Georgia mom with cerebral palsy defying odds to become CrossFit athlete

A Forsyth County mom has persevered through her neurological condition to become a respected athlete in her CrossFit community.

Angela Brejcha has been taking CrossFit for six years at Lanier Strength and Conditioning in Cumming, but she's not the average athlete.

Brejcha has cerebral palsy. It's a neurological disorder that affects people's ability to move, control their muscles, and maintain their balance and posture.

Brejcha's coach, Amanda Thompson, says she has come leaps and bounds since she started. In addition to training through her disorder, Brejcha has trained through two pregnancies and came into the studio only eight weeks after giving birth to her second child.

"These half jump romps are really wonderful tools for athletes like Angela or pregnant women or people who have had knee surgeries because it allows Angela to continue to do jump rope with the class …and do everything that they're doing while jump roping except jumping up and down, which just isn't appropriate for her," Thompson said.  

Brejcha can now deadlift 175 pounds. That's up from 40 pounds when she started.

"I feel it's amazing. And I can also - besides deadlifts - do a lot more of everything than when I started," she said.

"She has technically all the excuses in the world, but she doesn't use any of them," Thompson said. "She gets up every morning, she's here sometimes before I am, and she does the workout, and she doesn't complain … And that's inspirational."

Through each workout, Brejcha defies the odds to become a standout athlete.

"As long as you put your mind to it…" Thompson said.

"...[A]nyone can do it,"  Brejcha said.