it for almost nine years. He brings lightness and an overwhelming sense of fun to our training, which sometimes I can lose sight of. My experience and his enthusiasm help to keep us balanced.”

Sager trains exclusively at CrossFit Deliverance in Seattle, while Zambard divides her time between Deliverance and CrossFit Bellevue in Bellevue, Washington.

“We train as partners,” Sager said. “I believe this is key. Our personalities fit well, we have the same goals, believe in the same God and have strong faith in his path for us, and we genuinely want to see the other succeed. Plus, whenever I do something wrong, she always has a good coaching tip for me to correct my movement. We make a collaborative effort to find what both of our weaknesses are and work those into our training.”

Meant to Be

Sager and Zambard met at the 2013 North West Regional.

“She may not remember it this way, but I plopped down next to her after the 100s workout, drained,” Sager said. “She looked at me and said, ‘Dude, you have abnormally large back erectors.’”

And the rest is history.

For Zambard, finding Sager as a training partner was a blessing she wasn’t anticipating.

“After I qualified for the Games in 2013, Cole and I lost touch and I was training again by myself,” she recounted. “One afternoon about three weeks before the Games, I went on a long hike up Mt. Si, which is a 6-mile trek with over 4,500 feet of elevation gained. It was miserable, but the whole time I was praying and meditating for the Lord to put a training partner in my life, someone to push me and help me grow as an athlete.”

On the way down Mt. Si, Zambard’s prayers were answered.

“As I was making my way down the mountain, headphones in, staring at my feet, I looked up and Cole was standing at the base of the slope with his arms in the air and a giant smile on his face,” she said. “We’ve been training together ever since, and he’s an absolute answer to my prayers.”

Super Friends

Both Zambard and Sager said Superman is their favorite superhero. Zambard admitted she wouldn’t want to be the Man of Steel, but she would take his extra strength.

“Who wouldn’t want to be Superman?” Sager added. “He could probably do Fran in under a minute!”

The two also agreed Sager would have the upper hand in a ninja battle should the pair ever have a real dispute.

“I am way too clumsy and loud to ever be considered a ninja,” Zambard said.

“She is tall and lanky,” Sager said of Zambard. “And I’m compressed and can move my levers more quickly because of my body proportions. I also took karate when I was a child. I haven't told her that secret part of my life, just in case we do ever have to have a face off.”

While they have the time to train together, the two said they don’t always get the social time they'd like.

“We have done a few dinners, and gone paddle boarding and such,” Sager said. “But we both have very different schedules. (Zambard) has a weekend job, and I work … as a mortgage originator in downtown Seattle. I am just very thankful we get to train together as much as we do. Her flexible weekday schedule has played the biggest part in that.”

Sager and fiancée, Genasee Aman, are set to tie the knot later this year and Sager is counting on Zambard attending the couple’s nuptials.

“Heck yeah Rory is attending my wedding! I wouldn't have it any other way,” Sager said. “Even though we have only been friends for just under a year, she has wedged a special place in my heart as a lifelong friend.”

Looking Toward the Games

For now, Sager and Zambard will continue to prepare for the Games.

“I will be straight up with (Zambard) and let her know that I am there to support her in any way that I am capable of,” Sager said. “If that means helping talk through things pre-event, or just sitting in the crowd cheering her on, I will do either one.”

Zambard shared her training partner’s enthusiastic support.

“We’ll both be there for each other to discuss the events as they’re released,” Zambard said. “It’s a little trickier to watch each other’s events at the Games than it was at regionals, so that may not happen, but we both know we’re cheering for each other in spirit. Watching Cole’s events at regionals was exhausting. I couldn’t help but cheer my little heart out for him, which left me drained every time. But I was never nervous for him. He plays on game day every bit as calm and collected as he practices.”